which the King of Kandy constructed round the neighbourhood of Anaradjahpoorah, to defend the passes where the jungle is at all thin. The commands of these forts were vested in Singalese noblemen. On our route to Anaradjahpoorah, where we arrived at six, we were met by the chief priest, the chief headman, a rebel, but who had been pardoned in consideration of his after services, and a possé of tom-tom beaters. June 16th. I was this day busily occupied in inspecting the ruins of this ancient capital of the Kandian dynasty. The remnants of this city strongly reminded me of those of the cities of Egypt, from the immense labour and time that must have been consumed in constructing those monuments of art, which are now but a mass of gigantic ruins. In the first place saw sixteen hundred pillars which, tradition says, supported one of the palaces of the king, consisting of nine stories, the whole surmounted by a brass roof. The next objects that engaged my attention were the dagobahs, in number four, two of which are about 270 feet in height; they are solid structures of brick, at one time covered with chunam, but which has now almost entirely fallen off. The solid contents of one of the largest is about 416,071 cubic yards; with the materials of which a wall might be built, twelve feet in height, two in breadth, and ninety-seven miles in length! This may give some idea of the labour that must have been expended in constructing some of the ornaments which adorned the ancient city of Anaradjahpoorah. Among the numerous tanks in the neighbourhood, one was particularly remarkable for its immense size. It is called Neura Wera," or the king's tank, and the embankment with which it is surrounded bears testimony that the builders must have been well acquainted with the general laws of mechanics. Having had the jungle cleared away, we discovered, among other things, two large pillars, two feet square; stone figures beautifully carved; a slab of stone twenty-four feet long; and two pieces of stone, which some thought to resemble canoes, and others elephants' trunks; the larger was sixty-one feet long. On the 20th and 21st thousands of persons came into the town, the majority women, chiefly from the seven Korles, with their offerings for the temples, and with hands uplifted, bearing leaves, they passed the day in going from temple to temple, paying their adorations to the god Boodh. This must have been the grand festival which, Knox says, took place in June, and which is called the Perahar. He thus describes the one he witnessed in Kandy : "The priest bringeth forth a painted stick, about which strings of flowers are hung, and so it is wrapped in branched silk, some part covered, and some not, before which the people bow down and worship, each one presenting him with an offering, according to his free will; these free-will offerings being received from the people, the priest takes his painted stick on his shoulder, having a cloth tied about his mouth to keep his breath from defiling this pure piece of wood, and gets up upon an elephant all covered with white cloth, upon which he rides with all the triumph that king and kingdom can afford through all the streets of the city, but before him go first some forty or fifty elephants with brass bells hanging on each side of them, which tingle as they go. "Next follow men dressed up like giants, which go dancing along agreeable to a tradition they have, that anciently they were huge men, that could carry vast burthens, and pull up trees by the roots, &c.; after them go a great multitude of drummers, trumpeters, and pipers, which make such a great and loud noise, that nothing else besides them can be heard; then followeth a company of men dancing along; and, after these, women of such castes or trades as are necessary for the service of the pagoda, as potters and washer-women; each caste goeth in companies by themselves, three and three in a row, holding one another by the hand, and between each company go drummers, pipers, and dancers. "After these comes an elephant with two priests on his back; one whereof is the priest before spoken of, carrying the painted stick on his shoulder, who represents Allout neur Dio;' that is, the God and Maker of heaven and earth. The other sits behind him, holding a round thing, like an umbrella, over his head to keep off sun and rain; then, within a yard after him, on each hand of him, follow two other elephants, mounted with two other priests, with a priest sitting behind, each holding umbrellas as the former; one of them represents Cotteragom Dio,' and the other, Potting Dio.' These three gods that ride here in company are accounted, of all other, the greatest and chiefest, each having his residence in a several pagoda. "Behind go their cook-women with things like whisks in their hands, to scare away flies from them; but very fine as they can make themselves. "Next, after the gods and their attendants, go some thousands of ladies and gentlewomen, such as are of the best sort of the inhabitants of the land, arrayed in the bravest manner that their ability can afford, and so go hand in hand, three in a row; at which time, all the beauties in Zelone, in their bravery, do go to attend upon their gods in their progress about the city. Now are the streets also all made clean, and on both sides all along the streets poles stuck up, with flags and pennons hanging at the tops of them, and adorned with boughs and branches of cocoa-nut trees, hanging like fringes, and lighted lamps all along on both sides of the street both by day and night. "Last of all go the commanders, sent from the king to see these festivals performed, with their soldiers after them; and in this manner they ride all round about the city, once by day and once by night. This festival lasts from the new moon until the full moon. 66 Formerly the king himself in person used to ride on horseback, with all his train before him, in this solemnity, but now he delights not in these shows. "Always before the gods set out to take their progress, they are set in the pagoda door a good while, that the people may come to worship and bring their offerings unto them; during which time there are dancers playing and showing many tricks of activity before him; to see the which, and also to show themselves in their bravery, occasions more people to resort hither than otherwise their zeal and devotion would prompt them to do. "Two or three days before the full moon, each of these gods hath a palanquin carried after them to add unto their honour; in the which there are several pieces of their superstitious relics and a silver pot; which, just at the hour of the full moon, they ride out into a river and dip full of water, which is carried back with them into a temple, where it is kept till the year after, and then flung away; and so the ceremony is ended for that year." Such is Knox's description of this feast; the one I saw was, I must confess, sadly deficient in all the paraphernalia therein described, but we must recollect that the perahar he saw took place in the year 1664, when the interior of Ceylon was under a native sovereign, and almost all the Singalese professed the tenets of Buddhism; while the one I beheld took place, when no king of Kandy existed, and when Christianity had, in a measure, superseded the ancient religion of the country. June 19th.-Went up one of the dagobahs, from whose summit I had an extensive view and delightful prospect; inspected the ruins of the city, but discovered nothing of any very great interest or importance. June 22nd. We started for Mahantele, twelve miles from Anaradjahpoorah. I ascended the rock on which the temples are situated; saw many monuments and inscriptions. June 23rd.-Reached the next stage, called Terrapan- Kadoerella, a most uninteresting spot. June 24th.-Departed for Mannesvera, where I was obliged to get into a carriage, called a monsheel, as my head ached most violently. June 25th.-Proceeded on to Nickrimaine; felt worse. June 26th.-Left for Dambool, and immediately I arrived there went to bed. June 27th.-Started for Matelle; arrived there at twelve, and felt so unwell that I was obliged to have twenty-four ounces of blood taken from me. At five left for Kandy, and arrived there in a high fever. THE ANDROMETER, OR MAN-MEASURER. MR. JAMES M'DONALD, tailor, West Register-street, Edinburgh, has lately invented an instrument, to which he has given the above denomination. The uses to which the instrument may be applied may be learned from the following certificates; and Mr. M'Donald's detailed statements of the advantages which would accrue to the State were the Army clothed according to his suggestion: "We have attentively examined the Andrometer invented by Mr. James M'Donald, and are of opinion that it will be of the greatest benefit and utility in taking the measurements and form of the human figure, as by its application (and which can be done by any person whether professional or not)—the formation of any individual can be taken with so much ease and accuracy, as to insure the fitting of the whole dress: that it must be of incalculable advantage where orders are received without any opportunity being afforded of seeing the individual, as in many instances persons of the height of 5 feet 6, 7, 8, or 9 inches, from their length of body, (the arms being of relative length to the limbs,) will take a larger coat than others of 6 feet and upwards. In such cases the Andrometer at once distinguishes and points out such varieties, and enables the cutter, from the measurements alone, to fit the person with the most perfect exactness. "Edinburgh. (Signed) "WILLIAM FRASER, "Tailor to His Majesty for Scotland. (Signed) "ANDREW GREIRSON, "Tailor and Clothier, 5, Hanover-street. "That in so far as the fitting of the dresses of the Army is concerned, a very important saving may be made by its (the Andrometer) adoption, and the clothes in all respects may be made at first more satisfactory to the wearer than they can without a great increase of expense be afterwards altered and fitted."-Report of Committee of Society of Arts of Scotland. "The undersigned have examined Mr. M'Donald's Andrometer, which they consider to be an instrument well calculated to measure the height, and to ascertain the dimensions of the different parts of the human frame. By means of it the measurements of the body may be easily, expeditiously, and accurately taken, so as materially to assist in recognising the identity of individuals, as in the case of deserters; and to determine satisfactorily the quality of recruits as far as size is concerned. 66 They are therefore of opinion, that the Andrometer may be advantageously employed for military purposes, and especially in the office of an Inspecting Field-Officer of a recruiting district. "H. MARSHAL, Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals. 66 Statement of the advantages which may be obtained by supplying His Majesty's Forces with clothing by measurement with the Andrometer, as compared with the present mode of clothing the Army : 1st. In regard to the precision and accuracy with which the measurement of men can be taken. 2nd. With respect to the correct classification of men, not only as to height, but also as regards the component parts of their bodies, showing in the most perfect manner the exact dimensions of the various parts of the individual. 3rd. The superior accuracy with which clothing made up on this principle fits the person, superseding almost entirely the necessity of any alteration, and consequently avoiding the expense thereby incurred. 4th. The positive saving of material, it having been ascertained from calculations made, that, in a regiment consisting of 600 men, material equal to between 40 and 50 suits may be saved. The following tables show the Horse-Guards Regulation respecting the clothing of the Army, with its application in supplying the men forming the 77th Regt. of Foot, who were all measured by the Andrometer, also showing the saving effected by the latter arrangement; and likewise is exhibited the classification of men on the principles of the Andrometer, together with the correct dimensions of clothing required, and pointing out the difference between the two modes: Result of supplying His Majesty's 77th Regt. of Foot with Clothing, according to the Horse-Guards Regulations. The Regulations for making Coats to His Majesty's Regiments of Foot, These regulations, with minor (ones, are the standard for the Board of Clothing passing the uniform made by the Army Clothier. The present mode on which the Army Clothier acts is this: when a regiment requires clothing, a list of coats wanted is obtained; that is, he is furnished with a schedule of the men of different heights in the regiment; as for example, the 77th Foot, which has been measured by the Andrometer, the coats would be sent as follows: This arrangement supposes the length of the body and arms, also the circumference of chest and waist, to be correspondent to the height of the man, which in practice is found not to be the case. There are men of 5 feet 5, 6, and 7 inches, who will require a coat as long in the back, and as large in circumference of chest and waist, as men of 5 feet 8, 9, 10, and 11 inches, and even 6 feet; indeed, in all respects the same, except the length of arms and skirts. The clothing of the 77th regiment, for example, is sent to head-quarters of different sizes as above, the master-tailor fits them on, and alters them to suit the men; and he has often to take a coat of 5 feet 10 inches for a man of 5 feet 6 inches, and a coat of 5 feet 6 inches for a man of 5 feet 10 inches, &c. &c. Almost all the coats are too long in the waist, and many of them too large in the chest. The scale for supplying trowsers is understood to be on the same principle, and liable to the same objections as that regulating the issue of coats, which necessarily leads to great irregularity in fitting and waste of material. The quantity of cloth required, or in other words, the chest and waist measure of 512 men, agreeably to the above regulations, is as follows, viz.: * This is the exact number of men measured, being the entire strength at headquarters and out of hospital at the time. |