still further the ancient stone. Beyond it the road winds northward and leads to a most beautiful pair of stone baths, known as the Kuttam (or Twin) Pokuna. One has been partially restored, so that the firm lines of the hewn blocks can be admired. This is the nearer one, and the flight of steps leading down into it has a balustrade of scroll pattern, contrasting with the much more unusual one of straight design in the further tank. The two tanks, which lie end to end, are 51 feet in breadth, while one is 132 feet and the other 91 feet in length. The stones used in construction are very long and laid in regular courses. As I drew near two green lizards, about a yard long, darted into holes in the stones, and just as I snapped the shutter, a tortoise, making a dive from the steps, broke through the green weed which had formed a covering for the whole pond, and left a black hole like a distorted image of itself! Bathing-places such as these, either stonehewn or stone-lined, are true pokuna whatever their size. The conception of this pair is masterly and to use them must have been a delight. There is no history attached to them, but it does not take much imagination to repeople them with bright-hued figures trooping down to the margin, throwing off their outer garments, bobbing up and down in the water, and pouring it over themselves as their descendants love to do to the present day.

To the west lies a "street" or road of the ancient city, a continuation of the Sacred Road. Beside it on the east, close to the Kuttam Pokuna, are the ruins of a large monastery, and a little

further up, on the other side, a number of Hindu ruins in a group. Can this be "the residence for people of foreign faiths" mentioned in the following extract?

King Pandukabhaya formed the four suburbs of the city and the Abhya tank and to the westward of the palace, the great cemetery and the place of execution and torture. He provided a nigroada tree for the devata Wessawano, and a temple for the Wiyadhodevo; a gilt hall for his own use, as well as a palace distributed into many apartments. These he constructed near the western gate. He employed a body of 500 chandalas (low caste people) to be scavengers of the city, and 200 chandalas to be nightmen; 150 chandalas to be carriers of corpses, and the same number of chandalas at the cemetery.

"He formed a village for them on the northwest of the cemetery and they constantly performed every work according to the direction of the king. To the north-east of this chandala village he established a village of Nichi-chandalas, to serve as cemetery men to the low castes. To the northward of that cemetery and between it and the Pusala mountains, a range of buildings was at the same time constructed for the king's huntsmen. To the northward of these, he formed the Gamini tank. He also constructed a dwelling for the various classes of devotees. To the eastward of that cemetery, the king built a residence for the Brahman Jotiyo (the chief engineer)" besides other items. "To the westward of that temple and eastward of the huntsmen's buildings he provided a residence for 500 persons of various foreign religious faiths."

This extract is given in full, as any one who

has gained even an elementary notion of the principal points of the city may instructively trace out the references, and, followed as far as is possible, they work out so that the settlement of "foreign faiths" comes somewhere near these ruins.

Close by the Kuttam Pokuna on the east is an ancient track which winds round (about 1 miles) to Pankuliya, a monastery showing a fine set of ruins and a seated stone image of Buddha.

Still further out north-west of this is Vijayarama (see p. 137).

By the Outer Circular Road (east branch) from the Kuttam Pokuna we may return to the centre of the city. This is not an interesting route; it runs for the first part through plantain groves and paddy fields. Soon an irrigation canal appears on the right or west of the road. In the strip of jungle beyond it on that side are several interesting remains, but their exact positions are almost impossible to indicate; they can only be found by those who search for them. In one of them the dwarf guardian stone appears. Another shows a very distinct type, having a paved verandah. But most interesting of all is an extraordinary pit with brick dwellings in it, the use and meaning of which can only be vaguely conjectured. Could this possibly have been at one time part of the vast subterranean buildings of the Royal Palace? The basement, in fact ?

On the other side of the Outer Circular Road a small path, about fifty yards from where the irrigation canal crosses the road, leads to a plantain plantation. This marks the track to "Nakha Vehera." This particular place is always so

spelt in the Archæological Reports, and in spite of the fact that Vehera and Vihara are given identical meanings in a Cingalese dictionary, "Vehera " is used of a dagaba and not a temple, for instance, Et Vehera Kande at Mihintale is so spelt, see p. 152, and in the present instance the principal building was once a dagaba. The path is a little swampy, but supplied with stepping-stones. It goes direct to a cottage, from which point it is necessary to break away to the right before seeing rather a shapeless brick mass in open ground. Near these are the remains of a vihara. The central ruin is quite unlike anything yet seen. On the west side are cut deep recesses, and there are flat slabs at the cardinal points on three sides, possibly floral altars. Very little is known about this vehera, which does not follow the usual type at all. To the north-west, about two minutes' walk away, is another vihara, worth seeing, because the guard-stones are very finely carved, and, like those at the King's Palace, display a sculptured torana.

After this, returning to the Outer Circular Road and following it, we pass on the left, just before reaching Abhayagiri dagaba, the headquarters of one of the few communities of Buddhist monks, here, who do not belong to the Siamese fraternity.

The so-called Abhayagiriya is spoilt by the hideous brick erection built on the summit to replace the old one which fell into ruins, but otherwise it has great charm. Now that Ruanweli has been vulgarised and Jetawanarama shorn of its glory, the unspoiled beauty of Abhayagiriya

makes it the most attractive of the three great dagabas, at any rate to those who have an eye for beauty.

The worn, broken steps, the feathery shrubs growing from the red pavement slabs, the orange tinge of the altars, and the tope rising, thickly clothed in jasmine and lantana, show pictures at every turn. Here and there are fine remains of carving, one, a perfect slab, with a seven-headed cobra which caught the light of the sun and shone out from a dark background, positively cried aloud for reproduction. It is 3 feet 10 inches in height, and the minuteness of the work shows the very scales. The naga's throat is encircled by a jewelled collar. In the eastern chapel, or altar, remains of painting and gilding can be traced; the northern one has been reset. The height to the top of the drum is at present 150 feet 6 inches.

Opposite each of the four altars outside the platform is a mandapaya, or guardhouse, making a most effective entrance, the worn pillars and graceful vases being overshadowed by spreading trees.

It has often been said that the Cingalese architects built their dagabas on insufficient foundations, but this aspersion has recently been proved untrue. A shaft was sunk at Abhayagiriya which revealed brick to a depth of 26 feet, and that was founded on a bed of concrete. As a matter of fact these solid erections with their tremendous weight could never have stood through the march of time as they have done had they not been "well and truly laid," with foundations extended to resist the lateral as well as the direct vertical thrust.