48 Statistical Account of the 



History and Inhabitants. 



An attempt to write a connected history of any small por- 

 tion of a country is almost absurd ; its own peculiar politics 

 are trivial, and matters of greater interest at once merge into 

 the general history of the land. 



The only historical circumstance attaching much interest 

 to the District, is the erection within it of the first Capital 

 of Ceylon. 



From the Maha Wanse (Tumour's translation, p. 47, et 

 seq.) and Upham's Sacred and Historical Books of Ceylon (p. 

 27, et seq.), we learn, that on the very day that the last Budha 

 expired, Prince Wijeya, grandson of the Lion, having by 

 his dissolute conduct been driven from his home on the Con- 

 tinent, landed at some part of the 'coast near Putlam ; that 

 after proceeding a few miles towards the interior and over- 

 Coming a female Demon, named Kuweni, who had enchanted 

 and thrown into a dark cavern his seven hundred followers, 

 he built a palace to ratify a covenant which he had made 

 with the sorceress. Around this palace the first Capital of 

 Ceylon was built, and received the name of Tambapanni or 

 Tamana Adaweea or Tamena Noowera, from the red earth 

 found there having stained the hands of Wijeya's followers, 

 who overcome by sea-sickness and faintness, had thrown them- 

 selves on the ground to recruit their strength. The place 

 is well known here under the name of Tammena Adaweea ; it 

 lies about six or eight miles to the east of Putlam, and was 

 described by Mr. Casie Chitty in the Transactions of the Royal 

 Asiatic Society. A few rough pillars and slabs scattered 

 at random in a thick jungle are the only remains now visible. 



Wijeya's companions and successors soon established them- 

 selves in different parts of the country, and in the fifth reign, 

 that of Pandukabhaya, the seat of Government was finally 

 removed about forty miles north-west to Anooradhapoora. A 

 king of Mahdampe( Tanne Wella Bahu,) and the queen 

 Alliar Sahni, who has been referred to in a previous section, 

 are the only other Royal personages having their residence 



