No. 6.— 1853.] DISTRICT OF CH1LAW AND PUTTALAM. 55 



Pearl and Chunk Fisheries, 



Pearl banks exist along the coast from Chilaw to Karatrvu 

 Island, bat many years have elapsed since they were fished. 



Chanks are still in considerable demand ; they are exported 

 to the continent, where they are sawn up and converted into 

 beads, bracelets, and other ornaments. As a branch of revenue 

 this has, however, almost entirely ceased to exist. 



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 Mahawanso (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 Buddha ex- 

 pired, Prince Wijaya, grandson of the lion, having by his dis- 

 solute conduct been driven from his home on the continent, 

 landed at some part of the coast near Puttalam ; that after pro- 

 ceeding a few miles towards the interior and overcoming 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 sor- 

 ceress. Around this palace the first Capital of Ceylon was 

 built, and received the name of Tambapauni, or Tammanna 

 Adawiya, or Tammanna Nuwara, from the red earth found there 

 having stained the hands of Wijaya's followers, who, overcome 

 by sea-sickness and faintness, had thrown themselves on the 

 ground to recruit their strength. The place is well-known 

 here under the name of Tammanna Adawiya : it lies about six 

 or eight miles to the east of Puttalam, and was described by 



