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abundant and well worth seeing, especially for the sake of the singularly tall graceful pillar still standing erect. This attains a height of twenty-one feet and is slenderly proportioned. It gives that little note of distinction or singularity which is never lacking to each of these buildings, and bespeaks a quality of initiative and originality in that world of men who were responsible for them. Whatever else they might be, the Cingalese designers were no copyists or slaves to precedent.

Close by this last monastery, across the Jaffna Road, are the Government Experimental Gardens, where many useful experiments in growing grain and foodstuffs are carried on, to discover which are suited to the climate.

CHAPTER X

MIHINTALE, THE SACRED HILL

MIHINTALE is the Medina of Cingalese Buddhists; this sacred hill, rising eight miles east of the city, was the scene of King Tissa's meeting with the great apostle and his consequent conversion.

But though this alone would cause it to be the goal of thousands of pilgrims, still more sacred to the average Buddhist does it become from the fact that the bones of the missionary rest here on one of the highest plateaux.

As in all other stories, told of the beginning of Buddhism, so in this one legend and chronicle are interwoven. On the very summit of the great hill is pointed out the boulder on which Mahinda alighted after his miraculous flight from India to convey the good tidings, and here, as history relates with probable truth, it was where King Tissa, in pursuit of the elk-sambhur are called "elk" to this day in Ceylon-encountered the stranger and listened to him.

The run of eight miles from Anuradhapura is a mere nothing to those possessed of a motor-car, and part of the way may be followed along the bund of Nuwara-wewa; by horse and trap, supplied from the hotel, it takes longer naturally, and by bullock hackery longest of all. There is also

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a motor-coach going to Trincomalee every day, and this passes Mihintale, but as it runs in the heat of the day, it is not very desirable; the fare is five rupees each way; the hotel trap costs eleven rupees both ways, allowing for staying a night. Whatever arrangement is made, a night should be spent at the very rough little rest-house if possible. As the only time for climbing the hill in comfort is early or late, a day-excursion does not leave sufficient time.

The direct road to Mihintale is singularly uninteresting and devoid of shade; it is jungle-lined almost the whole way, but the trees are mostly of no great height and have been cut back many yards on each side of the track to interfere with the playful little habits of jungle beasts who used to leap out on unwary passers-by, and even on the

coach!

Not far from the bund of Nuwara-wewa, near Anuradhapura station, is the ruined monastery of Toluwila, a coined name, for nothing is known as to the past history of the place. It is indeed of no great interest, though the plan follows recognised lines and is especially clear in definition.

The whole eight miles between the sacred hill and the royal city were once covered by a carpet by order of King Bhatikabhaya (19 B.C.) (the king who entered the relic-chamber at Ruanweli), so that pilgrims might pass from one to the other without soiling their feet. The wonder of this fact is naturally felt with greater or less force according to whether the road has been traversed in a bullock-cart or a motor-car!

Mihintale is not seen until we are actually there,

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