10 
History of Ceylon 
at length to an accommodation with Vinna, and agreed to 
divide with him the kingdom, as well as the dominions of the 
late King. Vinna soon afterwards dying, he was succeeded by 
his son. Raja Singa, however, soon found means to put the 
latter to death, and recover the territory and treasures he had 
lost. After being delivered from this competitor, the tyranny 
and cruelty of the usurper knew no bounds. He began to be 
equally feared and hated by all ranks of his subjects, and in 
particular by the religious orders, who still deplored the mur- 
der of their late favourite Prince. His subjects of the low- 
lands, at length quite exasperated with his barbarities, applied 
for relief to the Portuguese, who were not slow to improve the 
occasion. It was at this time they had first an opportunity of 
exploring the north-west parts of the island. A party of the 
Ceylonese of the lowlands having gone to Jafnapatam, for the 
purpose of inducing the King of that country to assist them 
against their tyrannical Prince, were accompanied by one An- 
drea Furtado, on the part of the Portuguese. The people of 
the north-west, who previously had no connection with the 
Portuguese, were much surprised at the appearance of these 
parangys or strangers. They, however, eyed them with distrust 
and jealousy ; and with a just foresight observed to the Cing- 
lese, that instead of finding deliverers in these new allies, they 
would only exchange one slavery for another. 
Among those who sought protection with the Portuguese, 
were two sons of Vinna, who had escaped the usurper. These 
youths were received with much kindness by the Portuguese, 
who succeeded in converting them to their own religion. They 
were baptised under the names of Don Juan and Don John, 
and were promised by their protectors, that the one should be 
5 
