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28 doubtless belonged to the great Takshak or 'Serpent race' of Scythia. Under the continued pressure of the advancing Aryan invaders, these Turanian tribes were driven back carrying before them in their turn the feeble and scattered remnants of the black aboriginal race, who were either exterminated or found a last refuge in the most inaccessible forests and mountains. Nothing definite is known about the South Indian Nagas except what is mentioned in the Manimekalai and the occasional references in the Pattuppattu and in the inscriptions. In the early Buddhistic Tamil literature the name of this tribe occurs very often.

(The four hundred yojanas of the good country of the Nagas will be destroyed by sinking into the broad nether world).

(The mountain inhabited by the naked nomads and the Nagas.)

The Naga Nadu or the country of the Nagas is described as a vast island situated in the east or rather south-east of the Tamil country ; and the Nagas were a half civilised tribe, some of whom were naked nomads while others were cannibals. They spoke a language not understood by the Tamil people. From this description it might be easily surmised that the country referred to was Ceylon and that the people were the Veddas or Vedas. Nîlan and Nâgan were