d been all along encouraged[1], and even during the
recent usurpation, many Singhalese families of rank had formed
connections with the Damilos. The schisms among the Buddhist themselves,
tending as they did to engraft Brahmanical rites upon the doctrines of
the purer faith, seem to have promoted and matured the intimacy between
the two people; some of the Singhalese kings erected temples to the gods
of the Hindus[2], and the promoters of the Wytulian heresy found a
refuge from persecution amongst their sympathisers in the Dekkan.[3]

[Footnote 1: Anula, the queen of Ceylon, A.D. 47, met with no opposition
in raising one of her Malabar husbands to the throne.--TURNOUR'S
_Epitome_, p. 19. Sotthi Sena, who reigned A.D. 432, had a Damilo
queen.--_Mahawanso_, ch. xxxviii. p. 253.]

[Footnote 2: Sri Sanga Bo III. A.D. 702, "made a figure of the God
Vishnu; and was a supporter of the religion of Buddha, and a friend of
the people."--_Rajaratnacari_, p. 78.]

[Footnote 3: _Mahawanso_, ch. xxxvii. p. 234; TURNOUR'S _Epitome_, p.
25.]

[Sidenote: A.D. 515.]

The Malabars, trained to arms, now resorted in such numbers to Ceylon,
that the leaders in civil commotions were accustomed to hire them in
bands to act against the royal forces[1]; and whilst no precautions were
adopted to check the landing of marauders on the coast, the invaders
constructed forts throughout the country to protect their conquests from
recapture by the natives. Proud of these successful expeditions, the
native records of the Chola kings make mention of their victories; and
in one of their grants of land, engraved on copper, and still in
existence, Viradeva-Chola, the sovereign by whom it was made, is
described as having triumphed over "Madura, Izham, Caruvar, and the
crowned head of Pandyan;" Izham, (or Ilam) being the Tamil name of
Ceylon.[2] On their expulsion by Dhatu Sena, he took possession of the
fortresses and extirpated the Damilos; degraded the Singhalese who had
intermarried with them; confiscated their estates in favour of those who
had remained true to his cause; and organised a naval force for the
protection of the coasts[3] of the island.

[Footnote 1: _Mahawanso_, ch. xxxvi. p. 238.]

[Footnote 2: DOWSON, on the Chera Kingdom of India.--_Asiat. Journ._
vol. viii. p. 24.]

[Footnote 3: _Mahawansa_ ch. xxxviii. p. 256. and xxxix. TURNOUR'S MS.,
_Trans._]

But his vigorous policy produced no permanent effect; his son Mogallana,
after