and well worth study, showing the most graceful human figures as well as floral design of great delicacy. The platform is covered with a thick growth of a small pink-flowered shrub, diversified by a handsome plant like a variegated foxglove, though quite different in the manner of its growth. But this is not difficult to penetrate, as luckily it does not share in the partiality for thorns indulged in by so many shrubs of this country. On the north side is a circular floral altar. On this side also, beyond the dagaba platform, and reaching far into the jungle, are the ruins of a great monastery of fourteen buildings, including shrines and residences, refectory and bath-house, as well as a small dagaba. The monastery entrance is still standing. It is a wonderful experience to traverse these silent groves, and see, on and on, as far as perspective allows, the grey columns, carrying one in thought back to the monoliths in wind-swept Cornwall or on the rocky shores of Scotland.

Taking it for granted that Jetawanarama is the ancient Abhayagiriya, we may recall that this dagaba was built 88 B.C. by a set of monks in rivalry with the older community of the Maha Vihara or Chief Monastery of Anuradhapura, of which the Brazen Palace may have been the headquarters. This was on the return of King Watagemunu, nephew of Dutugemunu, from the Caves of Dambulla, where he had stayed in exile sixteen years, having ascended the throne in 104 B.C. and having been almost immediately driven out. It was enlarged by King Gaja Bahu I, between A.D. 113 and 125, and reached 315 feet in height. King Maha Sena (A.D. 275), misled by a heretic

priest, pulled down the Maha Vihara, scattered the monks, and exalted the Abhayagiri community. He used the stones of the destroyed buildings for making a hall for the reception of a statue of Buddha, and the dagaba at this time attained the height of its splendour.

In the seventh century the religious fraternity disgraced themselves sadly, and slaughtered a certain monk who had told tales of them to the reigning king. They were severely punished, having their hands cut off and being appointed guardians of tanks-a degraded office. But, as we have seen, in the reign of Mahinda II (A.D 787) the monastery was rebuilt, costing 300,000 pieces of gold. He built "an exceedingly beautiful terraced palace with several floors," and out of 60,000 pieces of gold he made an image of Buddha, adorning the head with a gem of great value. It was probably this image which was presented with a jewel by King Dhatu Sena, the jewel having been "lost out of its eye"; also Dhatu Sena caused the "supreme curly locks of that image" to be represented by a profusion of sapphires," though how this difficult feat was carried out is hard to imagine. Curly hair is admired by the Cingalese, who differ in this trait from the lank-locked Burmese.

Passing round Jetawanarama, and following eastward the Outer Circular Road, we come to a stately image of Buddha alone by the roadside amid the trees. The canopy once sheltering it has gone, and it sits here in the shadowy grove, silent and revered, with the smoke and grease of a never-ceasing stream of devotees blackening

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