68 JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XIII* 



uncle, at Mahanagakula, now Magala or Nagala, in Buttala 

 Pattuwa. On the death of Parakrama's father this uncle took 

 his place, and it was with him that our hero was living (near, 

 as I have said, to Passara) at the time at which we have 

 arrived. But this small province did not satisfy Parakrama's 

 ambition. His ambition was to regain the northern kingdom, 

 the ancient seat of power, which his cousin Gaja Bahu now 

 occupied. He did not seek to win it for himself, but for 

 his uncle and foster-father. Against his other uncle* 

 Vallabha, who shared the south, he had apparently no designs : 

 he probably foresaw — what did occur, though only after a 

 long struggle — that whoever ruled the north and a part of 

 the south could not fail ultimately to regain the remainder 

 of the south. His definite aim therefore was to gain Polon- 

 naruwa and the rest of Gaja Bahu's kingdom. He was content 

 io set about this patiently, and not to make the attempt till 

 he had trained soldiers and captains, and collected war 

 materials and money. He would begin by making himself 

 acquainted with the extent of Gaja Bahu's strength, and the 

 degree of attachment of his ministers and people. The object 

 therefore of Parakrama's setting forth was to spy out the 

 northern kingdom, and at the same time to train a body of 

 followers who should be devoted to his person, and have 

 implicit confidence in his fortune. 



Our author is careful to show how deliberately the prince set 

 himself to form a little band of immediate followers, to 

 impress them with his determination, convince them of his 

 invincible courage, and perhaps to commit them to his cause. 



This latter aim — to commit his followers to his cause — 

 probably explains a step on which the writer lays emphasis, 

 though it is not altogether to the hero's credit. On leaving 

 Ms uncle, the prince went into the district near Badalatthali, 

 or Badulla, which was under the care of a certain general 

 named Saiikha, whose guests both king and prince had lately 

 been. This general very properly hesitated to encourage the 

 young prince's escapade, and was trimming very judiciously 

 between pleasing the prince and pleasing the king. He 



