48 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. XII. 



shown that it would be absurd and contrary to rules of 

 inference to regard such a solitary fact, even if it were an 

 undoubted fact, as proof that there was no locally-grown rice. 

 At best, it is but a flimsy scrap of evidence, which is opposed 

 to the tenour of the whole history. This argument will how- 

 ever be reverted to in the sequel. 



The other supposed discrepancy specified is that the Island 

 is said to have been "uninhabitable by men," and that 

 Kuveni, who entertained Wijayo's party, was herself a Yak- 

 kini. The answer already given to this argument is that 

 the behaviour of Kuveni ; the counsel she gave her guest ; 

 the luxurious bed and other surroundings described in the 

 narrative ; her entertaining the party with rice and victuals ; 

 her becoming Wijayo's wife and bearing him children, all 

 prove that she was a woman of like passions with women in 

 general ; and every incident of the history from the landing 

 to the dispersion and settlement of Wijayo and his ministers 

 equally prove that the people were ordinary men. If they 

 were sometimes called devils, so also are we all by our Chinese 

 neighbours. Snake worshippers of Assam are called Nagas. 

 Other points raised during the discussion of the previous 

 Paper were foreign to its purpose. They referred either to 

 times anterior to the period under review and beyond the 

 records of reliable history, or to matters outside of the scope 

 of the present inquiry. It must be clearly understood that 

 these Papers do not pretend to prove who the people were 

 that Wijayo found in occupation, — whence they came, — or 

 what race they belonged to. They are concerned with the 

 condition of the people, — what they did, — and what were their 

 means of doing it. Therefore, to follow further the points 

 raised at the previous discussion would be to lose sight of 

 the industries of the people and to pursue other topics, 

 interesting in themselves, but foreign to the inquiry in hand. 



It may be remarked incidentally, however, in regard to the 

 allusion made by a speaker to what Panduwo might have 

 been expected to do in regard to Ceylon, that the conjecture 

 was inconsistent with the fact that that monarch, only a very 



