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ADAM'S PEAK.
Jli^pdaiig, §t;aditi(inal, and Jiatorjt gjotitita
THE SAMANALA AND SRI-PADA:
A DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT
THE PILGRIMS' ROUTE FROM COLOMBO
THE SACRED FOOT-PRINT.
WILLIAM 8KEEN,
CEYLON:
W. L. H. SKEEN k CO., 41, CHATHAM STREET, COLOMBO-
HPCCCLXX.
Dig.lizoao.LiOOglC
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by special permission
His Royal Highness Alfred Ernest Albert,
duke of edinbuegh,
earl of kent, and eabl of ulster,
duke of saxont, and prince of baxe coburo gotha,
k. g., k. t., g. c. m. g., q. c. s. i.
tqe first prince of the blood royal of england
who has visited the island of cetlon.
niS ROTAt I
MOST OBEDIENT AKD VEST HCUBLE SEBVAKT,
THE AUTHOR.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
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CONTENTS.
Fkefacm.
CbaftbiL
Jntrodnctorj Remarki.— On Ibe Origio of Buddhist, Hiodo,
■nd Hohammadui Z^grimagei to Adam'a Peak ...
Chaptbk n.
Noticei of the Peak and Foot- print bj eftrij Chriitiui writers.
•—Aceoniiti bj MarcoPolo, Sir Joho UiuDdeTUIe, Captain
BibcTTo, Robert Knox, nid the Dutch historian Valentjn ...
Cbaptbk III.
TbeSamuiala Peak.— Batnapura Royal Mafl.—Panabakkei7.—
Ef lani. — Buddhist T einples. — K a4uwela. — Hag wfUa. — Rirer
scenery. — Awisstwela ... ...
CBAPran IV.
Awiss&irela.— SftA'a bath.— Sit&waka.— The BfT^^-k(;wiU.—
Bock temple,— Piuwel la.— Kuruiri(a WaterfUl.—EkDf]!go<(a
DisAira. — Eafatiyambariwa Tih&ra. — Weialupe. — Saman
DSwiM
CbaptbkV.
RatDapura.— Mount Karangoija.— Go^igamuwa. — Gilimalfi.—
f^Uapita Totupola. — Garuluwan, Ealu, and Hatula-gaggas. —
Bandira Mahatmaj&.— Tuntofa Feny.— Maskeliya-gaQga. —
Bridge and Ford.— Alibtntenae. — "Estnary of Beeda". —
Batapola. — Bock care.— Hvpaiias-flh WateriaU. — Palt*
batldala ... „, ... ...
D,o.i,z,a.„Cj00gle
Chapter VI. Pi^.
PalSbnddala. — MountUD rangei.— Kalu-gs^ga firidi,'e. — Uda
Fawan-flla. — Kilihela. — G^tanetul-gnla. — Dijabetma.— Idi-
katupina. — Dharma-r^B-gata. — Kunudija-parvatS. — B^a
Samanala. — TelihJIena. — Gangula-bjna. — SiU-gangula. —
ll^rami^ip^a ... .. ... ... . . 161
Chapteb VII.
Ufrainitip&tia. — Ascent of the Peak. — Aaudija-DuUatenne. —
Menik'lena. — Ebela-kanuwa. — MBba>giri>daii-kapalla. —
Shrine of SamaD Binijd.^-Tiui Srf-F&da.— The BagliUi-
g«.— The Kudamita.— Scenery of Che Skies— Sunrise,— The
Shadow.— The View ... ... ... ... 191
Chaftex VIII.
Descent from the Peak. — Hf ramitipfina. — Alexander's
Ridge.— Cave of Khizr. — Sita-Gangula. — Dhanna-r^&-
gsla. — Uda rawan-^lla.- AccidenU.— Pal4baddala 10 RaC-
napura ... ... ... ... ... ... 225
CHaPTBB IX.
The Ealu-gagga.^Ealutara. — F&nadur£. — Morafuira. — Rat-
malina.— College of Priesta.— Galkiasa. — Mount Lavlnia. —
Eollupitiya.- tialle Face.— Colombo ... ... ... 247
Chaptek X.
Facsimile Foot-printa.- Annr&dLapuTs.— Kurun^ta..— Alu-
Vihfira. — S&tha DewiU. — Gannoruwa. — Alagalla.— Kot-
timbulwala Vihira.— Dewanagala,— Khettirtma Vihira.—
Ramboda. — Baddegama. — Sftakande.— Hot npriiig of Maba-
palasse 266
A.— ()n the Origin of the Sri-p&da
B.— Ibn Batdta's Travels in Ceylon, and Ascent of Adam's
Peak, 1347 .-.
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
AFPBXDts :— Page.
C. — SuiDU of King Eirtiuri, conferring Adam'i Peik upon
Saranankars Unnfmsc of Wfliwifa ... ... 297
D.— Buddha's Three Visit* to Ceylon. The Impression of
hia Foot-print on the summit of the Peak ... ... SOI
E —Legend of the Princess Sudhidiwi ... „, ... 326
F.— The Dalad&-M&iig&wa: and ihe History of the Tooth ... 339
Q.— Account of the Ascent of Adam'a Peak by Lieut. Hal<
colm, c. B. R., in 1813; and of a lubaequent Ascent by
another Officer ... „. ... .. 337
H.— Ruini of Sftiiraka . . ... ... ... 344
L— The Perahara . . ... ... ... ... 843
J. — Documents relating to the Election or Appointment to
theOfficeof High Priest of Adam's Peak ... ... 336
E.— Description of the Attanagalu Forest ... ... 363
L.— Vegetation about Adam'a Peak ... ... ... 363
H. — Procession from Colombo, and Welcome at Mora(uwaof
Joronia De Soysa, Esq., after his appointment to the
rank of Mudaliyar of the Oovenior's Gate, in 1333 ... 369
N.— Festivities at Bagatelle, Eollupitiya, in honor of His
Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, S2nd April,
1870.... ... ... ... ... ... 378
Addbnduh; —
"PhilaJetLcB." ... ... ... ... ... 391
Indbi:— ... ... .. ... ... 397—408
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OwiNR to an unfortuiiatu mistake, the RL-cuDipan^ing Map, engraved
and printeil in London, Is not ao Bcuurntk in its dellneatiuu uf the couq-
tiy and route fmm Palibaddala to DiyabeCtna aa it should have been.
North of Palabaddala, trending to the ea<:t, riiies the mountain Kunu-
diya-parvate, the western face of whiuh is a tremendous precipice. South
of and forming an angle irith this mountain runs a range consisting of
the mount&ins Kondagala, Nilihela, and K^killagala. Tlie route from
Palibaddala is first between Kondagala and Nilihela, then up and over
the latbjr, on to a range that cuUuinates at Di^'abetma, the watershed of
the district ; the streams to the east of Dij'abetuia, between it and Dhar-
ma-r^a-gala, Siti-gangula-hena, and H;rami[ip^a, flowing in a north-
erly direction. The source of the Kolu-gapga is west of Dij^abetma,
whence it runs south, finding i(a way down among the mountains and
passing north of Palabaddaia, between it and the lower soutliern slopes
of Kuoudiya- parr ate.
The following sketch will shew the position of the mountains.
P. PaUbaddal*.
4. Diyabetma. 8. H^rai
5. I<lik>tu[>«na. 9. Adan
6. Dharmi-rija.gala. 10. Uvna
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The ranges of mouDtuns where EmulagallB and Kibil«gtlla are mu-ked on th*
map, are wron^cly pUc«il, and tbe valley bclwaen KuadaKata and Diabetoa ahould
be high mountainuus rid)^.
The followinif error« apd correclii>ns are also here noticed ;—
page IS, line sixlh ftum botloni, for " west" read " eaat."
„ 65, line eighth rrom Inp, fur " aunth westerly" read " soath-easletlj."
, 83, line thlileeutb Froin bottom, for"C." read " G."
„ 104, and 1 07, for " Captain" FotIk*, read " Mnjor."
» 117, the inscriptioD on tbe atone ii in memory of Eknf ligoda Diiiwai
tbe son uf the builder of the vili^a.
„ 1S4, al^er X rice twDJee" in first line, add "—riec"
, 218, line fifth from botWm, for "least," read "last."
Tbenamu of persons and places are so variously spelt by different writers, that
it has not been possible to prevrve nnifannity of orthography throughout the work.
In the Index, however, all names have been carefiilly revised, and are correct as
they appear there.
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PEEPACB.
There is perhaps no mounUia in the world of which bo
wide-spread a knowledge exiets, as Adam's Peak. Almost
every traveller to, or writer on, India and the East, haa
alluded to, noticed, or more or less described it. But, con-
Bidering the Banctity in which it ia held by Buddhists,
Hindus, and Mohammadana; the numerous legends and
traditions connected with it; and the immense number
of pilgrims who annually visit the alleged Foot-print upon
its aummit; it is surprising how little haa been recorded by
any one author, and what wide and glaring discrepancies
appear in the different accounts respecting it which have
from time to time been given to the world.
An excursion to the aummit of the Peak, in the early
part of 1869, having led to conaiderable research upon the
subject, as well as to two subsequent excursions, the results
of the observationa and inquiries made on each journey, and
in the intervals between, are set forth in the following pages.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
lly principal endeavour has been, to bring into one c
focus all attainable information; and todeacribe more fully
than baa hitherto been done, the Pilgrims' route from
Colombo to the Sri-Pada, or Holy Foot-print, that crowns
the summit of the Samanala.
In the prosecution of this task I hare received from
many quarters much valuable assistance. And for aid most
freely rendered my thanks are specially due to the Hon'ble
H. T. Ieving, the Colonial Secretary; to Messrs. Rdssell,
Saundkbs, Macready, and Steele, of the Civil Service;
to Captain Fyers, the Surveyor General, and officers of
his Department; to Mr. Thwaites, the Director of the
Boyal Botanic Crardens, P^rddeniya; to the learned Advo-
cates of the Supreme Court, Messrs. Lorenz, Ferdinands,
Alwis, and Brito; to the Reverends Bailet.Ondaatjb,
and Nicholas; to Hikkaduwa Sumanoala Na'yaka
Unna'nse', High-priest of the Peak, and SuBmrn Tercn-
i4a'nse' of Waskaduwa vihdra; to Mudaliyar Louis
De Sotza, the Chief Translator to Government, and L.
WijATASlNHA, Mudaliyar of the Ratnapura Kachcheri;
to Ekneligoda Bat^mahatmayfi of the Kuruwite E^i-al^;
aa well as to the learned pandit C. Alwis, and others,
whose names are mentioned in the body of the book.
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As a contribution to the literature of the Island, I trust
that the work now published may be deemed worthy of a
place alongside those of others whose pens in times past
have illustrated the history and antiquities of Ceylon.
Much as they did, they yet left much to be done ; and fields
rich in historic and legendary lore still await investigation
at the hands of diligent explorers. To those whose tastes
incline them to such pursuits, investigations of the nature
indicated are most attractive. Hardly lees interesting is the
work of detailing the results of such investigations. What
may be interesting to an individual may not, however, interest
the public at large; although to excite that interest should
be the aim of every writer. Indulging in the hope that I
may to some extent succeed in that aim, I will only add,
that I have been scrupulously regardful of accuracy in every
statement of a matter of fact; that the opinions I have
advanced have been adopted only after much consideration
and care; and that no pains have been spared to do justice
to the subject upon which I have written.
"VV. S.
Colombo,
April 22nd, 1870.
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gitam's Jtali.
Turn eastward now thine eyea, and in the ann-liglit bold
The Somanala peak, that Hacred rock, behold.
Where with his goddess train, great SuMtnA ador'd
Th' illiUjtriouB lotus Foot-print of Buddh', Omniscient Lord;
Bow'd reverently before, and ofienngs made the sign
Of Parasat' and Mandar, fluwers of hues divine.
SelI.A LlHINl Sandme-
CHAPTER I.
Introductort Reuabkb. — On THE Obioin of Buddhist,
UlNDD, AND MOHAHHADAK PlLGRIHAGBS TO AdAM'S PeAK.
Adam's Peak, — known amongst the Sinhalese as the
Sanianta-k6ta, or peak of the Samanala mountain; by
Hindus* as the Sivan-oli-padam, and by Mohammadans
as the Baba-Aadamalei, — is one of the most noted mountains
in the world, celebrated alike for its singularly prominent
* Or, more coirectlj, Sivfutes; Sxk being esteemed the supreme
diTioity in the Hindu Mythology. The worshippers of S'nk are divided
into the following sects : — Vairavas, Vimw, E&Umnk'hRS, Mab&vratas,
]^supatas, and Saivas. The Sa'ivas are the predomiDant sect uuong the
Tamils of Ceylon,
D,9.i,z,.^.,>LiOOgle
ADAM'S PI:AK.
anO striking nppcnrance, and for the interesting religious
nsfociations connected with it. On its Bummit is a shrine
which covers the renowned Foot-print, claimed by the re-
spective votaries of India's old beliefs, as that of SivA, or of
Oautama Budtiha; but by the followers of the Prophet of
Mecca, as that of the first created man, — the great pro-
genitor of the human race.* To that alleged foot-print, held
sacred and reverenced by lar the largest portion of mankind,
annual pilgrimages are made, alike by Hindus, Buddhists and
Moslems; and from times remote to the present day it has
been visited by devotees, the representatives of those forma
of faith, from every region where they maintain their sway.
As to the cause why and the time when this particular
mountain peak first became an object of worship, and its
summit a favorite spot for pilgrims to resort to, the following
remarks which recently appeared in the published sketch of
a journey thither.t may not be considered irrelevant. The
writer says: —
" Without attempting to discuss the history, or the mytho*
logical legends connected with this place, I cannot help
speculating regarding the origin of its sanctity in the first
place. Here is a place which the Buddhist considered to ba
sanctified by the impress of Buddha's foot, which the Hindu
s as being marked by the foot of Sivi, which the
* For further ioformalion as to tlie supposed origin of the Foot-priat
tee Appendix A.
I In the "Ceylon Observer," October 2nd, 1869.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Mofaammadan coDsiders a holy place as bearing the foot-print
of Adam, and which the Chriatiane, or rather some of them,
delight to believe is stamped with the foot of St. Thomas.
Now I ask, whence this consemuif How came all of these
to regard this place as holy, and to associate their traditions
and legends with it? How is this to be accounted for? I
at once dismiss from the inquiry this wretched imitation of
a foot-print, since the very question is, bow did the necessity
arise to induce these various faiths to look on this shapeless
mark as the representation of a foot at all ? Standing there,
surronuded by that matchless prospect, there on that proud
pinnacle and above that enchanting view, one may well
refuse to accept that rock-mark as the answer to his question.
I want a higher, nobler answer, and is it not afforded?
Let each decide for himself, but I like to believe that these
legends are all after- thoughts; that the place was already
sacred to the primal religion of humanity — the worship of
nature, — as the enduring, all origiuating, all absorbing uni-
versal whole : — that to this faith, man's first, and perhaps
his last, this spot was already consecrated as its most fitting
temple. In a question of this kind I care little for historic
evidences or their absence. There are many things of which
history knows nothing, many more of which it has not chosen
-to tell."
Whether the "primal religion of humanity— the worship
of nature," was mao's first and will perhaps be hie last faith,
may be doubted, nay denied, while at the same time the fact
is admitted,that the worship of false gods upon the high places
D,9.i,z,-,^.-,>.L-.oogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
of the earth 18 a practice that has prevniled from times of a
very remote antiquity. And although history may not know,
or may have failed to furnish, an answer to the questione
when and how Buddhists, Hindus, and Moslems, came to
attribute the special sanctity they do to this hollow in the
rock, which all alike bow down before, and to which with
one consent they render reverential homage, the subject is
of too much interest to be diemiased without an attempt at
investigation in these pages.
Beferring to the Rdmayana,* the oldest known work which
gives undoubted historic notices of Ceylon, it does not appear
in the descriptions that are there given of events which
happened 3000 or 4000 years ago, that any particular
sanctity was at that ancient date accorded to the mountun;
or that the worship of any special deity was connected with
* "The Adventures of lUma," by the poet Valmiki, is an Indian epic
poem of great antiquitj, and unsurpagsed interest and beauty. It refera
to events considered bj some uhronotogers to have happened upwards of
4000 jean ago. Id a note to Profbssor M. William's Indian Epic Poetry,
p. 68, the following psss^e occur). "How maoj ceotiuies have pagaed
since the two brothers (Rima and Lakshmana) began their roeniorable
journey, and yet every step of it is known, and traversed annually by
thousands of pilgrims! Strong indeed are the ties of religioD,nhen entwined
with the legends of a country ! Those who have followed the path of
R&ma from the Gogra to Ceylon stand out as marked men among their
countrymen. It la th[s that gives the R&mayana a strange interest; the
story still lives; whereas no one now, in any part of the world, puts faith
in the legends of llomer."
Dig.lizab.CjOOgIC
ADAM'S PEAK.
it ; but there can be no queetioD that at a period not long
subsequent, the district of which it forms the most conspi-
cuous feature, was identified, under the name of Saman, with
Lakshmana, the brother of the principal hero of the poem,
by whose aid and with that of Vibhishana, BAwana, the
king of the island was overthrowu. Both Lakshmana and
Viblshana* were deified, and became the tutelary divinities
of portions of the island ; but the worship of the former, as
an incarnation of ViBhnu, the deliverer and restorer, now
alone maintains its hold upon the native mind, especially in
connection with the great Saman d^w&le near Ratnapura,
and the Saroanala mountain, of which he is still believed
by both Buddhists and Hindus to be the potent guardian
god. During Buddha's lifetime, and for ages previous, this
mountain was the central seat of Samanite worship in
Ceylon, and the Buddhist legends impute to Saman's special
entreaty the fact that Buddha stamped his foot-print upon
the summit of its peak. This was of course an afterthought
on the part of some one in the Buddhist hierarchy, in order
* Yibhiehana it stated in tbe Rijswalija to have succeeded to the
throne of Lanka on the death of hie brother, which event occurred 1B44
years before Buddha, or b. c. 2387; and to have fixed his Capital at
Kflaniya, bis Mvereigntj extending over a large extant of country long
since submerged bj the ocean. To Lakshmana was auigned tbe
aovereigntji of the Western and Southern parts. of the island, the laws of
vbich he much improved. The grovea of scarlet rhododendron tieea
which clothe the eastern slopes of the Samanala from base to summit are
dedicated to him.
dbyGoot^le
ADAM'S PEAK.
to add weight to the claim upon the belief of the worshippers
ofSaman that Buddha was the Lord supreme, whom even
Gods adored, just as the early Buddhist missionaries taught
the serpent worshippers, that the king of the Nagas (cobras)
recognised and protected Gautama when he attained the
Buddhahood — a legend thus commemorated by Sri Kdhula
of Totdgamuw^ in his poem "Sela Lihini Sand^se,""
written A. D. 1444,
Thence to tbe Serpent chamber, irhere good it ia and meet
The ima^c there beheld, th; worship to repeat;
For there to eye depicted is seen how bj tbe lake —
The lake of Muchalioda, — when fierce on Buddha brake
Id his sixth week the rains, fVom ten directions falling.
The N&ga-king himaelf through all that storm appalling
Housed him in circling cuils, and o'er the Omnisclent's head
His hood expanding wide a roof-like shelter spread.
The earliest approach to an authentic record of the moun-
tain having been dedicated to Buddha, as well ae to Saman, or
Sumana, is that contained in the 32nd chapter of the Maha-
wanso.f It is there recorded that the king Dutthf^&mini,
being at the point of death at Anuridhapura, [b. c. 140,]
• "The Sella's Mess^e." The Text, and a literal Translation, with
Notes and a Glossary for tbe use of Students, was published in 1867, by
W. C. Macready, Esq., of tbe Ceylon Civil Service.
t The Mahavmato, which literally means " Oenealogy of the Great,"
is considered by competent scholars, "an authentic and unrivalled record"
of the nalJonal history of Ceylon. It is written in Piili verse, and was
compiled from annals in the vernacular languages existing in Anurddha*
TTCTobgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
wished for the preeesce of the thero Th^raputtdbhftyo, one of
hie otd military chiefs who had entered the priesthood, kod
thattheaaid thero, "who waaresideQtattheP&njalimoimlaiii
at the souroe of the river Karindo, oo^zant of his Doeditation,
attended by a retinue of 500 sanctified disciples and by theiv
supernatural power traveDiDg through the air,' descended,
and arranged themselves round the moiurch." The king
lamenting his approaohing end, was consoled by the thero.
Recounting atl his pious deeds, the dying king at last said,
that of them all two only " administered comfort to his miitd."
The thero, referring to one of thes^^a donation of a mess of
kangU seed to five eminent theros in a time of great famine —
aaid " the chief thero, M&liyad^wo, one of the five priestf
who had accepted the kangu mess, dividing the «wne among
500 of the fraternity resident at the mountaia Samano,
pura. The record of eventa up to A. B. 301, wai mitten bj Hah&oimo,
uDcle of the reigning king Dh&tu Sena, between the ytn* 4ff9 tad ATT.
Hie Bubteqneat portion! were conqwied from time (o time, by Older of
the kings, from tfae nsdonal reoordt. The Gnt (hirt;-^ht chapters
were translated into Englisb, and printed \>j the Hon'ble George Tumour
in the ;eu 1837.
* The distance in a direct line from Annridhapura cannot be leu
than 110 miles; thePanjali mountain bebg one of a range About 40 milea
weat of Adam'a Peak. The river Karindo is that now known as the
Eirindi 07a. More than twanty-eigkt ceutuiiea ago the wisett of kings
declared that there was nothing new under (be boh. Usj not Gauttmii
Buddha and his principal followera have been acquainted with what in
modem da;B is termed Mesmerism, and a state of dairToyance be nnder-
■tood to mean (heir aapematural power «f MToUing through (he air?
D,o.i,2,,a.„Cj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
himeeir also partook of it." This passage certaiiily intimates
that the mountaia iSumano (the same as the Samaoala) was
believed to be a place of residence for priests at that time;
but it does not settle the point as to whether the mountain
peak was then a place of pilgrimage, and the alleged foot-print
an object of worship.
A tradition of a later period, current in the locality, with
much of probability in its favor, attributes to king Walagam-
b&hu the discovery of the Sri-p£da* on the mountain top.
This king ascended the throne b. c. 104, and after a teign of
five months was driven from it by Malabar invaders. For 14
years and 7 months following, he wandered a fugitive amongst
the hills and fastnesses of the mount^n districts, dwelling in
caves and supporting himself by means of the chase. During
this period, while living on the Samanala mountMn at Bha-
gaw&lena (Buddha's cave), he saw a deer in the distance
which he resolved to kill; to his surprise however, he could
not approach near enough to secure it, the deer keeping just
beyond his reach, slackening or increasing its pace or stopping
altogether, in exact accord with its pursuer's movements. In
this way the king was led to the top of the mountain, and
when there the deer suddenly vanished. On reaching the
spot Walagamb^u discovered the Sri-p&da; and it was
then revealed to him that in this manner the god Sekrayi,
to whom Buddha had entrusted the care of Ceylon and
Buddhism, had chosen to make known to him the spot on
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
which he had left the impreBs of his sacred foot. After his
restoration the kiog caused the rock that bore the foot-mark
to be eurrouDded with large iron spikes, which formed tho
first foundation for the terraced platform from the centre of
which the Samanta-klJta now seems to spring. Thus far the
local tradition. History then records that the king, having
recovered his throne, b. c. 88, "brought t(^ether 500 of
the principal and most learned priests at a cave at "M&talA
called Alalena, and, for the first time, had the tenets of
Buddhism reduced to writing; which occurred in the 217th
year, lOth month, and lOth day after they were promulgated
orally by Mahindo."* It is curious that a somewhat similar
story of the deer is also made use of to introduce Mahindo
the princely Buddhist propagandist, to the notice of king
D^wftnanpiyntisea, B. c. 307,t in whose reign and through
whom the Buddhist religion was first established as the
national faith of Ceylon,
* Tumour's Epitome of the IliBtorj of Cejlon, p. 280, toI. ii . of Forbes'a
Eleven Years in Cejion,
t " Tlie king D^winaspi jfttissa departed for an elk bunt, taking with him
arednue; and in the course uf the pursuit of the game on foot he come
to the MUsa mountun. A certain devo asauming the form of an elk
stationed himself there, grazing; the sovereign descried him, and sajing,
it is not fiuT to shoot him standing, sounded his ttowstring, on which the
elk fled to the mountain. The king gave chase to the fl;ing animal, and
on Teaching the spot where the priests were, the thero Mahindo came
within sight of the monarch, hut tfae metamorphosed deer vanished." —
MahateuMli, c. xiv.
DializMbyGu Ogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
Divcated of the romance witli which the local tradition
is clothed, there ia no reason to doubt that it contains certain
genns of truth; for what more likely than that the king who
thus caused the whole of Buddha's tenets to be reduced to
writing, and whose subaequent reign was zealously devoted
to the restoration of Buddhism, the building of immense
d&gobas, and the founding of rock temples throughout his
dominions, should resolve upon connecting so remarkable a
mountain, — already sacred to the renowned god Saman, and
the place which holy theros selected as their abode, — by
indissoluble ties to the religion to which he was himself so
enthusiastic an adherent. A vivid imagination pondering
upon the discovery of the hollow, or the interpretation given
to a dream, would be all-sufficient in an age of superstition
to account fur a supernatural revelation; and aided by the
efforts of a powerful and restored priesthood, the account
of such a revelation industriously circulated amongst the
people, and followed by the more elaborate legends which
the priests concocted in their pansalas, would speedily es-
tablish the fame of the Samaota-ktlta, and draw pilgrims to
the Sri-p^da from every quarter of India and the East where
Buddhism had established itself.
So far therefore as the Buddhists of Ceylon are concerned,
it would seem that the belief in the existence of the foot-
print is not of an older date than a century and a half before
the Christian era, if even it is as old, for although the
legendary visits of Buddha to the island — (in the third of
which occurred the stamping upon the top of the Samanala
!.,LiOO glC
ADAM'S PEAK.
peak the impress of his left foot) — are duly recorded in the
Mtthawaneo, it must be remembered that the early chapters
of that work were not written until the latter half of the
fifth century ; more than a thousand years later than the
date when the impression is said to have been made; and it
is moreover noteworthy, that " except in the historical works
of Ceylon, there is no account of this supposed impresuon of
Baddha's foot in any of the earliest records of Buddhism :"*—
a faith which was not accepted as national until nearly two
and a half centuries subsequent to the death of its author;
and the doctrines of which were not reduced to writing until
* 3. D'Alwis'a AtUnagalurtuua, note IS, p. 9. — The evideot object of
the hUtoriaos, (themselves Buddhist priests,) itbs to connect in a miraculous
niMiner the invKsion of Wijaya, the firet king of Ceylon, with the
propagation of the Buddliiet faith; and for that purpose the seventh
chipter of the Mahawansii opens with arevehttion or command of Buddha
to that effect — Wijaja's inTasion, according to the record of the historiaii,
taking pkce on the da; of Buddha's death. But the logic of facts, aa
established by chronology, fixea the invasion at a period 60 years
subsequent. Aa to Buddha's visits to Ceylon, the fblluiviDg is the
deliverance of the late Rev. Spence Hardy, an anthority on Bndilhism
of the highest rank. He says, in a paper published in the Journal of the
Ceylon Branch of the Boyal AmtJc Society for 1S46, "I have little
doubt that it will one day be proved, even from the most sacred books
of the Buddhists themselves, that the accounta we have of hi* vi«ts to
Ceylon are a pare fiction. In all the Sinhalese books that I have read,
the narration appears ont of the regular order of events, like an after-
thought, and it is entirely at variance with the traditions of Kepal and
Thibet."
i,z,.^b> Google
ADAM'S PEAK.
a further period of 218 jeara had passed from the time of
their oral propagation by Mahindo.
The statement concerning Mfiliyad^wo* and 500 of the
fraternity of priests living on Sumano, quoted at page 15, will
hardly be accepted as other than apocryphal by those vho
consider that the special object of the dying scene of the aged
monarch, as depicted by the historian, was to elevate the
order of the priesthood, and to shew that the smallest alms
to them outweighed in merit the greatest of all other kingly
deeds. That the mountain was a place of abode at a lat«r
epoch is evident from the fact, that Afihindo III. [a. d.
997 — 1013] repaired the edifices which in a previous reign
had been destroyed by the SoHans; and he is praised as a
patron of the religious institutions of the country. It is not
however clear whether these edifices were actually on the
peak or only at the base of the mountain, nor is the foot-print
at all mentioned in the record of their repair.
The first notice of the Sri-plida, after the legend of its
formation in the opening pages of the Mahawanso, is contained
* MalijaddnD tbero was > klnamaD of king WaUgambUiu, uid is etated
in the Mahawsnai! to have b«en the last of Buddha'a inspired disciplea.
It \m iiigniGcantly recorded, tbRt on the reduction to nriting of the
doctrines of Buddha in the reign of Wolagambiihu, the age of inapiration
passed twaj. The inspiration then nas connected with the capacitj for
acqiuring and orally delivering the trsditioos and doctrines of Buddhism ;
and one may readily conceive how constantly additions and marvellous
legends and tales of miraclea would be made to these from age to age ;
the tendency to which would at once be checked, if not entirely stopped,
by an authorised promulgation of the written word.
D,9.i,z,a.„XjOOglc
ADAM'S PEAK.
in the 64^ chapter of the work, which treats of the a
of Pr&kramab£hu the Firat, a. d. 1153; and the first royal
pilgrimage to Samanala ia recorded ia the R&jawaliya.* This
was performed on foot by the just named king, a zealous
Buddhist revivalbt, who on reaching the mountain peak
worshipped the priest of the foot-print, and caused a shrine to
be built on the rock for Saman D^wiyo, — an act, considering
tbe hold that the Samanite worship had on the minds of the
natives of the mountain districts, and the recent subjugation
of the central and southern provinces to his rule, as much of
policy as piety on the part of the monarch. His example was
followed by Kirti Nissanga [a. d. 1192— 1201], and this
king's is the first that is mentioned in the Mahawans6 as
that of a pilgrimage to the foot^print itself. A period of
from 1200 to 1300 years is thus passed over without reference
in any way to the spot either in regard to its sanctity as a
place of pilgrimage or an object of worship to the followers of
Gautama; f and it is difficult to account for this silence in
a history where the praise of Buddha is a dominant strain
• The Rfijaffalifa waa compiled by djffereut persons, at various periods,
and has both liiniished the materials tn, and borrowed from the Maha>
wans^ ; but it is not considered so authentic a work.
t In tbe RSja-Taringini, the historical chronicle of Kashmir, it is stated
that the king MeghaTabana, who according to the chronology of Trojer,
reigned a. d. 24, made an expedition to Cejlon for tbe purpose of extend-
ing Baddbism, and visited Adam's Peak, nhcre be bad an interview with
tbe native sovereign. Other authorities (Thomas, J. A. S., vol. xiii.), fix
the date of Megbavftliana's reign at a, d, 144, which would make his expe-
dition take place during the reign of Batiyad^a II. [a. n. 137 — 161],
D,9.i,z,a.„L.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
from the opening of the first to the close of the laat chapter^
Two causes may however be assigned, with some shew of
reason, for this want of information : — (1) the destruction of
Sinhalese records at various times by Malabar invaders and
apostate Buddhist kings;* and (2) the fact that the capital of
the island was, up to A. D. 1319, in the Northern kingdom,
the Pihiti Rata (called also the Kfija Rata or country of
the kings); the Mountain zone forming the central kingdom
or Maj-d Rata; and the Southern portion of the Island the
Ruhuna Rata. Up to about a. d. 1050 the MSy& and
Ruhnna Ratns were under the dominion of independent
princes or petty kings, and were only at intervals subjected
to the sway of the northern potentate. Among those kings
who were acknowledged sole sovereigns of the island wa«
Duttbagameni. To the mountain fastnesses of the Mdyd
Rata kings and priests naturally fled for refuge when the
who like himscir iraa a zenlnus Huildiii^iL But no mentioD of such a visit
at either date is to be found in tlie Mfthawansu, the Raja Batnakari, «r
the R&JHirali^a.
' Of Malabar invasions 17 are recorded between B. c. 204 and ». D.
1391. The invaders were in almost every instance animated bj the same
ipirit of deadly hostility to Buddhism which led to the ultimate extirpa*
tion of that faith in Central India towards tlic end of the seventli century.
Of apostate or impious sovereigns, the principal wfve Chora Nfiga, b. c.
63;Kanijinitis3a, A.s, 33; Maha Sen, a. d. 275 ; M&gba, A. B. 1219; and
R&ja SJngha 1,, a. d. 1381, This last king gave over the custody of the
Samanala to a body of Aandiyas, or Hindu Fakecrs; who are di.>iu;ribed
by S. C. Chitty, as a sort of begging friars belonging to the Saiva sect.
D,9.i,z.ar„XjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Malabar invaders drove them from tbetr throne and temples
st Anurfidfaapura or Polonnaruwa; although at times they
established themselves in the Southern division; ultimately
indeed [,a. d. 1059] the Mdyi was annexed to the Buhuna
Rata, and the Island partitioned into two provinces, the
Northern being occupied by the Solians, and the Southern
being retained by the native princes. Throughout the
Southern kingdom the Samanala was ever present to view,
while in the Northern the high Nuwara Eliya range would
exclude it from sight.
Closed in on all sides by chains of mountains whose sidesand
valleys were overgrown with dense and all but impenetrable
jungle, visits or pilgrimages to the Samanta-kiita must ne-
cessarily have been few and far between, and were probably
only attempted at times when the influence and power of a
paramount sovereign could make itself felt through every
portion of his dominions. Such being the case, the wide-
spread knowledge in the north of the existence, and the
visibility in the west and south of the isolated cloud-capped
peak that reared itself so loftily above all surrounding
heights, would well keep alive in the minds of Buddhists the
tradition, and foster the belief, that the founder of their faith
had there indelibly impressed the foot-mark that was alleged,
to have sealed the isle of Lanka as his own ; a tradition that
was ultimately destined to become an article of faith where-
ever Buddhism was profeBsed. A belief in the existence of
such a foot-print was held, we know, amongst the Chinese, aa
early as the third century of the Christian era, since there
i :,.... >.LiOOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
are records in their literature of pilgrimagee to India at that
date. All the pilgrims were struck by the altitude of the
hills of Ceylon, and above all by the lofty crest of Adam'e
Peak, which served as the land-mark for ships approaching
the inland. They speak reverentially of the sacred foot-mark
impressed by thejirst created man, who in their mythology,
bears the name of Pawn-koo ; and the gems which were found
upon the mountain, they believed to be his "crystallized
tears, which accounts for their singular lustre and marvellous
tints." The Chinese books repeat the popular belief, that
the hollow of the sacred footstep contwns water, " which
does not dry up all the year round," and that invalids re-
cover health by drinking from the well at the foot of the
mountain, into which "the sea-water enters free from salt."*
At a later period, the belief of the Chinese as to the origin of
the foot-print seems to have undergone a change, for Fa Hlan,
• Sir J. E. Tennent'H Ceylon, vol. i. p. S86-7. Thb early belief of the
Chinese that the mark on the top of Adam's Peak, wai an impression of
the foot of the first created man, is so very remarkable, that one is inclined
to suspect there must be some error on the part of the transistors of the
books in irbjch it is recorded, unless indec^d it be the record of some an-
ient tradition whicbwaBifterwarda grafted on to Buddhism. IbnBatutu,
in hisaccountofthefoot-mark. Tinted by him about A. D. 1340, says "The
Chinese came here at some former time, and cut out from thig stone the
place of the great loe, together with the Stone about it, and placed it m
a temple in the city of Zaitun ; and pilgrimages are made to it firom the
most distant parts of China." Jlie rock does not however bear any evi-
dences of such an outrage ; and the story probably owes its ori^ to the
l,.,,ao,CjOOglC
ADAMS PEAK.
the Chinese pilgrim, who in the course of his travela visited
Ceylon, a. d. 413, eajs in the 38th chapter ofhis iDteresting
narrative, " By the strength of his divine foot, he [Foe, i. e.
Buddha] left the print of one of his feet to the north of the
royal city, and the print of the other on the summit of a
mountain." This visit took place in the reign of Maba
Nama, and the royal city alluded to was Anar&dhapura,
where Fa Hian took up his ahode. He did not however
visit the Sri-pfida, and only thus incidentally alludes to it;
so that it does not appear to have then been a place of pil-
grimage; nor does he mention that any of the priesthood
resided on the mountain, a fact which he would scarcely
have failed to note, had such really been the case.
From the time of Kirti Nissanga, pilgrimages to the foot-
print seem to have become a settled practice. The Rdja
Batnakari,* an authority only second to that of the Maha-
wane6, states, that Wijayabdhu, who established himself
[a. d. 1240—1267] in the Mfiyii Rata, and fixed his
craft of some of the Chinese merceoftriea employed in the army of Prik-
raina III. a. d. 1266. One can imagine the inward chuckle with which,
after his return to "the flowery land," one of these mercenaries practised
the "old soldier" oTcrhia countrymen, in palming offa lump of stone with
a chiseled toe-mark, aa a relic from the original impression of the foot-
print of Foe &om the top of the sacred mountiuD of " Sze-taeu-kwo,"
* The exact date of the composition of the B^a Batnakari is not
known ; but it would seem to have been writteo in, or immediately after,
the reign of Wikremabdhu of Kandy, whose life and acts occupy a
considerable space at the end of the work, and whose career the author,
Abhayarfija of Walgump&ye wthare, eutogi«es in glowing terms.
D,o.i,z,a.„Xj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
capital at Daoibadenija Id the Seven Kuralt^a, repaired the
route to the peak, via Gampola, and with much pomp,
viaited and worshipped the Sri-pdda. His successor Fandita
Pr^kramabahu, improved the communicationa, and formed
a road from the Samaaala to Bentota in the Southern
Province, bridging the ravinea and rivers in the way, and
among others, throwing a bridge of timber 193 ft 6 in. long
acrosB the Kaluganga. Two hundred and seventy yeare
later, Wikremab&hu, whose capital was at Kanda Kuwara,
the modem Kandy, " caused bridges to be laid over the rivers,
repaired the road, and caused 780 slepe to be cut in the
rock, in order that travellers might the more easily ascend;
and aleo caused restbouses to be made for the convenience of
travellers on the road. And after expending a large sum of
money, he caused a great flambeau ia be made which was
capable of containing 100 pots of oil, and this he lighted as
a beacon on the top of the peak, in order to make his works
visible to the world ; and thus thb king accumulated an
infinite amount of merit." * This route, there ia reason to
believe, is the same that is now followed in ascending to the
peak, via Ratnapura. The practice oflighting up the summit
of the mountain at suneet, during the pilgrim season, is con-
tinued to the present day, and the effect produced by the
multitude of flaming lamps in front of Saman's ehrine, and
the Raghili>gey, or temple of the foot-print, as seen either
from Diyabetme or Heramittipane is exceedingly fine.
■ Upham'B RJtjk-Eatoftku'i, p. 131-2.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
The belief amoDgst the Hiadus in regard to the origin
and sanctity of the hollow on the eummit of Adam's Peak
Taries. It is hj no means universal; and among those who
hold it the Yishnaivites maintain it is the foot-print of
Vishnu, while the Sivfiites insist upon it that the impression
was made hy Sivi) the chief of the supreme triad of Hindu
divinities, after whom it bears the name of Siv&n-olt-p&dam.
They base their belief on the legend, that 8iv& in one of his
manifestations retired to this mountain for the performance
of certain devotional austerities, and that on their conclusion,
in commemoration of his abode there, be left the impress
of his foot upon the mountain-top. This legend does not
appear in any of the eighteen Faranas; but is gathered from
hints contained in several; and it was probably concocted at
some bye-gone period more from political than any other
motives. That there were occasions when such motives
would be likely to sway the minds of both kings and priests,
will be evident to all who have studied the history of the
Tamils in Ceylon.
The religion of the aborigines of the island was Naga or
Serpent worship, subsequently superseded by or incorporated
with the worship of Lakshmana and K&ma after their dei6-
cation as incarnations of Vishnu. The bead quarters of
this combination of religions were, Ratnapura, in Sabara-
gamuwa, and Dewi Newara or Dondra, the extreme southern
point of Ijanka, and boundary of R&ma's conquests in that
direction. Thia was before the Buddhist historic period.
After the Wijayan invasion, successive monarchs built and
i,z,^i.,>LiOOgle
ADABTS PEAK.
endowed Hindu temples, introdncing therein the worship of
Brfthma, ViBhau, and Sivi, with that of other inferior deities.
This worship the people clave to, while still profeaeing to be
Baddhiats; and as it was tolerated bj the Buddhist priests,
it gradualljr led to the anomaloos eight now almost every
where to be seen, of Hindu d^w&lea in close proximity to
Buddhist vihltras, and a people addicted alike to the adoration
of Buddha and the worship of Serpents and Demons.
Traditions of a remote age assert that a colony of
Malabars founded the city of Trincomalee 1569 years B. c,
and the earliest authentic notices of the place record the
existence there of a very ancient and sacred Sivaite temple.
Other traditions traceable to a period long anterior to historic
times, make mention of a Tamil kingdom in the North-west
of the island, ruled over by an Amazon princess named
Alliaraeamy, whose capital was Kudremale, where granite
ruins and rook inscriptions bear evidence to the truth of
the tradition; while a Tamil drama, founded on the story of
the queen, declares the people to have been Sivaites in their
religious futh.' But
"Hirdlj the place of such kntiquitjr
Ur note of these great moDarchies we find ;
Oulj a fiMling verW memory
And eaqitj name in writ ii left behind."
PBIMIAe FlATCHKS.
* The places conwdered speciallj bolj hy the educated Tamils and
Hindus of UeyloD, in consequence of the presence of Bivi, we Trinco-
malee oo tbe «Mt, and Uardodde oa Uie nonh-weet coMt.
D,o.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
SeepectiQg the ori^ftl peopling of the northern peninBula,
the following aooount ia given by Tunil writeis.* A cen-
tury and a half before the Christian era there lived in the
Chola or Soli country, a certun minatrel named Yilpiaa
N&yan&r, otherwiee Virartigaven. Being blind he depended
for his aubaiatence entirely on the earnings of his wife. One
day, however, she having delayed serving him with his
meals at the accustomed hour, he quarrelled with her, and
quitted the house, saying, that he was going to Ceylon ;
upon which she sneeringly observed, — "Ah I you are going
to Ceylon to get a tusked elephant and a fertile field." On
reaching Ceylon he made hie way to Anur^dhapura, where he
obtained an audience of the hing, and sang the monarch's
praises to the accompaniment of his lute, in so agreeable a
DUinner, that the well -pleased potentate did in fact present him
with a tusked elephant, uid moreover bestowed upon him in
perpetuity the land on the northern extremity of the island ;
tbus realizing the words with which his wife had ironically
taunted him. The land was then covered with jungle and
wholly uninhabited, but Yilp&oa induced a colony of Tamils
from Southern India to settle upon and cultivate it ; and in
the course of years it became a populous, fertile and wealthy
• Extracted from the Tamil Platarek, by the l«te Simon Casie Chitty,
the Uleated Diatrict Judge of Futtatjun, and author of the C«jloa Gazet-
teer. Several Taluible {>apen were also cootribnted b; him to the
Jmirnal of the Ceylon Branch of the Rojal Asiatic Society, and other
local Magasinei and Jonmali, principally upon Tamil literature, and the
lustory and cnttonu of the Tamili, Moors and Mookwas of Ceylon.
TTCToogIC
ADAM'S PEAK.
district, which be named after himself Y&Jp&na nadu, or the
minBtrel's couDtry — a name the origin of which is still pre-
served in the modem Jaffna and Jaffnapatam. He did not
however assume a personal sovereignty, but invited over a
prince of the Solian race, and crowned him king under the title
of Singariya Chakravarti, in the Kali year 3000, or B. c. 101.*
The preceding tale is by no means an improbable one, for
the early kings of Ceylon were of Indian origin, and always
more or less connected with that continent by matrimonial
alliances; and an Indian minstrel in the olden days would
count it no uncommon reward to receive gifts such as those
awarded to Y&lp£na by the king. The colonists he imported
were worshippers of Siv&, and that worship was known else-
where in Ceylon as early sb b. c. 426.
It is recorded in the Mahawanad that in the reign of
Pandukfibhaya [b. c. 437 — 367] that monarch, who seems
to have been most tolerant in all matters of religion, built
places of worship in his capital, Anur&dhapura, for all deno-
minations. The historian writes, chap. x. " He the king
who knew how to accord his protection with discrimination,"
established the yakkos in the royal palace itself and annually
provided demon-offerings. "He provided a nigr6dha tree
* Tbe descendautB of thia king continaed to reign in Jaffna, under tiie
tide of ' Ariya ChakraTarti,' until near tlie close of the uiteeDth centuir.
Thej were frequentlj at war with the Sighalese; and although at times
conquered and deposed, recovered and muntained their power until
finally subjugated bj the Portuguese.
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S FEAK,
for the (d^ratfi) WessawaQO, and a temple ibi the Wij&dbo'
devo." "He also C0DBtruct«d a dwe\]iag for the various
classes of devotees." " The king built a temple for the
KighaDtho Kumbhuodo, which was called by bis oame. To
the westward of that temple he provided a residence for
500 persons of various foreign religious faiths. Above the
dwelling of Jotiyo [a Brabman — his chief engineer] and
helow the Gamini tank, he built a residence for the Parib4j!k4
devotees. In the eame quarter, but on separate eites, he.
conatnicted a residence for the Ajiwako, a hall for the
worshippers of Br^mo, (another for those) of Siv&, a«
well as a hospital."
These Brahtnana seem to have continued to reside peace-
ably in Ceylon, until b. c. 246, when two Malabar advea-
turers, military chiefs in the pay of the monarch Suratiesa,
murdered the king and usurped the throne. EUla, of Soli
(Tanjore) on the Coromandel coast soon after their dethrone-
ment by Asela, invaded the island, and defeating that king
possessed himself of the entire country, with the exception
of Kuhuna. He retained his power till b. c. 164, when in
his turn he was overthrown and slain in battle by Dutth^a-
mine, and his followers driven out of the island. An army
of Malabars again invaded Ceylon in the reign of Walagam-
b^u, and held poeeeseion until B. c. 68. They seem to
have remained quiet after their expulsion by Walogamb&hu
until A. D. 106, when the prince of the Solians once more
ravaged the country with an army, and after plundering and
devastating it returned to his own land with immense booty
D,9.i,z,-,^.-,>.L-.oogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
and 12,000 captives. Six years later, tliia invasion was
avenged by Gajabuhu, the captives recovered, and n similar
number of Solians led prisoners to Ceylon. Respecting these
transactions however, the Malabar and Siyhalese annalists
give dissimilar accounts, the I'ormer asserting that the Solians
voluntarily migrated to Ceylon at the request of Gajabuhu,
who made them large grants of land for the support of a
temple to Sivi, by way of expiation for a ein of intention,
he iiaving at one time purposed to pull the said temple down.
It is at any rate certain that at the time alluded to a Solian
colony was established in Trincomalee, and that the colonists
were Slvaites. Another Malabar invasion took place A. D,
433, and the invaders again held possession of the land for
six-and- twenty years. Anarchy and internal discord more
or less prevailed from this time to the seventh century, in
which the Malabars every now and again took part. In A. D.
838 these inveterate invaders once more overran the country.
Driven back after awhile, they remained quiet until a. d. 954,
when war broke out afresh. A short peace ensued, and
again the Soliana ravaged the country; and the number of
Malabars increased so much in successive reigns that A. D.
1023, they menaced the throne, and an army of Solians coming
to their aid, the king Mihindu IV. was captured, and with
his queen died a prisoner in the country of his foes. The
Solians after this held the northern and mountain districts for
upwards of fifty years, when they were reduced by Wejaya-
b&hu, who died a. d. 1126; and during this period the
Dhamilos [Tamils] succeeded in driving almost all tlie
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Buddliist prieeta out of the island. Seventy years of peace
followed, when s fresh period of internal discord tempted
the Solians to a fresh invasion, and the whole island became
the prey of confusion, irreligion and anarchy, in which state
it continued a third of a century. In other words, Hindu-
ism prevailed, and Buddhism was all but extirpated under
the strong hand of Mfigha B4j&, the Malabar king.* He
reigned for twenty -one years, when a. d. 1240 Wijaya
succeeded in expelling the Malabars from the Mflyi and
Ruhuna divisions of the island ; but they were too numerous
and too firmly rooted in the Pihiti or northern kingdom to
be driven thence; and their descendants remain there to the
present day.f
The readiness with which the Sinhalese associated the
worship of Hindu divinities with that of their national
faith is easily to be accounted for, Buddha, while neither
* The term "Malabar" U the coramoD but improper Dame applied by
Europeans to the Taniila or Ceylon, whether they come from Malabar
proper, in the southwest of the Dekkaii, from Tanjore, or from parta as
far north as Cuttack and Orisfia. The word never occurs in Si((halese
writings. The term used In tlie Mahawane<) and other P&li works is
SD^i DhanillA, and in Sinhalese works S>^$s Dei""!"; corresponding
to the Sanskrit word Drariija, Tamils. The king M^ha Rhji, was a
native of K&llnga or Telegu, In the Northern Circars.
■f- The District of Nuwarakalftviya, however, which formed a large
portion of the Kingdom of Fihitl, and in which was included Anur£dha-
piira, thi! ancient capital, i« still, as it always has been, occupied by the
Siulialcsc, but with a large admixture of the Tamil race.
i,z.ar„L.oogle
ADAM'S PKAK.
denying aor diiiputing the claims of tlicee diviaities to god-
ship, aescrted his own immeasuraljle superiority over each
and all in every godlike attribute they were sup{ioEed to be
invented with; hie followers therefore could worship whom
they pleased, so long as they acknowledged and took
refuge in him ae the All-Supreme. But this assumption
of Hui)criority waa intolerable to those who rejected hb
doctrines, and in their eyes his system was abominably ob-
noxious — in short, it was a most pestilent heresy. It
nevertheless made its way, for its originator was a king's
son, and kings and princes were its nursing fathers; and ere
long it became the dominant religion in the land of its
birth. In process of time, however, there came a reaction.
Brahmanism again prevailed, and proselytes were made with
facility; for when argument failed to convince, the sword
was brought to bear, and in the handsof its warlike wieldera,
it wrought such effectual conversions, that ultimately Bud-
dhism was either expelled from or extirpated throughout the
whole of Central India.
But, while the Hindus rejected Buddhism as heretical,
and extirpated it wherever they could, they have all along
manifested as ready a tendency as the most tolerant of
Buddhists to add to the number of their gods, though their
name already be legion. The ancient Tamil Poet Pudat-
tazhvdr, a native of M^vilipuramnear Sadras, has thus been
deified by the Yaishnavas, worshippers of Vishnu; in like
manner the two poetesses Uppei and Uruvei, who lived in
the ninth century of the Christian era, have been uumhcred
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
with the ^oddesBCB, and obtained elevated niches in the
Hindu Pantheon; while in more recent times the founder
of a temple at Nellore, in the north of the island, has become
the divinity worshipped within it walls.
Such a tendency, it is but reasonable to suppose, would
develope itself in connection with the Samanala peak, when
the country in which it is situated became subjected to
Hindu rule. The conquerors found the mountain dedicated
to Saman, and its summit reverenced by Buddhists. Sivaite
fakeers or ascetics discovered upon it medicinal trees and
plants well known to them on the Himalayan ranges, the
peaks of which are supposed to be Siyi's favorite abodes.
They sought upon its slopes and surrounding valleys, — as
their successors stilt continue the search for, — the plant
" Sansivi," the tree of life and immortality, whereof whoso
eateth he shall live for ever. Amongst them the mountain
came to be called " Swargarrhanam," the ascent to heaven:
and as all those whom Siv& destines to celestial bliss are
said to receive upon their heads the impress of bis sacred foot,
by an easy process of transition the belief would become
prevalent among the uneducated mass of his worshippers,
that the foot-print upon the mountain top, alleged by the
Sinhalese to be that of Buddha, was none other than Hiv&'a
own. When once such a belief obtained a hold upon the
Hindu mind, the legend to account for it would speedily
be framed.
As already stated, however, many of the moat orthodox
of the Hindus repudiate the legend and decline to accept the
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PEAK.
rock-mark ae a tangible memento of the presence of Sivd on
theepot. In the Tiruvathavar Purana, generally supposed
to have been written about the eighth century A. D.,* there
is a chapter entitled "the vanqiiishing of the Buddhiala in
disputation," in which an account \s given of a certain ascetic
visiting Ceylon, (then called " the spotless kingdom of IU"),t
and vexing the righteous souls of the " beautiful-shouldered"
king, and the Buddhist hierarch, by proclaiming Siva's supe-
riority to Buddha. The king and the thero decided to go
over to India and hold a public ditiputation upon the subject ;
but were there defeated and converted by the convincing
arguments of the Sage Vathavuren. As this account appears
in one of the works the Hindus esteem divinely inspired, and
there is in it no mention whatever of the sacred foot-print
or tlie Siv£n-oli-padam, it may he concluded that so lute as
the eighth century, both legend and belief were non-existent,
80 far at least as the Hindus are concerned.
The oldest probable period from which to date the legend,
is that immediately following the invasion of the Soliane,
A. V. 1023. The Sii^ihalese king was then captured, and
for tifty years after, the Hindu race held possession of the
Mfiyd, or mountain, as well as the northern province of the
• A translation of this chapter, by S. C, Cliittj, Esq., was puhlislieil
in tlip Jniirnitl of the Ceylon Itran:^li of the Royal Asiatic Socic'ty for 1846.
t At that (late, and previc)usl_v, the old forni of Sighalese, known 8s the
"Kin," would doubtless be the laiigunge commonly spokirn by educated
D,9.i,z.ar„Xj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
islaod. Two years after this Soliaa invaaioD, a. d. 1025,
a large body of Sivaites who fled in terror from Somnaut ia
India, where MahiDOud of Ghuznee had overthrown their
temple, found a refuge in Ceylon ; and this access of numbers
no doubt largely contributed to etrcnglhen the power of the
Hindus in the land. The circumstances of the country
however, in both the next and the succeeding century, were
equally as bad, from a Buddhist point of view; and quite
sufficient to account for the origination and confirmation of
any belief that connected the Samanala peak with the worship
of ISiv^. There is no doubt about the fact, that the Siv&n-
oli-padam was resorted to by Hindu pilgrims in the early part
of the fourteenth century, and as the pilgrim^e was then sn
established custom, it may have been in vogue for a century
or two earlier, for all that is known to the contrary, That
observing old traveller Ibn Batutu,* after his arrival at
Futtalam, on the North-west coast, thus describes his re-
ception by " Ayari Shakarti," the principal chief or sub-king
of the district. " He said, Do not be shy ; ask for what you
wish. I answered, My only desire in coming to the island
was to visit the blessed foot of our forefather Adam; whom
these people call Bihk, while they style Eve Mdmfi. This,
replied he, is easy enough. We will send some one with
you who will conduct you thither He then gave me
a palanquin which his servants carried upon their shoulders.
• Tlie chapter of Ibn Batutu'a Irnvela relBling to Cejlon, and eon-
taiiiing the atcount of L'la astcnt to the lop of Adum's Peak will bu
fiiuiiil in Appendix B.
D,9.l,z,-,^b>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PKAK.
He alfio sent with me four Jogees, who were in the habit
of visiting the foot-mark every year; with these went four
Brahmane, and ten of the king's companions, with fifteen
men carrying provisions."
From the fourteenth ccnturj' to the pre^-ent the custom
has been kept up amongst the Hindu worshippers of Sivfi.
Hindus ofother branches of Itrahinanical faith aecm to have
frequented the mountain peak at the same period, but they
either did not know or entirely ignored the legend that con-
nected it with Sivd. They, in fact, held to the more ancient
worship of Saman, a worship by no means repugnant to
the feelings of the Siyhalese. This is ascertained from
the following dialogue between two Brahmans contained in
the Sinhalese poem entitled "Perakumbiiairita," the life of
Pcrakumb^, or Prdkramabfihu VI., supposed by some to
have been written by Sri Rdhula of Totagamuwa, a loyal
panegyrist of that monarch, at whose Court at Jayaward-
hana, the modern Cotta, he resided:' —
kiyaga magiya enu koyi sitn, Dada, Samauala gosiiia
cpura amutu kiineka Bainuna SumaDa, surinclu wisiiiii
•For die e.ttract in the text I am indchwil to Uie Rev. C.AIwis, whose
intimate acquaintance wiih tlie da.igic literature of his native land. an<l
exlensit'e knonledf;e of ila legendary lore are siiq>a«Beil liy but few of
his contemporaries. He bas most obligingly assisted me in my researehes,
and liirniahe'l mc with much valuable and interesting matter connected
with the .subject of this work. The extrnct was accompanied by llie
i.LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
tSa ax* S'^^srf oid Qa 6is-desl 6»eD3 Saeo>
gifa kala dcd&has pan siya rajek eteyi Diyanu
kij'aliya tanwesi ^uau) PcrBkum raja mediuu.
O tell me, trsTcller, from whence jou wend jour waj?
From SamaDala, Brahman, have I arrived this day. —
What uewB from God Siunana, who holUs thereo'er chief away?
^Vhen thouHonits twain, and hundreds five, of years have paased away,
The world to rule, a king ahall come, so folk who dwell there say. —
King Perakum, then citizen, that ia, whom all obc}-.
At: a, later date the Sivaites became the actual cuatodiana of
the mountaiD, K&ja Siijha the Apostate from Buddhism
having delivered it over to a body of AandiySa, Fakeere of the
Saiva sect, after putting to death the orthodox Bhikkhus,*
and burning all the sacred and historical books that he could
find of the faith which he had abandoned. These Aandij^s
retuued possession of the mountain for a period of I60yeare,
when the pioue king Kirti Sri, restored it to the Buddhists,
bestowing the custody of the peak, with the royal vill^e
Kuttfipitiya, upon the priest Weliwita;t at the same time
following literal translation. "Tell (me) traveller! where do you come
from?— O Brahman (I am retunuDg) from having gone to Samanala. — :
What Qewa is there in that country, Brahman 1 from the chief god
Sumana? — When two thousand five hundred years sball have elapsed,
they say that there would come a king, ihe chief of the world. — Then it
can be saiit, citizen I tliat it ia the kiug Perakum of (big day."
• Bhikkhu, a person who Uvea on fragments; a Buddhiat priest.
■f A translation of the aannas or royal grant, ia given iu Appemlia C.
D,o.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
onnfcrring iipou him, for liis eminent services in restoring
tlie religion of Buddha, and procuring from Siam the
UpiisainiMtdit ordination, the title of Sangha Rjljah, or king
of prieijts. The Aandijaa tried to regain possession, and in
an appeal to the king for that purpose, made him a present of
a splendid pair of elephant's tusks. The king acecpted the
present, but did not grant the petition ; remarking, that the
mountain belonged to Buddha and was not hie to dispose of;
at the same time he sent the tusks as an offering to the Sri-
pdda. The high-priesta of the temple retained possession
of these tusks until the British troops first entered the
country, when they were removed to Kandy, and from thence
to the Ga<lalfideni vihira in Udunuwara, where, in 1827,
it was said they were still to be seen.
There is nothing recorded in the life of Mohammad, nor is
there anything in the Kur&n to shew that that enthusiastic
Arabian iconoclast, the founder of the faith of Islam, was a
believer in the tradition that connected Adam, the divinely
created progenitor of the human race, and "greatest of all the
patriarchs and prophets," with the holy mount of Serandib;
yet the tradition was current amongst the Copts in the fourth
and fifth centuries; and in a paper by Mr. Duncan, in the
Asiatic Researches, containing historical remarks on the coast
of Malabar, mention is made of a native chronicle, in which
it is stated that a king of that country who was contemporary
with Mohammnd, was converted to Islam by a party of
,v Google
ADAM'S PEAK.
dervieliea on tbeir pilgrimage to Adam's Peak.* But, as
the standard of the Crescent rose, and the prowess of its
turbaned followers, with almost incredible celerity, spread
far and wide the doctrines of him who called himself the
Apoatle of God, and, after Adam, "the last and greatest
of the prophets," so, with like speed, did the wondrous tales
of the old Arab voyagers and traders of Ceylout spread
• Asiatic Researches, vol. t. p. 9. This conversioD " was effected hj
a corapMif of derrishes Iroin Arabia *ho touched at Crungloor, of
Cranganore (then the seat of Oovernment in Malabar) on their voyage
to vitit the Footstep of Adam, on that mountain in Cejiloii which mariners
diHtinguiab b; the name of Adam's Peak." Id a note, Mr. Duncan add«:
" This Footstep of Adam is, under the name of Sre-pud or the ' holj foot,'
equally reverenced and resorted to by the Hindus."
t Arab traders were known in Ceybn centuries before Mohammad
was born, " and such waa their passion for eoterpriB<>, that at one and the
same moment tbey weT« pursuing commerce in the Indian ocean, and
manning the galleys of Marc Antony in the fatal sea.fight at Actium.
The author of the Periplut found them in Ceylon after the first Christian
century, Cosmos Indico-pleustes in the sixth; and they had become so
numerous in China in the eighth, as to cause a tumult in Canton. From
the tenth till the fitleenth century, the Arabs, as merchants, were the un-
disputed masters of the East ; they formed commercial establishments in
every country that had producUons to export, and tbeir vessels saited
between every sea-port IVom Sofala to Bab-el-Mandeb, and from Aden
to Sumatra- The ' Moors ' who at the present day inhabit the coasts of
Ceylon, are tlie descendants of these active -adventurers; they are not
purely Arabs in blood, but descendants from Arabian ancestors by
intermarriage with the native races who embraced the religion of the
prophet."— Sr J. E. Tbhsbht's Ceylon, vol. i. p. 607.
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOgle
ADAM'S PKAK.
amongat thuir countrymen anJ co-religionists reports of the
beauty, the fertility, and the riches of India's utmost isle.
Not least in interest amongst the marvels told would be those
respeclingthemysterioua relic on the summit of Al-rohoun,"
the mighty mount they saw above the horizon for days before
they moored their ships beneath the shadow of the palms that
marged the coast. From what was recorded of Adam in
the Kuran, and the Coptic traditions, with which the Arab
traders would be well ac()uainted, connecting his name
with the mountain and the foot-print, the wliole combined
failed not to invest the island with all the charms of an
earthly elysium, and fixed in the minds of Moslems the idea
that the mountain of Serandib; "than which the whole
world does not contain a mountain of greater height,"!
eprang from the site of Eden's garden, and was most pro-
bably that sacred spot,
" The Mount of Paradise, in clouds reposed,"
whence Adam was permitted to take his last long lingering
look at the abodes of bliss from which he was for ever
expelled, for
* So called from the Rubiina division of the Island, in which Galle is
situated, and irom which Adam'g Peak is ieen.
t The description given bj Tababi, " the Liry of the Arabians,"
bom A. n. 83A, irhose writings contain, it is beliered, the earlieit alliuiuDB
to Ceylon to be found ia any of ihe Arabian or Persian authors.
D,o.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
"that mjiterious dime,
Whose dire contagion through elapsing time
DiB'Lued the curse of death bejond coDtrol ;" •
or the pionacle upon which he alighted, when, according to
other traditions, be was cast out from the Paradise of the
seventh heaven, sad there " remained standing on one font,
until years of penitence and Buffering had ' expiated his
offence, and formed the footstep" that now marks the place
upon which he stood.^
The traditions vary in their details; but all true Islamites
hold to the belief that Ceylon wae rendered for ever famous
by the presence upon it, and the residence therein, of the
Father of Mankind.} Sale, in the note already quoted from,
* Jamms Mobtoombbt'b "World before the Flood."
"It is from the summit of this mouDtain, a tradition reports, that
Adam took hit latit ricir of Paradiiie, before be i]iiit(ed it never to return.
The spot st which his foot atood at the moment, is still supposed to be
foand in an impressioQ on the summit of the mountain, resembling the
print of a man's foot, but more than double the ordinary size. Alter
taking this farenell view, the father of mankind is said to have gone
over to the contineDt of India; which wm at that time joined to the
island; but no sooner had he passed Adam's Bridge &ai> the sea closed
behind him, and cut off all hopes of retorn." — FEacivAL's Account of
Cejlon, p. 208-7.
f Note to chap. ii. of Sii-i's Al-koran.
X "There is another tradition Tclalcd in the Caberman-nameh, nanaely,
that Adam was banished to Serandib after his expulsion from Paradise,
and that Caherman-Catel, wishing to bequeath to posterity a monument
to record the birth of his son Sam-Neriman, caused a town to be built
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
mentions the further belief of the followers of the Prophet
of Mecca, that Eve, who had fallen from Paradise near Jed-
dah, or Mecca, in Arahia, was, after a separation of two
huodred years, reunited to Adam, who was conducted to her
by the angel Gabriel, and that they afterwards both retired
to Ceylon, where they continued to propagate their epecies.
Percival, in his notice of the mountain named aft«r him to
whom
"the evening breeze
llml bi>rne tlie voice of OckI amun); the trccH;
whose muruitig eye
Outsbune the ^tar that told the bud whs nigh,"
J. MoNTQOHEBT.
etatea that one of the chains near the top is said to have
been made by Adam himself I but he gives no authority for
the statement. Sir W. Ou9ely,iQhis Travels, quoting from
the Berhan Kattea, a manuscript Persian dictionary, writes
" Serandib(or Serandil) is the name of a celebrated mountain,
whereon the venerable Adam, (to whom he the blessing of
God!) descended from Paradise and resided.. ..it is likewise
reported, that here is interred the father of mankind.'
Ashref, a Persian poet of the fifteenth century, holding this
belief, describes in the " Zafier Namah Skendari," a voyage
in the great plain at the foot of the mountain where Ad&ra was interred,
and that be called the tame Khorrem, plaee of joys and pleaeures, sueh
SB the Gr«elc8 and Latins believed the Elyslsn lieldg to have been." —
Itibliotheque Orientale of O'IIerbblot, vol. iii. p. 308.
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
made to Ceylon by Alexander the Great, where, after land-
ing and indulging himaelf and companiona in feasta and
revets, he next explores the wonders of the ialand, and " with
the philosopher Bolinas [celebrated for the composition of
magical talismans] devises means whereby they may ascend
the mountain of Serandib, fixing thereto chains with rings,
and naila or rivets, made of iron and brass, the remains of
which exist even at this day ; eo that travellers, by the assist-
ance of theae chains, are enabled to climb the mountain and
obtain glory by finding the sepulchre of Adam, on whom be
the blessing of God I " " Unfortunately for Aahref 's credibility,
his statements are not supported by any reliable authority,
and hiatory ia utterly silent in regard to this alleged voyage
of Alexander and his companions. f His own countrymen too,
are at issue with him as to the place of sepulture of the
father of mankind, for Hamdallah Kazwini, the Persian
geographer, saya tliat Adam left Ceylon for the continent of
India, and " crossed the aea on foot, though shipa now sail
over the place of his passage, during the space of two or
three days' voyage. "J
• Sir W. Ocsblt's Travels, vol. i. p. S8.
t This belief amongst Easterns of the TJait of Alexander the Great to
Cejlon existed long before the time of Ashref Ibn Battits, a century
earlier, mentionti " the ridge of Alexander," at the entrance to tha
mountain Serandib, "in which is a cave and a weLl of water," and a
minaret there "name<l after Aienander."
t Sir W. OoSBLv's Travelfl, vol. i. p. 37.
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PEAK.
The earliest account of the Mussulman tradition that
connecte the story of Adam with the Peak is that contained
in the narrative of Soleyman, an Arab merchant who visited
Ceylon in the beginning of the ninth century. His attention
waa particularly directed to the mountain called by his
countrymen "Al-rohoun," "to the top of which" he says,
"it is thought Adam ascended, and there left the print of
his foot, in a rock which is seventy cubits in length; and
they say, that Adam at the same time stood with his other
foot in the sea. About this mountain are mines of rubies,
of opals, and amethysts." * Ibn Wahab, another trader who
visited Ceylon about the same period, speaks of its pearls
and precious stones; and the Darrslives of both travellers
are related in a work entitled " Voyaget of the two Moham-
madant," written between the years A. D. 851 — 911, and
first printed in France in 1718.t
Sindbad the Sailor in his charming tales, written probably
about the same period as those of the two Mohanimaduns,
says in the account of his sixth voyage "The capital of
Serandib stands at the end of a fine valley, in the middle of
the island, encompassed by high mountains. They are seen
•HUtory of Ceylon, by Philalethw, 1817, p. 7. The opals referred
to by Boleyman must hiife been either cat's-eyes or mnonstunes; the
real opal not benig found in Ceylon.
t By Rbnaiidot; it was reprinted at Paris hy REiiiArD in I84J.
Ad English tranalalion waa included in both Harris'i and Pikkbiton's
collections of early trarela.
ijGoogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
three days' sail off at eea. Rubies aud several sorts of
minerala abound. All kinds of rare plants and trees grow
there, especially cedars and cocoa-nut. There is also a
pearl-fishery in the month of its principal river; and in some
of its valleys are found diamonds." I mode, by way of
devotion, a pilgrimage to the place where Adam was confined
after his banishment from Paradise, and had the curiosity
to go to the top of the mountain." f The Arabian author
Edrisi, in his Geography compiled at the desire of the
Sicilian king, Roger the Normau, a. d. 11 54, repeats details
of the height of the holy mountain of Ceylon, its gems
and odoriferous woods; and in the next century Kazwini
of Bagdad, the Pliny of the East, gives particulars of
Ceylon as then known to the travellers and voyagers of
his day.
Ibn Batuta, a Moor of Tangiers, the record of whose
thirty years' pilgrimage [a. d. 1324—1354] entitles him to
rank amongst the most remarkable travellers of any age or
country, whilst journeying through Persia, visited at Shiriz
"the tomb of the Im&Di El Kotb El Wal! Abfi Abd Allah
* DumoDda tre not foutid in Ceylon, but white Mpphires may have
been passed oS* for such gems. A species of zircon ii found in Matura,
which goes by the name of the Matura diamoDi!; these stones are
exceedingly hard, and some of them possesa gr«at lustre : but they are
Bcldom found of »ny size, and are of little commercial value.
f Arabian Nights' EnterlainmeDts, by TownssHD ; Chandos Classics
Edit., p. 428.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Ibn Khafif, who U the great exemplar of all the region of
Fkra." Of him heaa)'8"Thi8 Abu Abd Allah Ulhe person,
who made known the way from India to the mountain of
Serandib, ajid who wandered about the mountains in the
Island of Ceylon. Of hismiraclea, his entering Ceylon, and
wandering over its mountains in company with about thirty
fakeers is one : for when these persons were all suffering
from extreme hunger, and had consulted the Sheikh on
the necessity of slaughtering and eating an elephant, he
positively refused and forbade the act. They, nevertheless,
impelled aa they were by hunger, tranpgrcwed his commands,
and killed a small elephant, which they ate. The Sheikh,
however, refused to partake. When they had all gone to
sleep, the elephanta came in a body, and smelling one of
them, put him to death. They then came to the Sheikh,
and smelled him, but did hira no injury. One of them,
however, wrapt hirt trunk about him, and lifting him on his
back, carried him off to some houses. When the people saw
him, they were much astonished. The elephant then put
him down and walked off. The infidels were much delighted
with the Sheikh, treated him very kindly, and took him to
their king. The king gave credit to bis story, and treated
him with the greatest kindness and respect. When I entered
Ceylon I found them still infidels, although they had given
great credit to the Sheikh. They also very much honour
the Mohammadan fakeers, taking them to their houses and
feeding them, contrary to the practice of the infidels of
India; for they neither eat with a Mohammadan, nor suffer
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
him to come oear them."* Sir Jamee Emerson Tennent
obaervee upon this accouDt: — " Aa this saint died in the year
of the H^ra 331, his story serves to fix the origin of the
Mohammadan pilgrimages to Adam's Peak in the early part
of the tenth century,"!
Ibn Batdta's visit to Ceylon was the result of stress of
weather, he being at the time on a voyage from one of the
Maldlve islands, — where his long residence and popularity
had excited the hatred of the Vizier, — to the " Maabar
Districts " on the coast of Coromandel. His narrative will
be found in the Appendix, accompanied with notes identi-
fying many of the places mentioned in his route from
Puttalam to Gampola, thence to Adam's Peak, to Dondra-
head, Galle, Colombo, and back to Puttalam.
* The Travels of Ibn Batilta, translated from the Arabic hj tlie
EeT. S. Lee, Professor of Arabic in the University of Cambridge, 1829,
p. 42-43 Robert Knox, writing three hundred and forty jears later,
tatty corroborates the statement of Ibn Batdta.
t Sii J. B. Tbbnbmt'b Cejlon, vol. i. p. 579.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
NOTE.
It is stated in page 19, on the authority of a note in
Mr. James D'AIwie'e " Attanagalu-vansa," that except in
the historical works of Ceylon, there is no account of this
supposed impression of Buddha's foot in any of the earliest
records of Budhism." Since the printing of the sheet con-
taining that page, I have been favoured with the fallowing
communication from Mudaliyar Louie De Zoysa, the teamed
Chief Translator to the Ceylon Government, whose merits
as a Pali and Sanscrit scholar are patent to all who have
occasion to consult him, but whose reluctance to publish the
fruits of hia studious labours has hitherto prevented him
from talcing that place amongst generally known Orientalists
to which his abilities entitle him.
" I have much pleasure in sending you an extract and its
translation from Buddhagh6sa's Atthakath^onthe Winaya-
pitaka, entitled ' Samanta P^idik^,' respecting the im-
pression of Buddha's foot on the mountain of Samantakuta.
Buddbagh6sa is the great commentator on the canonical
Scriptures of Buddhism. Atthakathi is a Comment, or
Glossary. Winayapitaka is that division of the sacred text
which treats of the Laws of the Buddhist Priesthood.
"Tiuikhopana Bhagavatti p&dachetiy&ni. Lagkidip^ ^kap,
JambudipS Yduakaratth£ dw6ti. Tsttha h6dhit6 attliam^ waesu
Ealyd^iyaQ Maniakkb! u&gar^^na nimantitii Bhagava pa^chahi
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
blitkkliuaatKhi parivatd LaQkuJipamfigammftKatydni cbi^tiyalth^nd
kat^ ratona-mBQdape nisinno bhaltikkiclicbaQ kntw^ Samantaku(e
padag dassetwd agamasL" — Sauanta Pa'sa'dika'.
" There are three foot-impresBions of the Deity of felicity :
one in tlie Island of Lank&, and two in the Y6naka* country
in Jambudipo. In the eighth year after his attainment
of Buddhahood, the Deity of felicity, at the invitation of
the N&ga king Maniakkhi, arrived at Lank& attended by
five hundred priests, and having taken his seat in the ratana-
mandapa (gem-decorated-hall) on the site of t]ie D&goba at
Kelani, and having partaken of his repast there, left the
impression of liis foot on the Samantakfita moantain and
departed,"
The above extract, however, only proves that the notice
of the foot-print occurs for the 6rst time in any other
than an historical work, in the Atthakath^ or commentary
composed by Buddhaghdsa, which, although esteemed by
many as of equal authority with the Tripitaka, was never-
theless only written at about the same period as the
corresponding statement in the MahawaQs6, or but a short
while before. For Buddhaghosa arrived in Ceylon from
Maghada, near Fatna, the original seat of Buddhism, during
the reign of Mahandm6, a. d. 410 — 432; and he and the
thero Mahnu£ma were both resident at the same time
at Anar&dhapura, where the latter completed the early
chapters of iJie Mahawanei^ in the reign of his nephew
Dh6tu-Sena [a. d. 459—478]. The statements in the
commentary and in the history are identical, and both
• BactriauR, or Afighanistan.
iizMb, Google
ADAM'S PEAK.
had, without doubt, a common origin,* The express object
of Buddhaghuaa'e viait to Ceylon, was to translate from
Sinhalese iato Pali the Atthakatbds on, as well as the text
of the Pitakas, but during his residence in the island, he
himself composed additional comments, regarding which one
of the most learned priests of the present day remarked,
"that any one who road them through would be able to
fulfil the office of Sangha Kiijd, or supreme ruler of the
priesthood." t But at the same time, "they abound much
more with details of mirnculous interposition than the
Pitakas they profess to explain, "f and as there is absolutely
nothing in the text of the Winiyapitaka respecting the alleged
foot-mark, to give occasion to the extract quoted from the
comment, it aeema evident that Buddhaghosa embodied in
his commentary, as in a kind of common-place book, every-
thing that in any way tended to the glorification of Buddha,
however remotely connected it might be with the special
subject he had on hand.
• The Dipavmnia, or history of the Island, written in Pali, perhaps a
eentury and ft halfcarliur tlian the Mahav>an36.\s the oldest known book
in nhicli the legend Is stated. Itoth BuiUlhaglidan and Ktahoniima seem
to hnve been indebted to its pages for what ihej have written on thia
particular subject.
t Habdi's Manual of lluddliism, p. 5\2.
X Hakht's Eastern Moniichisni, p. 171.
D,9.i,z.a.„CjOOglC
giant's Jiiai.
" All the giftnt mountuiu sleep
High in heaven tbeir monarch bUdiIs,
Bright and beauteous from afar
Shining into distant lands
Like a new-created star."
J. MONTQOHEBT.
CHAPTER II.
Notices of the Peak and Foot-pkint by early Chribtiak
Writers, — Accocnts by Marco Polo, Sir John Maon-
DEViLLE, Caftain Ribeyro, Robert Knox, and tde Dutch
Uistorun Valentin.
Tbb Gnostics, ia framiDg their theological system, made
Adam rank as the third emanation of the Deit^ ; and in a
maauacript of the fourth century, containing the Coptic
version of the discourse on " Faithful Wisdom," attributed
to Valentinus, the great heresiarch of that early corruptioa
of Christianity, there occurs the oldest recorded mention of
the sacred foot-print of " the primal man." The veneration
they cultivated for leu, (the mystic name they gave to
Adam) the protoplast of the human race, seems, afler their
dispersion under persecution, to have been communicated
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
by tliem to the Arabs, and it was probably under this
influence that Mohammad recognized him in the Kurfin, ae
the "greatest of all patriarchs and prophets," and the "first
of God's ■vicegerents upon earth,"* It does not appear,
however, that pUgrim^ea were at any time mode hy Chris-
tians, as acts of devotion, to the sacred foot-print.
The Portuguese authorities, when they became interested
in the affairs of Ceylon, were not at all inclined to believe
in the impresaion, as being that of the foot-print of Adam ;
some attributing it to St. Thomas, and others to the Eunuch
of Candace, Queen of Ethiopia. Percival, in his account of
the island, apparently adopting this view, states, page 208,
that " the Roman Catholics have taken advant^e of the
current superstitions to forward the propagation of their own
tenets; and a chapel which they have erected on the moun-
tain, it) yearly frequented by vast numbers of black Chris-
tiana of the Portuguese and Malabar races." But in this
respect he seems to have fallen into an error; there are no
traces of such a chapel on the mountain at the present day,
nor does it appear, upon inquiry, that there had been any
such in former times. Probably, when writing his work, he
had present to hia recollection traditions of the old Roman
Catholic church, which in the times of the Portuguese stood
on the apot now occupied as the great Saman D^wale, about
a couple of miles firom Ratoapura, in which city there is
• Sir J. E. Tbknbht'b Ceylon, vol. ii. p. 135.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
still a bodj of Eoman CadioticB, and a small chapel where
they assemble for worship.
Early Christian travellers hare not failed to make mention
of the Peak in the narratives they have left of their voyages
and travels to the far East Chief amongst these stands
Marco Polo, the celebrated VeoeliaD whose travels throagh
the dominioDB of the Emperor Kublai Ehao and adjacent
countries, a. d. 1271 — 1295, led Sansivino, the hiatoriao of
the city of Venice, to call hbn "the first before Colambua
who discovered new countries," He thus refers (booh iii.
ch. zxiii.) to the traditions that connect the mountain o(
Zeilan with both Adam and Buddha,
" I am unwilling to pass over certmn particulars which
I omitted when before speaking of the island of Zeilan,
(cb. xix,) and which I learned when I visited that country
in my homeward voyage. In this island there is a very high
mountain, bo rocky and precipitous that the ascent fo the top
isimpracticable, as it is said, excepting by the assistance of iron
chains employed for that purpose. By means of these some
persons attain the summit, where the tomb of Adam, our
first parent, is reported to be found. Such is the account
given by the Saracens. But the idolaters assert that it
contains the body of Sogomon-barchan,* the founder of their
religious system, and whom they revere as a holy personage.
* Evidently a corruption of the terms S4kja-muni, chief sage of the
SUjft rac«i vulBhaganat,suprenicspLrit;cou)monl; used by BuddhUt«
to deaignat« Qauiama Buddha.
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
He waa the bod of a king of the island," who devoted himself
to an ascetic life, refusing to accept of kingdoms or any other
worldly possessions, although his father endeavoured, by the
allurements of women, and every other imaginable grati-
fication, to divert him from the resolution he had adopted.
Every att«mpt to dissuade him was in vain, and the young
man fled privately to this lofty mountain, where, in the
observance of celibacy and strict abstinence, he at length
terminated hia mortal career. By the idolaters he is regarded
as a saint. The father, distracted with the most poignant
grief, caused an image to be formed of gold and precious
stones, bearing the resemblance of his son, and required
that all the inhabitants of the island should honour and
worship it as a deity. f Such was the origin of the worship
of idols in that country ; but Sogomoa-barchan is still
' Marco Polo u here in error. GauUma Buddlia was the Priuce
SiildArtha, son of hiog SuddbiSdaQa, who reigned at KapiUwaetu, ti citj
on the borders of Nepal; he was born in a garden near that city in the
jear b. c. 624.— Habdt's Eastern MoDachbm, p. 1.
t PhiljU-etues, in \m History of Ceylon, oh. xxiii,, gives a limilar
account J the; both originated in traditions coDcemiog Buddha current
amongst the Sgbidese. The tranala^on and publication of the Maha-
wans<5 and other ancient native histories, and tlie learned researches of
Tumour, Gogerly, Hardy, Man Miiller, D'Alnis and others, regarding
the life of Buddha, and the origin of Buddhism, have cleared up much
that was obscure in the matter of these traditions, and shew, that while
the; t«em with fanciful fiction and imsginary legend, they also contain a
fair proportion of historic truth.
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
regarded as Buperior to every other. In consequence of
tbis belief, people flock from various distant parts in pil-
grimage to the mountain on which he was buried. Some
of his hair, hie teeth, and the basin he made use of, are still
preserved, and shown with much ceremony. The Saracens,
on the other hand, maintain that these belonged to the
prophet Adam, and are in like manner led by devotion to
vieil the mountain,
"It happened that, in the year 1281,* the Grand Khan
heard from certain Saracens who had been upon the spot,
the fame of these relics belonging to out first parent, and felt
BO strong a desire to possess them, that he was induced to
send an embassy to demand them of the king of Zeilan.
After a long and tedious journey, his ambassadors at length
reached the place of their destina^on, and obtained from the
* This nai in the reign of Paodita Prfikrninabfihu III., [a. d. 1267—
1301], but there is no menlinn made of such an embassy in either the
Mahawansu, the lUja Ratnfikari, or ihe Rijanaliya. Perhaps, as the
otijpct of Ihe embasiy naa merely toobtain relics of Adam, the Buddhist
annalisb considered it a matter unworthy of (heir notice. Marco Polo'*
aiatemeot is boireTer confirmed hj Chinese authoritiea (quoted bj
Sir J. £, Tennent, vol. i. p. 598), who thus describe the "alms-diah of
Buddha," which was at length yielded to Kublai Ehaa as a gift from the
king of Ceylon. "In front of tbcimage of Buddha there isasacred bowl
which it Deillier made of jade, nor copper, nor iron, it ia of a purple
colour and glossy, and when struck, it sotiDds like glasa. At the com-
mencement of the TucD Dynasty, three separate eoToyi were tent to
obtain it."
D,9.i,z,a.„L.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAS.
king two Ifti^e back-teeth, together with some of the hair,
and a handsome veeBel of porphyry. When the Grand Khan
received intelligence of the approach of the messengers, on
their return with such valuable curioeities, he ordered all
thepcopleofKanbalu(Pekin) to march out of the city to
meet (hem, and they were conducted to his presence with
great pomp and solemnity."
The first ofthe writers on Ceylon in the fourteenth century
vas the Minorite Friar Odoric of Postenau in Fruili.* " In
it he saw the mountain on which Adam for the space of 500
years mourned the death of Abel) and on which his tears
and those of Eve formed, as men believe, a ftiuntun;" but
this Odoric discovered to be a delusion, as he saw the spring
gushing from the earth, and its waters "flowing over jewels,
but abounding with leeches and bloodsuckers," In 1349
Giovanni de Marignola, a Florentine and Legate of Clement
VI., landed in Ceylon, at a time when the legitimate king
was driven away ; his attention was chiefly directed to " the
mountain opposite Paradise."
8ir John Maundeville, a native of St. Albans, who died
at Liege in the year 1371, in his Voyi^es and Travel8,t
says of Ceylon, "And there ben also many wylde Beates, and
namelyche of Olifauntes. In that yle is a gret Mountayne;
* He let out on bia travel* from die Black Sea, in 1318, tniTersed ibe
Asian Contdoent to China, and returned to Italy aftfir a jonroej of
twelve year*.— Sir J. E. TBHWBWT'a Ceylon, vol. L p, 612.
t Chapter xviiL p. 230. Edit. 1727.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Rnd in mjdd place of the Mount, U ft gret lake in a full fair
Pleyne, and there U gret plentee of Watre. And thei of
the Contree aeyn, that Adam and Eve weptfin upon that
Mount an 100 Zeer, whan thei nerendryvenout of Parades.
And that Watre, thei seyn, is of here Teres: for so much
Watre thei wepten, that luade the forseyde Lake. And in
the botme of that Lake, men fynden many precious Stone*
and grete Perles. In that Lake growen many Beedes and
grete Cannes: and there with inne ben many CocodriUes and
Berpentes and grete watre Leche».'*
Kicolo di Conti, a Venetian of nohle family, and merchant
at Damascus, visited Ceylon in the early portion of the
fifteenth century. His adventures were related to Poggio
Brscdolint, apostolic Secretary to Pope Eugeniue IV., by
whom they have been preserved in a dissertation on " The
Vicissitudes of Fortune."* The notices of this work by
Sir Emerson Tennent make no mention of either the Peak
or the Foot-print; bat Diego de Couto,t a painstaking
Portuguese writer, referring to Di Conti, says his description
of both are full of errors. De Couto rejects the idea that
the print of the foot was made by Adam, hut insists very
* Di CoHTi'a kccoant was printed at Bai3, in 1S38. The work wm
truislated into English for, and publbbed hj the Haklujt Society, in 1 857.
t Da Couto wu the condnuator of a work written bj Odoakdo
Bakbosa, a PortuguMe captain who Bailed in the Indian eeu in the earlj
part of the lixteeDth centurj. Thia work wa« a aummtry of all thatwa*
then known cunceruiDg the cuuntriea of the Eait.
i,z.ab,Xj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
strongly on the claim made on behalf of St. Thomas, who
also, he says, deeply impressed the marks of his knees upon
a stone in a quarry at Colombo.
In 1506, Ludovico Barthema, or Varthcma, a BologDeae,
found it difficult to land in Ceylon " owing to the four kings
of the island being busily engaged in civil war," but he
learned that "permission to search for jewels at the foot of
Adam's Peak might be obtained by the payment of five
dncats, and restoring as a royalty all gems over ten carats."
The pearls of Man£r and the gems of Adam's Peak were
considered, in the early part of the 16th century, the principal
riches of Ceylon.*
Captain Bibeyro, who gallantly fought on the losing side,
and who records the downfall in Ceylon of the power of
the race.t which more than two centuries ago had for the
previous hundred and forty years
" 'Neath flag of Portugal found place
Till from eacb stronghold both were huH'd
And Holland atandard proud unfurl'd,"
and the whole of the maritime provinces of the inland passed
* Sir J. E. Tedneiit's Ceylon, vol. i. p. \3S.
t History of CeyloD, presented by Capinin Johb Ribbtbo to the King
of Portugal in 168S. Translated from the Portuguese by the Abbe La
Gband. Ee-tronslaied from the French, by Gboiqb Leb, Poitmaater
General of Ceylon, 1S47.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
into the posseeslon of the Dutch,* givea the following
account of Adain'a Peak :
"We have already said that Adam's-peak separates the
kingdoms of Uwa, Kandy, and the Two Corles, from each
other. This mountain passes for one of the wonders of the
world. It is twenty leagues from the sea, and seamen see
it twenty leagues from the land; it is two miles high, and
before reaching its summit, we arrive at a very agreeable
nnd extensive plain.t where that rest can be had of which
the person who ascends is eo much in need, as the mountain
has then become very steep and rugged. This plain is inter-
sected by many streams which fall from the mountain, and
is entirely covered with trees; there are even very pleasant
Tallies in it.
" The heathens resort to this Peak on a pilgrimage, and
never mias bathing in one of the rivulets, and washing their
* The Portugueae eObcted their first settlement in Cejlon at Colombo,
A. n. 1518. The Dut£h erected their Grst fort at Knttiar, near Trinco'
malee, in 1609; obtained a permanent fooling (bj treatj with the
Portuguese) in 1646, anil by I6S8 made themselves masters of the eotire
•ea-borde of the Island.
f Mr. Lee gives OS anote here "Diabetme.* But the plain of Diabetma
is on a mountain top, and does not answer the description given bj
Eibejro. The plain of GilimaM, 9 miles from Ratnapura, is " inter-
sected by many streams," is "covered with trees," and haa moreover
"pleasnnt vallies in it" Pnl&baddala however, is moat probably the place
meant, thst being an elevated plateau, by and through which run streams
and water -courses. It is the secood haltjag station on iLe loute,
Id miles from Ratnapura.
i,.,,,= .„L,OOglC
ADAM'S PEAS.
lineD, their clothes, and all they bare on them in it. Thej
are persuaded that the place is holy, and they think that
by these ablutions their sins are washed away.*
"After these superstitious observances, they clamber to
the top of the mountain by chains which are attached to it,
and without which it would not be possible to mount, so
■teep is the ascent from the plain to the top, and there still
remains to be achieved a distance of quarter of a league. A
person leaving the foot of the mountain very early in the
moniing will hardly reach its aummit till two in the after-
noont
" On the top of the Peak there is a targe open square, 200
paces in diameter, and in tlie middle there is a very deep
* In chapter viil. of his Hbtorj, Cnptam Ribejro mj*, that the Qne«ii
Donna Catbarins, iridtnr of king Wimala Dharma [a. b. Ifi92_1627],
manied Sen&ralana, tiie brother uf her deceased fauabaud, who at tha
time of the king'a death, wu b priest "living in penitence on Adam's
Ftttk." Thenatire Iiidtorians relate, that on the marriage of Seniiatan^
be was r^sed to the throne, and reigoed for a perluil of seven ;e*rs.
He va* succeeded bj bia aoa Rija SiQha II., during wboae reign of
fifty years the Portuguese were expelled from CejloD, being first
driven by the Icing from all their possessiong excepting their fortified towns
on the ses-coMt, after wbicb, with the aid of the Dutch, he succeeded
in finally expelling them firom these; he then, bj treaty with his allies,
IranBterred to them the iriiole of the const, with the exception of
Batticaloa and Pnttolam. It wis while at Battiealoa, that Robert Knox
and hi* companions were captured by order of Kija Sgba II.
t This is about the time required, taking Fal&baddala as the starting
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
lake of the finest water posaible. Thence issue those streams
of which we have juat spoken, and which collecting their
waters at the foot of the mountaio form the three largest
rivera of the island.*
" Near the lake there is a flat stone hearing the impression
of a man's foot, two palms long and eight inches hroad; this
impression is so well engraved that it could not be more
perfect if it were done on wax. All the heathens profesi
great veneration for this relic, and assemble at the Peak
from all places to see it and render it their homage, and to
fulfil vows which they make regarding it. On the left of
the etone are some huta of earth and wood where the pilgrims
dwell : and on its right is a p^oda or temple, with the
house of the priest, who resides there to receive offering!
and to relate to the pilgrims the miracles which have been
wrought on the spot, and the favours and blessings which
have attended those who have come thither on pilgrimage;
and he never fails to impress on the minds of his hearers the
antiquity and holiness of that stone, which they wish th«
heathens to believe is the imprint of the foot of our first
father.!
* The statement respecting llie Ittke and the itreanii is eTTO&Mus.
There is however r small well near the top of the Peak.
t Ribejro seems not to have knonn that the Sinhalese attributed the
foot-print to Buddha. Re probabi; obtained bis informatioo ftom a
Mohammadai) source. His account of the «ze of the foot-print dlSen
conriderabl^ &om the reality. Its present length and breadth ia about
fbur times lai^^ than the dimensions stated in the text.
D,9.i,z,a.„Cj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
" Some trees have been planted round the stone to render
the spot more venerable in appearnace; and in order that
the heathens may have no doubt as to the holiness of the
place, the priest declares to them that two emaller raountaias
at the side of the Peak have stooped and bowed down before
the sanctity of this mountain.* Is^o man of common sense
would believe thia, any more than that the impression was
made by a human foot, as the man who made it must have
been of the most gigantic size; it is evident that it is the
work of some heathenish hypocrite, a recluse on this spot>
who sought to create a reputatiou for himself.
" One of the rivers falling from Adam's Peak runs towards
the north, crosses the Four Corles, passes through Sittawacca
and Malwana, and falls into the sea near Colombo, at a
place called Mutwal; another flows towards the south, and
waters the Two Corles, Saffragam, the Pasdun and Kaygam
Corles, and falls into the sea near Caltura; but the largest
and most considerable of the three rivers is that which passes
near Ksndy, and after crossing the kiagdoraa of Trincomalee
and Btttticaloa, discharges itself into the hay dos Arcos,
near the port of Cottiar. None of these rivers have any
peculiar names, but take the appellations of the places they
• Sir J. E. Tbbkbnt says, (vol. ii. p. 138.) "De Couto, in confir-
maiion of the pious coDJecture (hat the fuoUtep on the snmmit was that
of St. Thumu, asseriH that all the trees of the Peak, and for half a league
OD all Bides around it, bend tlieir croirns in the direction of ihe relic; a
homagenhichcouldonlybeofiered to the footstep of an Apostle."
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
pass in their course, receiving as they flow onwards many
smaller streams which entirely intersect the island."*
The assertion of the priests referred to by Ribeyro in
the penultimate paragraph, is but the expreaaion of a belief to
which all true Buddhists tenaciously adhere. They appeal
to the evidence of their senses; and plainly, the top of one
the summits of the B^na Samanala, the mountain which
nearly faces Adam's Peak in a south-westerly direction,
overhangs its base with a very apparent bend ; while the
tall rhododendron trees which flourish on the eastern side
of the Peak, appear to lean over in the direction of the foot-
print, as their branches rise above the wall of the platform
which surrounds the rock that bears it. There, they say,
you have, on either hand, a miraculous proof of the divine
supremacy of Buddha, and the sanctity of the seal of
his power which he has impressed upon the mountain top.
Five centuries and a half ago this belief, then as firmly held
as now, was again and again referred to in the Samanta-
kiita-wannand, a poem descriptive of the Peak, and the
origin of the Foot-print; and from wliicb De Couto and
others seem to have derived much of their information.
• This statement is not wholly correct. The first of the riTera named
ia the K^lani-ganga, the second the Kalu-gaoga. Both of these
have theiroriginin the western slopes ofthe Samanala range of mountains,
but not from Adam's Peak direct The third is the Mahawflli-
gangB, the source of which is in Pedum taligala, the highest mountain in
Cejlcm. One of its tributaries however flows from the eastern slopes
of the Samanala range.
D,9.i,z,a.„L.oogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
The following stanza 13 a fair sample of the poem: —
Eae' So^'M (eSoj Sirai MSrfow
Mftla 'w at ansa sainak^ girayo samanta
Hutw4 Damanli api haoti aachetandwa
Sabbupi tattha tarawo ciialatddayoclia
Nachcltanti dibba nataka wiya onatagga.*
Like canopies and garlands -fair became the rocka sround;
And graceful as ihe danccni, in hearenl]' mansions found,
The trees and doral creepers that clothe the monntnjni round.
Their heads, like sentient beings, bent lowl; to Ihe ground.
Robert Knox, in that moat interesting account he has
given of Ceylon in the narrative of his twenty years' capti-
vity in the interior, during the reign of R&ja Si^ha II., makes
* The author of Samsntakilfa-wannanfi is generallj bcliered to hare
been one Wb'de'ba, Ihe chief priest of a temple called Fatjraja Piri-
weno, nho also wrote the Pali work Padja-madhu, and to whom is
generally attributed the suthonhip of ihe Sidat Sangariwa, the oldeit
known Gnunmu of the Sighalcae language. He lifed in tha rdgn of
kingPandita-FarakkramabUiuIV. A.D. 13S0-1347. TbeSamantakifta-
wannani is a poem containing upwards of 500 stanzas, and describea, in
flowing Pali verse, the legends which narrate the circumstanceg that led
to theimpressionof Buddha's foot- print upon the auinmit of the Samanta-
ktita. Vide Introduction to the Sidat Sanguiwa, bf James D'At-wis.
pp. clxxxii, clx^uciii, and cclxzxi. Colombo, 1852.
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
frequent mentiOQ of Adam's Peak.* He says, " The land is
full of hilU, but exceedingly well watered, there being many
pure aod clear riverB running through them. ..The mun river
of all is called Mavelagonga; whicli proceeds out of the
mountain, called Adam's Peak (of which more hereafter);
it runs through the whole land northward, and falls into tlie
aea at Trenkinuilay On the south side of Conde Uda is
a hill, supposed to be the highest on this Island, called, ia
the Chingulay language, Hamalell ; f but by the Portuguese
and the European nations, Adam's Peak. It is sharp, like
a sugw loaf, and on the top a flat stone with the print of
a foot like a man's on it, but far bigger, being abont two feet
long. The people of this land count it meritorious to go
'■*An Hiitorical reUtion of the Island of Cejlon In the £ut Indies;
together i^itli ui BC«»Dnt of the detaining in Captivit; the Author, and
divers other Eof^ishmen now living there; pud of the Author's mira-
culous escape. By Robbbt Khox, a csptire there nepr tirent; jeata.
[I6S9— 1679]. Edit. ISI7." This work wu first printed in 16SI.
Captain Ribejro'a HisUny waa not pretented to the king of Portugal
until 168S; and remained unpublished till 1701; bat a* be lived in
Ceylon, and look part in tiie occurrences he deacnbes, previous to Knox's
captivity, his account of the Peak isgiveoGratincmlerof time indie text.
t"Tbe levned Baiutr, in his Analjua of Andent Mythology, lajs
grvat freight upon tliis nane ; he says 'The Pike of Adam is properly
the nrnmit sacred to Ad Ham, the king or deity Ham, the Amon of
Kgypt- This is plain, to a demonsb«tion, from another name given to
it by the native Siagalese, who live near the mountain, and call it Hoin-
al-el; this, without any change, is Ham-eel-EI, (Ham, the Sun,) and
relates to the ancient religion of the Island. In short, every thing in
l,z,.^b>LiOOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
and worship this impression; and generally, about their new
year, which is in Afarch, they, men, women and children,
go up this vast and high mountain to worship: the manner
of which I shall write hereafter, when I come to describe
their religion. Out of this mountain arise many fine rivers,
which run through the land, some to the westward,* some
to the southward,! ^^^ the main river, viz. Mavelagonga
before mentioned to the northward."
" There is another great god, whom they call Buddou,
unto whom the salvation of souls belongs. Him they believe
once to have come upon the earth; and, when be was here,
that he did usually sit under a lai^e shady tree, called
Bogabah, which trees ever since are accounted holy, and
under which, with great solemnities, they do, to this day,
celebrate the ceremonies of hie worship. He departed from
the earth from the top of the highest mountain on the Island,
called Pico Adam;} where there is an impression like a foot,
which they say is hie, as bath been mentioned before."
these countries asvoura of Chaldaic and Egyptian institution.'" — Davt'b
Account of llie Interior of Ceylon, p. 348. But Dr. Davy shews that
Bryant'n explanation is entirely erroneous; that the sound of S and H
being indiscriminately used by the Sinhalese, the mountain is called by
them either UnmaniUa or Samanala, i. e. the rock of Saman; and that
in Fali ila name in SomanS-kiita, and in Sanskrit Samanta-kiita-parwata,
the meaning, in each of the three languages, being exactly the same.
* F<imiing the K^lani-gaiiga. t Forminf; the Kalu-ganga.
I Knox here followed Che current native tradition. Buddha's death
took place near the city Kusin&ra, in the year 343 b. c. The exact Mte
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAMS PEAK.
"His great festival is in the month of March, at their
New Year's tide. The places where he is commemorated
are two, not temples — but the ODe a moantain, and the other
a tree;* either to the one or the other they at this time go
with their wives and children, for dignity and merit— one
being esteemed equal with the other.
" The mountain is at the south end of the country, called
Hammalella; but, by Christian people, Adam's Peak, the
highest in the whole island; where, as has been said before,
is the print of the Buddou's foot, which he left on the top
of that mountain in a rock, from whence he ascended to
heaven; upon this footstep they give worship, light up
lamps, and offer sacrifices, laying them upon it as upon an
altar.f The benefit of the sacrifices that are offered here
do belong unto the Moors pilgrims, who come over from the
other coast to beg, this having been given them heretofore
of this cit7 h»* not yet been 6xeA. Different authorities suppoae it to
have been in the Province of Assam, the kingdom of Nepal, or at
Burdwar near Delhi.
* The Bo-tree at Anurfidhapura, the oldest historical tree in the world,
planted b. c. 2S8.
t " A beautiful pagoda formerly stood upon the top of thU hill,
respecting which taaay traditions are circulated, and manj stories told.
The; sa; that it WHS the abode ofBhood,whowBs a disciple of the apostle
Thomas. Tbej add, that he stood with one foot upon this hill, and
another upon a hill upon the coast of Madura, when such a flood of wat«t
burst forth, SB to separate the island of Ceylon from the main land,"—
PuiLAJillTBES, p. 210.
D,o.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
by a former king; bo that, at that aeaaon, there are great
mimbera of them always waiting there to receive their
accustomed fees."*
The Rev. Philip Baldsaus, " Minister of the word of God
in Ceylon," in bis " True and exact Description of Malabar,
Coromandal, and also of the Island of Ceylon, &c.," printed
at Amsterdam in 1672, added but little to the stock of
in&nnation already known respecting the sacred foot^print.
In March, 1654, he states, that some Dutchmen, who had
gone purposely to examine it, were shewn by the Buddhist
priests a representation of it in gold, and of similar di-
mensions, on which diiferent images were engraven, which
had before been exhibited npon the impression of the foot
in the rock. But, said they, when these images had been
ponrtrayed in gold, they vanished from the stone.f
* Knox haa here, as in Bome oclier places, described the Hindus u
Moori. He refers in this instance to the Aandij&s, who from about 1090
to 17^0, were the custodians of the Peak (see ante, page 39). In their
dresa these fakeera somewhat resembled the Mohammadana, but smeared
their for^eads with aahea. Elsewhere, Knox particularlj diatinguishes
thf^ Moors "who are Mohammadana bj religion."
I Thia, according to a Bwddbiat tradiUon, iinpliciti; believed hy manj
of the people, was not the first time impreaiiona Tanished from the sur&ce
of that aacred rock. Bach of tbe three Buddbaa who preceded Qautama
Buddha left tbe impression of his fool-print on the spot; and each time
an impreaaion waa made, tbe former one sank through the rock to the
bottom of tbe mountain, where it still remains, and would be clearlj
visible, if only tbe mountain could be turned upside down to evbibit it.
D,9.i,z.ar„Xj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
The hietorian Valentya, in hia great work on the Dutch
East Indian poBaegsions,* complains much of the want of
infomiation he found to exist among hia oountrjmen, re-
specting the interior of Ceylon; what they had being chiefly
derived from the Btatementa of fugitives and spies. Of
Adam's Peak, he says: — " This mountain is the Peak on the
top of which Buddha, so say the Sinhalese (or Adam, as
others amongst them say,) left the great and famous foot-
print impressed on a certua stone, when he ascended to
heaven. It is to this footstep that so many thousand pilgrims
come from all lands to offer sacrifices." Elsewhere he
furnishes a notable instance of the inaccuracy of his own
information, by minutely describing the temples and images
• The following b the title of Talentfn's work:— "Ke«irijke beschiyTing
Tftn Choromandel, Pegu, Arrakfto, fiengale, Mochft, ran 't Nederlandach
eomptoii' in Penien ; en eenige fraije zBaken van PenepoBs oTerbtjftelen.
Een nette begchr^Tioj; van Malaka, 't Nederlands coiaptair op 't Eilaod
BomRtrs, mitsgadera een wjdlnftig« UndbeschrTritig van 't Eilaod Ceylon,
en een net verhaal van des Kclft keiseren, en isaken, van oudi hier
voergevoUen ; alao ook van 't Nederlands comptoir op de kuat van Malabar,
en van oneen bandet in Japan, en eindeljk een beschiyving van Eaap
der Goede Hoope, en't Eiland Manritlaa, met de zaaken tot alle de
voomoenide lyken en landen behooreode. Met veele Prentverbeeldingen
en luidkaaiien opgebeldert Door Faitccois V*abbttk, Onlanga Bedie-
naar dea Goddeljken woorda in Amboina, Banda ens. Te Aroaterdim,
by Gerard Onder de Linden, 1726." Thia work ia in five verj large
rolaraea in folio, and containa man; hundred copper plates. One of tbeae,
a whole page plate, repreienta " Adam's Berg." The monntain is depicted
as exceedingly high and steep, and is surmounted b; two peaks like ragged
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
of Mulkirigala, — a precipitous rock near Matara, called by
the Dutch Adam'a Berg, — ae if they exiuted on the mountain
of the Sri-pdda. Philalethes, accepting this statement as
correct, endorses it In hia history ;* and Upbam and others,
following him, perpetuate the error; although Cordiner.t
who is coDStaatly quoted by Philaletbes, and who does not
lTUDPa(«d cooes, on tbe top of one of whicb the fool print i« plwnlj
shewn. Groves of cocoa-nut and forest trees ore scattered here and there ;
and three rivera wind their waj to the base of the mountain. One of
these, stthe foot of tbe picture, is meant for tbe SitagauguUa. Aeonipanj
of pilgrims ire batliing ia tbe stream a short distance from a waterfall;
and another company juat come up, are preparing to do so. The pilgrims'
path is broad, and does Dot prcneut anj apparent dilGcultj, beyood ita
steepness. Tremendons precipices however flank it on either side of the
mountain. About sixtj pilgrims are seen on their way to the foot-print.
Tarring in the perspective from three quarters of an inch in size at the
bottom, to a mere speck at top. The whole forma a very curioua
picture, and is as unlike the reality as one can conceive an artist would
make it, who, never hinng seen the Peak, was asked lodesign arepreaeo'
tation of it from such coofused and conflicting accounts as are given by
the historian.
• "TheUistoryofCeylonfrom the earliest period to the year mdccciv ;
with eboracteristic details of tbe Religion, Laws and Manners of Ibe
Feopte, and a CollecUon of their Moral Maxims, and Ancient Proverbs.
By FHII.AI.ETHES, A.M., U;iou, 1817."
t " A Description of Ceylon, containing an account of the Coantrj,
Inhabitants, and Natural Froductiona, with Narrativeaof a Tour round
the Island in 1800, the Campaign of Candy in 1803, and a Journey to
Bamisseram in 1804. By the Rev. JaMus Cobdiheb, A.M., 3 vol».
1807."
l,z,^1.,>LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Beem to have been acquainted with Valentin's work, in that
port of hia tour round the island which coatains the route
from Mdtara to Tangalle, describes the same place, which
was still called by Dutch residenta Adam's Brecht or Berg."
To compensate for his own lack of informatioD in regard
to particulars coDceming Adam's Peak, Yalentyn quotes,
with approval, the following from De Couto:—
"On that mountain in Ceylon called Adam's Peak is an
impression of the foot, in regard to which authors hold
different opinions; some, as for instance, M. P. Venetus,
[Marco Polo,] Nicolaus Conti, and other Venetians, having
published very many errors coaceming it.
" Bat we have the true story, as gathered from the old
Sinhalese and their books, and it runs thus: —
" This peak, called after Adam, is a mountain in the midst
* S. C. Chitti in the Ceylon Oazelteer, epitomiKei from Cordiner the
following account of this singular rock:— " A<iam'» Btrg, a hill of
coniiderable site, situated at the distaoce of 6 miles nortb-eatt of Kahk-
watte, in the district of Matura. It is knovrn amongst the Singhalese
bj the name of Mulgirigal, and is mentioned in their history ae early
as tbetimeof king Swdaitissa, who reigned at Anooraadhapoom from
the year 140 to 122 b. c. The hill i« about 300 feet in height, and is
ascended by a winding flight of staita, formed of Bve hundred and forty-
five Bteps of hewn nloiies. On the summit, which i* circular and teTel,
stands a D&gobs, and almut half way below it are two gloomy Wihares
excavated out of the rock, close together, and in each of which there is
(besides several figures of natural size standing in a row) a colosial image
of Oudha, in ■ recumbent posttu^, forty-fire feet lu length, and of a
proportionable breadth, formed of atone."
i,z,,ab,Xj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
of certain lands called Dinavaca, and it is bo high that one,
ae he approaches thU Island, can see it for more than twelve
miles. It properly begins near Guilemale and Dinavaca,
lying in a westerly direction from them. Guilemale lies
twenty-four hours' journey from Colombo.
"The Siphalese name it Hammanclle Siripade, that is,
the mountain of the foot- impress! on. It begins from below,
gradually ascendiug, and divides itself on the summit into
twelve tops,* on one of which la the foot impression. On
either side of it, there are rivulets flowing from fountains
above and branching off into streams. At the foot of the
mountiiin is a river which flows nearly all around it.
"In this river, called Sitegangele.t the pilgrims, who
come to the foot-impression to make offerings, wash them-
selves, and this washing ie their baptism, they believing
that by it they are cleansed.
" On the summit of one of these peaks is a plain,} and in
the midst of the plain, is a tank of water, called "VVella-
mallacandoere,§ surrounded on the top with large stones;
* De Couto is here confounding the mountHin range with the monntain
of the foot impression. There is but one aumiDtt, and one top on the
llaumancUe, and that is the Peak itsclt
t This river does not flon frata Adam's Peak, but has \U source in the
B^DH-Samanala mountain, and flows through the raTine which separate*
that mountwa from (jaugullahena, a mountain west of Adam's Peak.
I This answers to the plun on the top of Diabetma.
§ This tank lies in a ravine on the southern side of HfrBmilipina.
About two miles further south is the village Welligalle. The stream
D,9.i,z.ab,XjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
I ID the midst thereof is the shape of a great footstep which
I they call Siripade, the foot much larger than a usual foot, and
of such a form that it appears to be impressed in the stone,
■ the same as if a seal was impressed in white wax.* '
I "Multitudes of pilgrims, aa well Moors as Heathens, |
; flocking together here even from Persia and China, come to '
I this river for the purpose of cleansing themselves, and
putting on new and fine clothing. After cleansing them* '
I selves, they ascend a very high mountain. At a little |
I distance before reaching the top, they come to some steps,
I on which are erected as it were two stone columns; over !
these another stone is lud, to which is suspended a large '
bell, made of the finest Chinese metal; to this hangs a great
clapper, bored through ; through this hole passes a rope
made of leather, which each one must pull, the sound of the
bell indicating whether he who pulls it is clean or not;
for if he is still unclean, they believe that the bell will give
no sound, in which case he must return to the river and
cleanse himself with greater ceremony. The Devils seduce
them thus, although there is no one to whom the bell gives
no sound.
whiuh supplies thii TJUige nitli vnter, is beliered to lake its rise «t
Wellemalakuidura; "kandura" signifying spring or head source of water.
* There is no foot-print here. Db Couto u contused by hia twelve
t«pa to (he Buminit of his ItammaDelle. U^ramitip&na, the pilgrim
station which gives its name to the place, is od the luminit of a ridge
which is divided from the Simanala b; a oarroir Tollej; and the foot-
priut referred to is that on the t<)|i of Sanianala— the Sri-pida itself.
l,z,.^bvG00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
" As many aa four or five hundred go thither together in
jtilgrimagc, and having arrived on the top, they can do no
more than kisa the stone with great reverence, and return ;
tliey are not permitted to ascend by the pool or tank of
water, which pool is called in the Sinhalese, 'Darroe-
pockoene" that is, the tank of children. If women are
barren, they drink of this water; but they may not themaelvea
fetch it, it ia brought to them by jogia. To ascend by this
pool or tank would be an unpardonable sin.
" The Moors also make offerings here, saying that it ia the
footstep of Adam ; that he ascended to heaven from thence,
and that he left his last foot-print in that stone.f This story
emanates from an old Eastern tradition, that Adam, when be
was driven out of Paradise waa sent to an Island in India
called Serandive (that is, the Island of Ceylon).
"Marc P. Venetus says, that the Moors believe that
Adam was buried here. He says further, from the account
of these heathens, that the son of a King Sogomon Barcaon,
despising earthly dignities, resorted to this mountain for the
purpose of leading a holy life; that from thence he went
up to heaven ; and that bis father commanded that pagodaa
•'Daru' diililren; 'pokuoA,' ponrl. 'X'hi« well U about 25 or SCr feet
from the top of the Peak, on ita northwetit aide. It is reached by a steep
path from tlie northern angle of the platform which surrounda the 3ri-
p&da.
t "The ftkirs of the Mobammadan religion take impreiaions of the
footstep on a piece of white cloth that has been previouslj' corered with
pulverised gandar."— Habpt's Manual of Buddhism, p. 212.
D,9.i,z.ar„XjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
should be built and images made in hia memory, from which
sprang the idolatry of India. But the Sighalese, having
been asked about ibis, Uugh at it; and their ojd writings,
and principally their ballads, wherein are preserved their
antiquities, and which they 3tng daily, (in order not tu forget
them,) tell quite a different tale.
" They say that there was a king who reigned over tlie
whole East, who bad been married many years and had no
children; that in his old age, he obtained a son from God,
who was the most beautiful creature that could be.
" This king, having charged his astrologers to make the
horoscope of his son, found that the child would be holy,
and that he would despise the kingdoms of his father and
become a pilgrim ; at which the father becoming grieved,
resolved to confine fais son in some court, and so prevent
him from having a sight of any thing; he accordingly confined
him from his fifth year in walled gardens, and had him
brought up in the company of many noble youths of his
age, who were kept always near him, in order that bo one
else might speak to him.
" He was thus brought up till his sixteenth year, without
having any knowledge of sickness, misery or death. Having
arrived at the years of discretion, and understanding more
things than were to be seen about him, he requested of bis
father that he might be permitted to see the towns and
villages of his kingdom. This was granted, with directions
that the guards in charge of him should bring him to the city
and keep an eye upon him. On his way to the city he was
., LiOOg Ic
ADAMS PEAK.
met bj a cripple, respecting whom he inquired as to the cause
of his condition. His companiona eaid, that th« man wao
born 80, and that it was very common to see such sights, and
that there were also men who were born blind, &c. At
another time he saw an old nnan, hunchbacked, leaning on a
stick, hia body also trembling. The prince inquired the
reason of this, and they told him that it came from old age.
He aUo saw a corpse, which was being taken for burial with
much weeping and lamentation, and inquired what it all
meant, and whether he and they should also die? They
said yes; at which the prince became very sorrowful; and
while in this sorrowful state there appeared to him in a vision
a pilgrim who advised him to forsake the world and lead a
solitary life.
"Being much disturbed by this vision, he determined to
find means to effect his escape, in the guise of n pilgrim, into
uninhabited places. Concerning his flight and wanderings
the Sinhalese recount many fables, adding at last, that he
came to Ceylon with a great concourse of followers, and
resorted to this mountain, where he spent many years of s
very holy life, so that the Sinhalese adored him as they
would a God. When about to leave the Island for other
•lands, his followers implored him to leave them something*
which might cause them to remember and think of him with
* TluB seems to have rercrcnce to the legend wbich ilescribes the
impres!<mii of a foot-prlnl mode b; Buddha in the bed of the Kf lani-ganga,
at the time of his third Tjsit lo Cp^Ion, and before be departed for
D,9.1,z.,4b,XjOOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
reverence; he thereupon kept his foot in this water tank,
and left the impression to them for a remembrance. Their
hiatorians give this prince many names, but his proper name
was Drama Raju;* and after he became a saint, that of
'Budhu,' which signifies the 'Sage.'" f
After referring to what ia quoted in the note at p^e 64,
DeCouto continues: — " The mountain of Adam has towards
its base a marsh from which the four principal rivers of the
island have their source. The Portuguese give it the name
of the Peak of Adam, but the Sinhalese name it ' Dewa
Gorata,' that is, God's country," The correct term for such
an expression in Sinhalese is ' Deyyang^ rata,' and it is
applicable not so much to the Samanala mountain, as to the
whole country from beyond Gilimal^, which ia still called
by the natives Saman's Country; the shrine of that deity,
Samanala to leave behitid him the venerated Srf-p£da on the »umrait of
that mountain. The two accounts are fused or confuted together in
almost all the accounts derived from the oral traditiona of the natives.
* There is here ^ain ■ confunion, arieing from the mixing up of
traditions of Buddha with those of Dhurtna-r&Ja. Dfaurma-iija-galla ia
the name given to a mountain about miUwa}' between Diabetma and
Sitsgangulla-hena. jEs steepest part ia ascended bj the aid of 130 steps
cut in the liviog rock; hy these atepa, on the bare rock, is tbe outline
of a bnman figure, with an inscription above it. The purport of the
inscription is that the stt^ps were cut bj order of Dhurma-r&ja, who died
here while on a pitgrimige to the Sri-pHda.
t For the above translation from Valentjn's work I am indebted to
Mr. R. A. VjtnCuTLaHBiaa, tiie talented principal clerk in charge of the
Record Uffice attached to the Colonial Secretariat at Colombo.
D,o.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
almost on tte top of the Peak, being fully as much reverenced
by the Sinhalese aa the foot-print that is juat above it.
During the reign of "VViroaladharma Suriya II., a, d. 1684 —
1706, that monarch, who ia praised by the hietoriane for his
piety, made a state pilgrimage from Kandy " to pay his
adoration on Adam's Mount, and to oiFcr a salver (aombero)
of massy silver with other presents." * He was accompanied
by a train of nearly 300 tusker elephants, which were kept
by him merely for the parade of the Court; moat of them
being ordinarily distributed among the temples in the
neighbourhood of Kandy, where, for purposes of devotioii,
he was a frequent attendant.
* Phualbthrs, p. 130.
i,z.ab,Xj00gle
ijGoogle
g^dam's J^ah.
" The mountaini of this glorious land
Are conscious beings to mine eye.
When at the break of day they stand
Like giants, looking through the sky
To hail the sun's unriscn car
While one by one, u star by star
Their peaks in ether glow."
J. MONTOOMEBT.
CHAPTER III.
The Samanala Peak. — Ratnapura Rotal Mail. — Panabak-
KEitT. — Eelani. — Buddhist Temples. — Kaduwkla._ — Hang-
WEL1.A. — RiVEB Scenery. — Awissa'wela.
The ehrine-crowned Samanalft is distant in a direct line
from Colombo, the Maritime Capital of Cejlon, about 46
miles,* and rises to a heigbt of 7352-8 feet above the level
of the sea; where, in dear weather, it has been seen at a
distance of thirty leagues.! ^^ forme the crowning point of
• 43-9 from the Clock tower, Colombo,
f It is stated in the Rfijawalia, that Wijaja, the Indian invader and
first king of Cejilon, made for the island [b. c. S43] in consequence of
seeing from his ehip the large rock called Simanta-kiita, whereupon he
D,o.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
the south-western range of the mountaiD zone/ and waa for
a long time considerei] the highest, as it certainly is the most
conspicuous mountaiD in the Island. t Although not often
visible during the southwest monsoon, (May to Kovember),
it is generally, during the intervening months, more or Icsa
distinctly seen from Chilaw on the northwest to Dondra-
head on the south coaat, a distance of one hundred and fifty
mnd hiE followcm concluded amongst tbcRi.iclrci tbst ihe country vould
be a good one to reside in, and accorOinglj tbcj boT« up for it, and
landed it Tatrnnfona Nuwara, on ibe northwest coast.
Mobamiuad Ibn Datuta, in the narrative of hk travels, mentions tbit
beingdriven from tlie AlaldiTes, he "arritcd at last at the Island of
Ceylon, a place well known, and in which is situated the mountain of
Serendib. This appeurcJ to us like a pillar of smoke, when ire were at a
distance of nine days from it."
" " On carrjing the eye onwards to the landward horizon, it is seen
to be bounded by a noble mountain range, between thirty and forty milei
distant, culminating, if the voyager has made the Island near Foint-de'
Galle, in a conical summit named the Haycock, which in general effect
may be compared with the SchehBUioD in Scotland, aa seen from the East;
and if he make the coast nearer Colombo, in Adam's Peak, — a Bummit so
eminent, that I do not remember to have seen anything that will bear
compaiison with it, except perhaps Monte Viso, in the Maritime Alps,
■a seen in the western horizon by the traveller when descending tcwards
Turin." — Rev. Dr. Macticab on the Geology, Scenetj and Soil of
CejIoD. Apptndii to Ceylon Almanac, 1834, p. 26.
t It is, in fact, the fourth in altitude, P^urutal&gala, the higheal,
springing from the Nuwara Eliya plains, being 6,295 feet above the sea
level. The others are Kirigalpotta, 7,836-8, and Totapfl^ 7,720 feet in
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
miles. On the weetern coaat, the low lying champaign region
of which reaches from the sea almoat to the mountniD'n base,
the range from which it springs forms a magnificent purple-
tinted back-ground. The Peak, there lifted high in lonely
grandeur, and shrouded at intervale from sight by the mists
that rise from the surrounding valleys, or by the low clouds
drifting in the monsoon wind, has been associated by the
fervid imaginations of Oriental races with legends of the most
romantic kind. With some of these, and with descriptions
of the mountain, the writer was familiar in early life ; and
when his lot was cast in Ceylon, he determined, if possible,
to make the ascent to the " Sri-pdda,"— the Sacred Foot-
print, — and thencefrom see what the intrepid blind traveller
Holman, who visited it in 1&30,* described in graphic terms
* The first Englblman who ascended Adam's Peak wai Lieut. Malcolm
of the iBt Cerlon Rifle Regiment, wbo reacted the summit on the 2Tih
April, 1827. The account of his ascent will b« found in Appendix C.
Lieut. HoLMAK, R. N. in the 3rd volume of bis Travels Round the World,
p. 228, thus writes: — "We reached the summit juaC before the sun
began to break, and a aplcndid acene opened upon us. The insulated
mountain rising up into a peaked cone of 7,420 feet above the level of
the sea, flanked on one aide by lofty ranges, and on the other by ft
champaign country Btrekhiog to the shore that formed the margin of an
immense expanse of ocean. I could not see this sight with the nutoij
orbs, but I turned towards it with indescribable enthuniaam. I stood
upon the summit of the Peak ; and felt all its beauties rushing into my
very heart of hearts." On his return from the Peak Holman mentions
that his servant purchased a fowl from a native for 3J'/. In 1B70 the
bazsar charge at the same place for & very middling sizcJ fonl waa li. 3<f.
i,.,,,,.„L,oogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
he felt. But time wore on, and many a wistful glance did
he make towards that Alpine height, wondering when,
if ever, he ehould be able, from the shrine a-top, to behold
the beauties of the wide-spread scenery below; nor was it
until twenty weary yeara had passed away that he was at
length enabled to accomplish hia long-cherished purpose.
This was done in the Eaater-wcek of 1869 (March 24—31)
in company of Messrs. Larkum, Giles, and Deslandes,
gentlemen connected with the Public Works Department of
the colony; a second excursion was made in the month of
September following," when the writer was accompanied by
Lis eon, and Mr. Gullctt, the talented correspondent at Galle
of the leading Australian Journals; and a third was under-
taken during the Christmas holidays, in company of Mr.
E. Gower of Colombo, The narrative of these pilgrimagee,
BB given in the following pages, will, he trusts, prove not
only interesting to the general reader, but also be useful
aa a guide to pilgrim-visitors hereafter.
Ou the first excursion three of us started from Colombo at
* 6 p. M,, in the Ratnapura Royal Mail, a vehicle constructed
on the char-a-banc principle, and with the addition of another
passenger, with baggage, mails, driver and horsekeeper to
boot, we were somewhat too much of a load for the wretched
* Notes of these joumcjs appeared in the " Ccjlon Observer" at the
time; those of the first by the present writer under the signature of
" Pii^RiM BBonN," and of the second by one of hia com pan ions— an
extract fi*oiii which is given in chapter I,
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
animale with which the coach was singly horsed. "We did
the distance from Colombo to Ratnapura, 56 miles, at the
rate of exactly four miles the hour, inclusive of the half-
hour we rested at Awiss^wela. Starting from Awissfiwela
at past midnight, already considerably cramped by our six
bouie' journey, we arranged for sleeping the remainder of the
way, if sleep we could, in the following manner : No. 1
coiled on the driver's seat; Ko. 2 in the well of the coach
on the top of the boxes and portmanteaux; and Nos. 3 and
4 on the side-seats parallel with him ; their three pairs of legs
protruding over the back of the machine, and the whole party
presenting a most extraordinary group to the eyes of any
who in the bright moonlight might have seen them as they
were dragged by each gaunt horse at a funeral pace from
stage to stage. Kot unfrequently we came to a dead stop
on a soft piece of road, or where a length of hill proved.an
obstacle too much for the animal's strength to surmount:*
and certainly had the rood not been in very fair order, we
should have had to have bivouacked by the way, instead of
breakfasting at the bungalow of our excellent host and fellow-
pilgrim, whose house was to be our head-quarters, and who
was anxiously awaiting us a mile on the road before we
* It is onlv fairlo state, tb at since the time ofthceicunsionrererredto,
there has been no improvement in both horses and caacbes in the Batna-
pura liojal Mail. But a more uncomfurtnbic oight journej can Btill
scarcely be made, m the writer and hia compauioD found to their cost on
their Christmas journeys to and fro.
D,o.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
drew up in front of the low hill on the brow of which stands
Batnapura Fort.
The morning, a couple of houra before sunrise, was raw,
cold, and misty, but as it advnnced, and the sun rose behind
the mountains, they came out clear and sharp in the rosy
golden-tinted sky; and when we saw three small looking py-
ramidal peaks of apparently just the same level, filling the
space formed by a gap in the nearest range through which
the Kalu-ganga (black river) winds its way, it was hard to
believe that one of them, about twelve miles off in a direct
line, but distant nearly thirty by the road, was indeed Adam's
Peak itself, the lofty eky-piercing cone seen in the distant
mountain view from Colombo and its adjacent Cinnamon
Gardens: yet bo it was, and to reach the top of that Peak
we purposed starting on the morrow's dawn. The peaks
we saw, belonged, in fact, to two distinct mountains.* One,
the Bena Samanala, nearly faces the other, and has two
summits, the highest of which is called the False Peak.
These two being brought into line with the true Peak at
the place where we caught sight of them, the intervening
distances had the effect of reducing the apparent altitude
of the two hindermost to the exact level of the foremost.
This night journey by coach is anything but ^reeable;
* "Ptolemt ileacribes, in hia "System of Geography," two chains of
mountains, one of them Burroimding Adam's Peak, which he designatea -
M Malcea, the names by which the hills that environ it are known in the
Mahawanao." — Sir J. E. Tennbnt's Ccjliin, vol. i. p. SSS-d.
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PEAK.
and the traveller who has time at his command woul<l do
well to proceed leisurely from Bta<;e to stage and make
himself acquainted with the places of interest that lie along
his route. This— diverging from the Bridge of Boats that
leads to the great, but eince the opening of the Railway
between Colombo and Eandy, now little used highway to the
mountain capital, — runs partially along the left bank of the
Kelani-ganga, and forms, as far as Awi8sfi.wela, a portion of
what used to be koown ae the old Kandy road. The extended
views and occasional glimpses of river scenery that greet
the eye from the road, now skirting and now receding from
the flowing stream, here narrow and rapid and there
broadened into a placid lake-like bend, are exquisitely beau-
tiful, and go far to justify the phrase that the Island of
Ceylon is the " Eden of the Eastern wave."
Distant about three miles from Grandpass (the road lead-
ing from Colombo to the Bridge of Boats) the traveller passes
by Panabakkery, once an extensive Government brick and
tile manufactory, and also the training station for the
elephant establishment belonging to the Public Works
Department, where every now and again might be witnessed
the operations by which the old tamed giants of the forest
brought into subjection their newly caught companions, and
intelligently, as well as literally by brute force, instructed
them in the duties they were thenceforth to perform in the
service of their lord and master, Man.
A little beyond Panabakkery, is an ancient Buddhist
temple, the Kitsirimcwan KeUniya vihira, probably
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
originally built by king Kit8irimewaii,nfter whom it is named,
and who reigned A. D. 302-330. To viait it the traveller
has to branch off from the main up one of the minor roads.
The resident priest, in lately making some excavations on
the spot, dug up a stone, upon which was a Siyhalcae inscrip-
tion partly effaced, but which, as far as has hitherto been
made out, indicates that the temple had been repaired by or
under the directions of Prdfckrama Bfihu I., in the latter
half of the twelfth century. About two miles further from
Colombo, on the north bank of the river, is the village
Kelani, from which place, the river derives its name.
Formerly the capital, and for ages the chief seat of the
worship of the deified king Vibhfehana, tlie friend of Rdma,
and traitorous brother and successor to R&wana on the throne
of Lanka [b. c. 2387] it still po^scBses ns a memorial of its
antiquity, a dagoba, which B. c. 280 was erected by the
tributary king Yatalatissa over one asserted by Buddhists
to have been built on the same spot by the Nfiga king
Mah6dara, B. C. 580, Connected with, and contiguous to
the ddgoba, are a vihdra and monastery, the Raja-raaha
Kelaniya, so-called to distinguish it from the Kitsirimewan
Kelaniya, on the opposite side of the river. The approach to
this vih£ra is up a noble flight of broad stone slabs, and
through an ancient gateway ; but the steps, gateway and
ddgoba, are the only remains of antiquity ; the rest of the
buildings are of modem date, the older structures having
been ruthlessly destroyed during the Malabar invasions, as
well as in the wars with the Portuguese, and the intestine
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
struggles for power among the Sinhalese themselves. There
is also a recently built lofty tower or belfry of a curious
composite order of architecture. What the place once was
has been deecribed in glowing terms in the "Sela^lihioi
SandSse," written when Ceylon had attained to perhaps ita
highest pitch of prosperity under native rule, during the
reign of Prdkkrama Biihu VI.*
Who with the tliree-Bcore four gemniM iimiuiients robed rounil —
The aliL(« regnlia — was, niiglifj' monarch, crown'dj
Who 'ueatb aae white umbrella's conopj'Jng aliadc
Had brought the whole of Lankn, one kingilom of her made;
Who pride ofliaughcy Toes had humbled in the <IuhI ;
Who skill'd waa in each science ; in king-craft wise and just ;
In use of arms proficient, and perfect oiastcr in
The poet's art and dancing ; who far had hanish'd sin
By knowledge of thn PiCHkaa, — the three fold cord
That binds the wonilrous words of Buddhn the adored ;
Who to the people's eje.i was like collyrinm laid
When they beheld bis form in majesty display 'd ;
Who chief of Dam bod iva'g sovereigns stood cnnfcst
And in his godlike splendour shone like S^kru blest.
The sites of the spots then fiimous are still pointed out by
priests and people, who every July swarm thither by tens
of thougandu; n national pilgrimage to the place made boly
by the presence and relics of the founder of their faith.
Externally the viliura is a plain and uupretentious tiled
"A. D. 1410-146-J.
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PEAK.
building; it contains in its principal apartment a figure of
Buddha in a recumbent posture, upwards of forty feci in
length, and in tlie vestibule colos^ial figures of Hindu deities:
the ceilings are painted over with Buddhiet symbols, and the
walla with scenes from Buddha's life and various mythic
existencca before hia latest birth and attainment of the
Buddhabood.
A place of renown ages before the adveot of Buddha, its
sanctity in the eyes of his followers is thus specially accounted
for. "At the timeof Gautaiua'8appearrtnce[B. C. 58S]Kaiany
would seem to have been the capital of a division of the
island called N&ga Divrayina, and that ilsinhabitaotscalled
Niigas [serpent- worshippers] were easily converted, and
afterwards zealously adhered to the Bnddbistlcal doctrines,
for which they were rewarded by various relics and a second
visit of the Buddha. In his first visit to Ceylon Gautama
converted the l^dgas and settled a dispute between two
of their princes, Cbulddara and Mahodara, who made an
offering to him of the throne composed of gold, inlaid with
precious stones, which had been the original cause of their
quarrel; over this throne a dagoba was built, and is en-
cased in the one now standing. At the request of Mini-
akka, uncle of the Nfiga king Mnhodara, Gautama made
his third visit to Ceylon, and left the impression of his foot
beneath the water of the river: a deep eddy in the stream is
DOW pointed out as the spot; it is near the temple, and the
natives aay that the circling of the current here is the Kalani>
ganga descending in homage to this sacred memorial. Having
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PEAK.
nrrui^d the dieputee of the XdgasandcoDGrmed their fwth,
the prophet departed for Saiiiana.la, Diggtuukhya, uid the
other places which had been sanctified by the preseooe of
former Buddhos."*
The details of a romantic legend coaiiecte<I with the de-
ftructjon of king Tidsa at thia place [b. c. 200. will be
found in Appendix E. It was here too, tiiat Bhuwancka
B&hu yil., the first native king who aUied himself with the
Portuguese few tJie purpose of making war against liis
brother Miya Dunnai, at Sit^wuka, met with his dealb,
A. D. 1 542. The occurrence is thus recorded la the Bdjawalia,
" fiuwanaika Bahu R^ah taking the Portuguese to his assist-
ance, marched out with his Si^bnlese army to attack his
brother, and on his route halted at Kelant, where there was
a house built upon the river for hie residence, and being in
this house with the doors open and walking backward aod
forward, looking up and down the river, a Portuguese loaded
his musket, and shot the king in the head of which he imme-
diately died." The historian adds, "Hereupon it was said,
that God only knew what was thereaaonof thia treachery, —
that having been so 8im|de as to make a league with ihe
Portugueae, aod so foolish as to deliver his grandson to the
jtrotectionof theking of tbe Portuguese, tliin Judgment fell
upon the said king; and on his account that calamity will
be entailed on the peoiiie of Ceylon for generations to come."
arK ill Coylor. v<j
"f BudUhnV Ehrc
. p. 15-2. Ill Apiieiidix D
isita to Cejioii.
D,9.i,z.ab,Xj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
Eleveq miles from Colombo, at the village Kacluweia, is
a resthouac, pleasantly eituatod on the banks of the river.
A halt here for an hour will suffice for a vieit to an ancient
rock temple, supposed by some to be one of those founded
by king Walagambtihu, after hia recontjueet of the kingdom
from the JIalabars, b. c. 88, or perhaps, as others think, of
even a still greater antiquity. The principal object of
interest is an inscription on the rock, wliich has hitherto
baffled every attempt mnde to decipher it, tb« letter:^ being
cut in the ohkst type of Xdgari, or rather Pali, character,
the key to which was first discovered by the late Mr. James
P rinse p.
From Kiuluwela, to Ila^wella, the road passes through
several villages, the inhabitants of which are potters, who
carry on a thriving business with Colombo in the manufacture
of the common earthenware of the country. Between the
villages lie tracts of paddy fieldsaud topes of cocoa-nut palms.
On the rising of the river during the rainy season, portions
of the road between Ila^wella, Kaduwela, and the Bridge
of Boats, are more or less flooded. The inconveniences
arising from this state of aftiiirs have led to the opeuinij of a
new road, which crossing higher ground shortens the route
to Colombo by about two miles, and establishes an almost
direct communication with the Railway terminus,
A little to the left of the road, on the summit of a bluff
projecting tongue of land that overlooks the Hanwella ferry,
are the grass-grown remains of a small star fort, supi)oscd to
have been originally constructed by the Dutch, in the centre
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PEAK.
of which is the present resthouee, the keeper whereof, a
good humoured ohliging old Dative, is jocularly termed the
Commandant. Here good acconimodatiou and very fair
quarters can generally be procured. Round the steep flanks
of the fort the river flows towards its outlet at Mutwal, a
few miles north of Colombo; while landwards a choked up
ditch indicates what in bye-gone days formed its protection
on that side. From its position, previous to the annexation
of the Kandyan Kingdom, it was a point of some importance
as commanding the routes both by land and water from the
interior to Colombo.
During the campaign of 1803, the Kandians succeeded in
taking the fort and village on the 20th August, but their
progress was checked by a detachment of troops under the
command of Lieutenant Mercer of the Slst regiment, who
on the 22nd stormed the battery they had made in a strong
position at the bridge of Putchella, near Haywclla, and
drove them hack with great slaughter; a success which led
to the immediate recapture of the fort. In the operations
which followed, the British were everywhere successful;
although in defending the almost untennble fortress of
Chilaw, which the Kandians attacked in immense numbers
on the 27th August, the little garrison, consisting of only 25
sepoys and two young civilians, completely exhausted their
ammunition,* and for twenty-four hours before they were
s Ccjlon, vol. ii. pp. 226, 236.
., LiOOg Ic
ADAMS PEAK.
relieved ke|>t the enemy at bay liy firing cupjier cuins iDstead
of gra|>e shi>t.
It was at llaijwrlla, after tiiD ahovementioned oecur-
reoces, that Sri Wikrania Raja Siylia, the last King of
KaDdy,direetei] an attack iu perjun, on the Cth September,
against the Uritidli furces; he having resolved, after the
treacherous massacre of the troops at Kandy, on Major
Davie's surrender on the 26lh June, to invade (he British
territory and attack Colombo. After an engagement which
lasted for two hours, the Kandiang fled, headed by the king,
Duriug his retreat he ordered the heads of hie two principal
chiefs to be struck ofl', for their want of success, besides,
in his rage at hie defeat, indiscriminately slaughtering a
multitude of bis subjects, whose bodies were either cast into
ravines or thrown into the river- A richly ornamented
bungalow bad been erected for his reception near Hagwella,
previous to the engagement, in front of which two stakes
were placed, on which, in the event of the capture of the
fort, the English prisoners were to have been impaled.
From the ridge that formed the ramparts of the fort the
river view is one of the finest to be found in Ceylon. The
stream sweeps grandly down in its course in a curve from
ifoutlieast to northeast —
WlnTi' Rvalfful full.s thi' shaiio ujioii tbe fiiir twin sliore*,
Where planlains, hoiicv inuiigoeB, yie\il tliuir luscious stoics,
^Vlivrc Ok silk I'oltoii tree, villi Atm-i'viiig Ix'tul lu-ineil,
AiiJ the lull nrckn mill cocoa )>ullll^ ^oii riiiil ',
1, Google
ADAM'S PEAK.
Wbere asoka, p&tali, and dombn fraeeful grow;
Where champac, kina, mI, and ercliindi blow ;
Where rC-rango, inideil, and iron-wood appear,
And tJie sweet augar-canos tlieir alender stems uprear ; •
and an endlesB varictj of magnificent forest trees and palms
and bamboo clumpa reflect from either bank their images in
the lucent stream, while in the back-ground rise the purple
hille, their aummits veiled in clouds, or sharply outlined in
the clear blue sky.
A break down in our carriage was the cause of a day's
detention here on our second journey. The village smith
was however equal to the emergency, and while the repairs
were being effected we strolled about the place, admiring
the scenery, and listening to the somewhat monotonous if
not doleful chants of the goyiySsf reaping their crops of
kurakkan in the neighbouring fields and bill slopes. A
most refreshing bath in a secluded nook in the river just
below the fort, was not the least pleasant of our enjoyments ;
and was moreover an excellent preparative for the capital
dinner which " the Commandant" provided for us as the day
drew to a close.
Between Ha^wella and AwissAwela the scenery is bolder
and more varied than that already passed. Noble trees
overarch the road, and plantations of jack, bread- and other
fruit trees, indicate Uie industry of the inhabitants as well as
* S^la-lihini Sand use.
D,9.i,z,-,^.-,>.L-.oogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
the fertility of the soil. In the early days of British enter-
prise, the cullivation of the eiigar-cane and the indigo [ilant
was attempted on nn extensive ecale in the neighhourhood;
the results were not however so profitable as were anticipated,
and the luckless speculators soon abandoned the scene of their
operations. A pleasantly situated resthouse on the slope of
a hill, at the foot of which lies the village of Awiesdwela,
affords the traveller an opportunity for halting and devoting
a day to the inspection of Sitdwaka, nhere some interesting
ruins, together with a rock temple on a mountain opposite,
well repay the trouble of a visit. In the clear atmosphere
of the season of the northeast monsoon, a fine view of the
Peak is seen from the road near the resthouse. Twenty-
one miles distant in a straight line, it rises from behind a
range of mountains, which, when the southwest winds pre-
vail, bounds the prospect on tlie horizon lo the southeast.
The hilla on either side the road converging to this point,
there is an apparent gap on the sky-line, save when, as on
the occasion of our catching a glimpse of the Peak during
our September excursion (the only one we had except when
on the Peak itself,)
"a tliciusond cubits high
The sloping pjTjniid astends ihc sky."
It then forms the central and most striking object in the
scenery there beheld.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ijGoogle
D,o.iiz,a.„Xj00gle
gidam's 5^ali.
"At last a lemple built in antient days
Ere Ma wns i town they came unto;
Huge was it, but not fair unto the view
Of one beholding from without, but round
The antient place Ihej s»w a spot of ground
Where laurels grew each side the temple door,"
CHAPTER IV.
AwissaVela. — Si'ta'3 bath. — Si'ta'waka. — THE Bere'nui-
Ko'wiLA. — Rock temple,— Pus wella, — Kurowita water-
pall. — Eknelicoda Disa'wa. — Katutitambaba'wa
tiha'ra, — Weralupe. — Sauan dewa'le.
The villnge of Awisaiiwela, "a field not to be trusted," —
80 named from the character of its adjoining paddy lands,
which were liable to sudden inundations, — ie situated at the
foot of bluff hills of black rock which rise almost perpendi-
cularly from 900 to 1000 feet in height. From the time of
the Portuguese to the annexation of the Kandiau kingdom
by the British, it was a poet of importance; the territories
* "The Life and Death of Jason,"
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PF.AK.
of the European and Xative powers there jmning each ether
on the princijial route that led direct to the inferior from
Colomho.' On the top of a low but steep hill, a picturesque
canlonment was formed by the British, of which the ram-
parts ami surrounding ditch yet reniain.f This is now the
eite of the houBC occupied by the resident Magistrate.^ Being
almost isolated, extensive panoromic views of the surround-
ing mountnin ranges are here obtained. The Court-house
is at the foot of tlie hill near the Sitawaka ferry. The
jurij-diction of the Court extends over a considerable area of
country; and a few lawyers, the leader of whom b a Sin-
halese gentleman, ever on hospitable thoughts intent, seem
• •' In his fifth Tolume, p. 352, Valbstth mentions the escape of two
Englislimen, tSter a captivitj' of twentj-Iwo jears, from the capital of
Kandj to the Dutch fortress of Sitiwaca." — raiLALBTKES, p. 10.
f In the Kandj-an Campaign of 1S03, the natives obtained possession
of tlie place, and commenced building some rude fortiRcatiotis ; but thej-
were speedily dislodged by a military party under command of Captain
} In the year ISdl the wric«r, while staying a few daya at this house
with the then resident Mugistrate, Mr. N. Robertson, was witness to
whatsecmed to him and others at the dine an extraordinary phenomenon.
About 5 F. M , there commenced to bsuc out of the wall, near tlie ceiling,
from a hole not more than a quarter of an inch in diameter, countless
myriads of flying anta; in a very shoK time tbey so completely filled
the house that every one was compelled to leave il. A dozen large
bonGi'es were lighted round the building; and attracted by the blaze,
the ants poured into these in dense clouds for the space of two hours.
D,9.i,z.ab,XjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
to have a fair amount of practice provided ihem by a people
whose love of litigjition is an all-absorbing passion. A walk
of about 250 yards in the rear of the resthouse leads to aro-
mantic gleit, down which runs and leaps a brawling rivulot.
Here ia what is called by the natives Sita's hath, and an
adjacent cave, her dressing room; the popular belief being,
that while the disconsolate wife of the hero of the Gdmayana
was confined in a neighbouring grove by Biwana, she was
permitted, as often as she desired, to come here with her
attendants to bathe. It is abo, we were informed, called
Bis6wala, or the Queens' bath, the King's consorts using it
as a bathing place when the Court resided at Sitiiwaka.
In the olden days Awiss£wcla formed a portion or suburb
of the adjoining city, Sitawaka, Sita's city on the winding
stream — so named after SitA, and the river on the banks of
which it stood; the spot being rendered famous, according to
Hindu traditions, because it was there that Indrajit the son
of Rdivana, caused a magic figure of Sita to be beheaded, in
When tlie flight was over, the scryuiits colleeled from tlic rooms basket
after basket full of anta' wings, as well a» bodies, Ihe former a]ipenring
to serve but tbe one purpose of aiding the insects to escape from llie
earlh, since ihey drop from their bodies ininiedialelj' after. It was not
until nearly 8 o'clock, that the house was ngain habitable. The bir<l»
from (lie adjacent forests left their roosting places, and came in flocks
to feed upon the atits lliat thus made their appearanee. Their incredible
numbers maile it evident that tbe hill was an immen-ie breeding place,
of which thej had held undisturbed possession for a ierifrth of time.
...Xiooglc
ADAM'S PEAK.
the hope that Bama, who waa waging a destructive war
with Eiiwana for the recovery of his consort, would iu the
belief of her death be induced to return to India.
" K^tt&vikca was the ancient residence of kings or r^jas.
The kings of Sitavaca were rulera of all the low lands, and
were of such paramount importance, that the kings and
chiefit of tbe hill and wood country were their tributaries."
The kingd of Sitavaca boasted that ihcy were of nobler
blood and finer descent tban tl)Ose of the high lands. They
asserted themselves to be genuine descendants from the
legitimate stock of a Prince of Tanasserj, and a daughter
of the royal race of Madura, whilst the Kandians kings
were only bastards and of lees honourable extraction. But
it is certain, thut when the king of Sitavaca was conquered
by the kings of Kandy and U'va, they found it requisite to
pay BO much deference to the people, in favour of the high
claims of the extinguished dynasty, as to undergo the
' " In more earlj periods, wlien the island was under tlie dominaiion of
no less tlian sixU'en kings, the one who reigned ntSiliwaka waa scknnw-
ledged as supreme, on account of bis dcatent from the leaitimate slock
of* prince of Tanif^ery, in token of which he wm preKented every year
with a guld arm ring, on which were engraved sixteen heads; and a
meeting of the kings waa alao held at tlie capital to celebrate a great
feaiival wiiieh lasCf d sixteen days corresponding with their numbers. In
after times, however, tliis mark of homnge on the part of the other kings
fell by degrees into disuse, and a spirit of independence began to prevail
among them, lliouLjh they made no objection to the king of SitSwaka
bearing the iioiniral title of emperor." — S. C. Chitti's Ceylou Qazctteer.
TTCTDDglc
ADAM'S PEAK.
ceremony nf inauguration in the ancient palace of Sitiivaca.
This practice was still observed on the arrival of the
Portuguese. Valentyn mentions, p. 229, that the palace at
HitSvaca had been repaired by the Dutch, and that the gates,
walls and architectural ernbellishmeDts attested its original
magnificence; though he adds, it was not to be compared
with the ruins of the buildings left by Malabar sovereigns,"*
From its proximity to the outposts of the Portuguese
and Dutch, the city underwent a variety of vicissitudes ;
it was made a royal residence by M&ya Dunnai, about 1534,
and became the capital of the kingdom, under hie warlike
eon, in 1581; but after its abandonment as the sent of
government by Wimala Dharmn a. d. 1592, it rapidly fell
into decay; the inhabibmts indeed seem to have forsaken
it for the preferable situatioa of Awiss&wela. Its ruins are
now overgrown with jungle, but can still be traced, as well
as the foundation and walls of a Portuguese fort, on a
projecting tongue of land formed by the confluence with the
Sftiiwaka-ga^ga of a small stream, in the bed of which rubies,
Bapphires, and other gems have been found. This fort was
once a place of some strength, and is described by Dr. Davy,
who explored the place in 1817, and visited it on two aubse-
queut occasions in 1819. f
Situated ou a commanding eminence on the right bank of
the river, opposite the site of the Portuguese fort, are the
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
verj interesting ruins of tlic Borpndi-kowila," a temple built,
or commenced to be built, by the "lion-king," Efija Slplia
I., BO named by hia fallier, the king Maya Dunnai, but
known and enccrnted in Buddhist annals aa "the Apostate
Rajah." This king, renowned as a warrior from the time
he was eleven years old, to the day of hia death, when
he had attained the age of 120 years, resolved upon the
building of this temple, to be dedicated to the worship
of Kdii, as an atonement for BOme atrocious acts of cruelty
committed in the course of hia life. The approach of
death seems to have terrified bim. "Oppressed by the
recollection of his monstrous barbarities, he sent for some of
the leading Buddhist priests to attend him, and when they
had come into his presence, he interrogated them as to the
hope of pardon for his sina. The priests, whether emboldened
by the sight of the sunken form of their aged persecutor, or
• B^r^ndi is the Siuhalese form of the llindn t«rm Br&ndi. The
deriTation of the term is doubtful ; probnbly it is a corrupt form of one of
the names of the goddesa Kali, tbe consort of SivJi; aud assuming, niih
FoBBEi!, the tradition to be correct nhich states that this kuwila or temple
was erected b^ R^j^i Sigha on the advice of the Aanjty£a, vrho were
worshippers of Sivii, the attributes of Bratidi, or E4li, were such as
would peculiirly attract and suit the constitutional temperament of (he
king, lie would hcticvc that by her aid he could destrii}> his enemies,
since in sacrificing to her "An enemy may be immolated by proxy,
substituting a bufi'alo or goat, and calling the victim hy the name of the
enemy tliroui;h the whole ceronmiiy, tliereby ' infusing by holy texts,
the no ul of the enemy into the body of the victim: which will, when
i.LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
impelled by the workings of confwiouB rectitude, replied,
' that they could hold out no hope of forgivenesB in a future
state.' SiQha, in whose nature the stern will of absolutism
had been too deeply tm})laDted to depart but with the soul
that enshrined it, raised his eyes lit up with a scarcely
hunmu fire, and in his rage at their presumption, and as he
deemed it, disloyalty, ordered them all, with the exception
of the chief priest, to be shut up in a hou^e and burnt alive.
After incurring in this manner the vengeance of heaven, he
sent for the priests of another temple : these, warned by
the fate of their brethren, responded in a more soothing
tone to his question, declaring indeed that so great a sinner
could not hope for absolution but by repentance, but that aa
his majesty felt contrition for his enormities, they would
endeavour, by the force of their prayers, to procure a sojourn
for him in some intermediate region between heaven and
earth, instead of an abode where he would be tormented by
immolated, deprive the foe of life «lso."'— Mooa'i Hindu Pwitheon,
p. 83. Edit. 1864.
Ktinila is the term applied in Ceylon to « temple dedicated to an
inferior Hindu god or goddess, in contradistinction to DeniJa, which it
applied to a ttmple [Udicat«d to a superior deit;. The two word*
however are similarly deriTed, and have the same signification. The one
is Tamil, and the other Sanskrit; the FNiphalese apply the Tamil term to
Hindu temples built by Tamils, and use the Sanskrit word for the
temples to Hindu deiliea built by themselTes The olEciatiug priest of a
D£w&la ia generally called a Kapurala, while that of a Kuwila ii called
a Paltineharoi.
D,9.i,z,a.„Cj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
devils. This answer seemed to compose the inquietude of
the dying king, and he not only saved their lives but loaded
them with presents, which they refused to receive. He
requested them aUo not to take to heart the massacre of
their brethren, which he had ordered in a paroxysm of rage.
On receiving an assurance of forgiveness, he soon after gave
up the ghost." • Some of the native traditions however ax'er,
that the priests he sent for on the second occasion were the
Aandiyis, to whom, for the consolatory answer he received
from them, he gave the custody of Adam's Peak; that he
recovered from his sickness, and under their advice set about
the building of the Bercndi-kowila, which was left incom-
plete at the time of his death.
Whichever of the preceding statements as to the origin
of the Ber4ndi-k6wila is correct, is perhaps a matter not now
possible to determine, but the ruins themselves, although of
no great antiquity, are unquestionably amongst the most
interesting in Ceylon, and are moreover of easy access to
the traveller. Dr. Davy and Captain Forbes both notice
them, but at the times of their visits the overgrowing jungle
had more or less concealed them from view. In this respect
we were more fortunate, for the owners of the property, the
priests of the Daladd Miligdwa, or Palace of the Toothf at
* PaiDHAM'a Historical, Political and Statistical Account of Ce^'lon
and its Dependencies, vol. i. p. 96.
t For an account of this temple- palace, and its worshipped relic, see
Appendix F.
D,o.i,z,a.„Cj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
Kandy, had leased the grounds for a term of 99 years to the in-
cumbent of a Buddhist vih^raat Cotaochina, near Colombo;
and the leasee was making the aiost of his bargain. The
jungle was nearly all cleared, and the crops of graiu we
saw growing seenietl to indicate considerable fertility of
soil. Our visit was greatly facilitated by the courtesy of
Mr. J. W. Gibson, the Commissioner of Requests and
Police Magistrate of the District, who obligingly accom-
panied us, although the drenching showers which fell were
the cause of no small discomfort at the time. We crossed
the Sitiwaka-gapga at the ferry, also used as a ford when
the water is low, the track of which is paved with broad
flagstones, said to have been brought from the kowila; and
after proceeding a short distance along the Yatiyantota
road, turned to the right, the ground gradually rising, until
we came to a ravine which forms a kind of base to the
triangular knoll, on the summit of which the ruins are seen.
Across this ravine a singular bridge permits access to the
precincts of the kdwila. It consists of tive huge stones,
admirably dressed on their upper surface, each fifteen feet
long, varying in width from two feet to three feet and a
half, and in thickness from twelve to eighteen inches. One
of these is broken through the middle, and a native legend
by way of accounting for the fracture, states, that owing to
a woman crossing it when affected with a natural infirmity,
the goddess to whom the place was dedicated became so
incensed, that she caused the stone to split in two, and
thereby precipitated the offender to the bottom of the ravine.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Tlie surface of the lull, or slope of ground, at some distance
bcyonti tlie bridge, is scarped and levelled into a ecriea of
terraces or platforms. The first and lowest is a parallelo-
gram about 280 feet in breadth; the second about 18(1; on and
near the northern end of this is the third, a square of 80 feet,
and on this again, perh.ips twenty feet from its northern aide,
the fourth, a square of 20 feet. The sides of each face the
cardinal points, those of the north overlooking what may be
called the apex of the triangle, round which the river makes
a, sharp curve. Kelaining walls of massive carved and
moulded granite stones surround the first, third and fourth
platforms; and From the angles of the waits of the fourth,
which is wholly paved with broad flags, rise the handsome
clustered pillars which formed the temple. A narrow groove
or channel is cut through one of the carved blocks at the
southwest angle, the use of which ia not very manifest,
unless it was to carry off the blood of animals slaughtered
in sacrifice to the goddess,* Flights of steps lead to the
platform from the centre of each side, and corresponding
steps are placed in each of the walls of the terraces below.
Traces of such steps are also seen down the steep face
of the hill to the brink of the river, from which, in its
windings above and below, the Ber^ndi-k6wila must
" All Himtu altars, I am informed, liave a passage to let out the water
nhidi llic Hrahroans pour upon th«m for the (mrposc of piirif^'iiig ihem
friini the defilcniont which they are supposed to contract when the goUs
fea^l upon tlie oHerings whieh are there placed.
i.LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
have presented a noble appearance. Captnia FtM'bce i»
of opinion, that tbe teini)[e was about 30 feet in height
from the topmost platform; and that it consisted of pillars
supporting a cornice, the plan appearing to be aa if eight
ornamented pilasters projected two on each side from a
plain square pillar. Excepting as to the height, which,
including the basement wall, now scarcely exceeds fifteen
feet, the description he gives of the plan of the temple is
correct. The carvings in the stones are deep, and the
mouldings project out boldly. These are all covered with
delicate floral tracery, which must have required great
manipulative skill on the part of those who had to execute
it. The walls of the two terraces below harmonise with
that on which the temple stands; the whole having evidently
been designed by an architect of no mean ability. It is
however questionable whether it was ever finally completed.
Between the two lower wailed terraces an unwnlled one
intervenes, and from the number of blocks of stone lying
about, some in a rough, and others in a half finished
state, it seems probable that the work was stopped when
near its completion, owing to the struggles with the Portu-
guese and the domestic wars in which the king was engaged
previous to hU death," and the determination of his successor
* 1'lie Incul cnulitioii is, tliat the works were Htu|)p«<l xt the titue vhen
Kunnppu Bamlard raisLil an arm;, aii<I ndvaiiceil agninvt the king with
a view lo his overthrow. This happened while Rkjn Siyha whs engaged
in beaeigiiijj llie Portuguese in Colombo, lie having dflfi'inined upon
D,9.i,z.ar„Xj00gle
ADAM'S VEXK.
to remove the scat of Ciovcrnment to Kandy. The new
king, moreover, being a Biiddliist, would not be diaposed to
promote the interests of an oppoiiing and persecuting faith.
The conjecture that the tetnjile was destroyed by the Purtu-
guese, is not borne out by the general appearance of rhe
place; but from the time of its abandonment up to within a
very recent period, the natives have made free with its
etoDca for buildiuirj of their own."
Pligher up the river, on the opposite side, is the Mdniyag-
gnina vihara, a rock temple, the route to which is through a
their cxpuUiiin from Cevlon. Kunappu BnnJnra nax one of the nival
bmilv who ejicapiMj deatructiun at the buuds of R&ja Siylia, nhen he
reaulvecl uptin removing every obslacle to liia claims to sole lovereignt/
throughout the island. lie had made hit way to Cotombo, and adcipUd
the Christian religion, and wbb subsequenllj baptized at Goa under the
title if Don John. To aid tlie Portuguese, hy wbo.se means, if successful,
he hoped U> gain the Kandian throne, lie now made liis waj from Jiifiba to
Kandv, anil iiicreaairg his adherents at every step, ere long threatened
Sitiwaka itself. Raja Sigha waa thus forced to raise the seige of
Colombo in order to relieve bia capital, Don John, retiring to tlie south
and east, waa pursued by the king, when the i'ortugueae, watching their
opportunity, captured Awiss&wela. A desultory warfare followed, which
lasted for some years. At length, in a 5nat batlle at Kadugannawa, Don
John routed the forces of Et&ja Si^^ha, and that monarch, wounded by a
thorn in the foot, could no longer take the field. This wound, combined
with his chagrin at Iwing defeated, caused his cleuth in a few days; but,
according to (lie K&ja-walia, his end wan hastened by the ireachery of
some of bis attendants.
* For an account of tlie ruins at Silawaka, in the timeit [>f the Dutch,
sec Ap|>endix II.
i.LiOOglC
ADAM'S I'EAK.
number of paddy fields intereected by nullahs or small r
to croea which we had, at the time of our visit, either to wade
knee and thigh deep in water or be carried over by nalivee.
At one place, through which a pretty broad stream was flow-
ing, my weight proved almost too much for the two men who
weremy bearers fortheocca8ion,and we were nearly toppling
into the watertogether. In about half an hour we began to
ascend the hatte of a mountain, and after a considerable rise,
and making our way over a lengthy flight of ateep steps
formed of rough blocks of stone, we came to an enclosure
within which waa the temple- This was made out of the
recces below an immense overhanging boulder, which had
probably been artificially hollowed in parte." A long wall
built up to the rocky roof, and divided bo as to form one
main hall, wherein was a recumbent figure of Buddha thirty
or more feet in length, with several smaller apartments for
the use of the priests; and wing walls at each end, forming a
large open verandah; was the rude architectural device for
constructing a temple here. The situation was nevertheless
very picturesque; above and around, the rocky mountain;
streams and small waterfalls running and murmuring and
leaping in mimic cascades as they pursued their course over
and among the rocks: immediately in front a broad level
• King Walagambftliu, after bis recovery of the throne, "caused the
housen or Ktones, or caves of the rock in (ihith he had taken refuge in
the viUk'rneM, to be inndc more conimodioua." — Uphah'b Rijawalia,
p. 2-24.
., LiOOg Ic
ADAMS PEAK.
jilatform, on which wna erectcil a bana-miKluwa,* where
several old men and women an<l young children were aa-
Bcmblcd to listen to tlie priest reading bana; beyond tliiu a
stretch of cultivated paddy fielde, bordered by forest trees,
or topee of cocoa-palme, and mountain ranges rising in the
distance on the other elde of the valley through which the
Sit^waka-gayga wound its way. It was & scene to which
might be well nppiied the following lines by the author of
"Pleasures of Memory:"
Fnuu lisn|[iiig wood, brtimi lieiuli niiil biKliy <lt'll!
A ihouijaiid namulpHs rilU, thnt sliun thi' lij>lit
Stifuliiig 3.WI music oil tlie vur of liigln."
Id addition to the colossal figure of Buddha, there were
Ecveral smaller ones, many of bronze, not an inch in height.
The principal priest,Dhammadassi Maha Terunwahanse, paid
ua every attention; honouring us in the presence of the
people by spreading white cloths on the chairs he brought
out for us to rest on.t We learnt from him that the temple
was one of those founded by king Walagambdhu ; that one
of ilB chief benefactors had been king Kirti Sri, the same
• A pugoiis-like building, generally Wmpnrary, in whidi the prl
icail OT preauli Bana, i. e. the word of lluddha.
t WhiU! islhe rojid colour of Ci'jlon; and ihe rcpoption of stranj
with the Bjireading of whiti; cloths is otic iit ihc highest compliniuut
Siyhnlese cao offer.
ivGoogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
who restored the custody of the Sri-pdda to the Bud-
dhists, snd who had given thia temiile the handsome pair of
elephant's tusks, each six feet in length, which were displayed
in front of the recumbent figure of Buddha. In an outer
hollow he pointed out to us a small shrine dedicated to
Mnhaaen, the divinity to whose temple at Kataragama,
Hindus from all pnrta of the East flock with fanatic enthu-
siasm during the annual pilgrimage in the months of June,
July, and August; at which time Moors and Veddahs also
take a part in the processions held in hia honor. We could
not however make out whether there was any particular
connection between this place and the temple at Kataragama,
The internal decorations of thia temple, the appearance of
the priests, and the colossal image, so closely correspond
with the description given by Captain T. A. Anderson,
formerly of the 19th Regiment, in his now rare poem "The
Wanderer in Ceylon," that I do not hesitate to quote him.
" The vaulted roof is studded o'er
With various bierogljpliic lore :
I'oucll'd b; the artists' gloving hand
Plow'rs of all colours here expand !
There some wild legend lives porlMij'd,
Here, all the zodiac stands displav'd ;
While every vacant space between
Some untouch form or shape is st'en.
With jellow robes and shaven head
The priests around that altar tread,
Near Buddha's giant figure stand
And inwnie shed with lavish hand.
TTGooglc
ADAM'S PEAK.
Then bending at his hallnw'il feet
Tlieir wirthes, wants, and vows re]>e!it.
Tho' painted robes the figure screen,
And but the countenance is seen,
You maj a due proportion trace
Throughout his giant form nnd face;
No lion look, no eagle eye.
But that itcrenc philanthrop}'
Whieh plainly in<licatea a breast
With every milder virtue blest!"
Returning to Awissiwela, it may be noted that the road
so named tcrminatee at the Sitdwaka ferry, which forms ti)e
link between it and ttie Yatiyantota road from tlie north.
A aliort distance below the resthou&e i^ the junction with
the Ratnapura road, which treads away in a south-easterly
direction. On this road a- traction engine* haa just been
placed, to run between Badulla, Hapiitale, Ratnapura, and
Colombo. If successful in its operations, about which
there can scarcely exist a doubt, it will be speedily followed
• The "Enteepkiir," manufactured by Mr. R. W. Thomson, C. E., of
Edinburgh ; im])orted by Mr. John Brown, for the Ouvah Cotfee Company ;
landed in Colombo, on the S3nd January, in charge of the engineer
Mr. James Weetlanil. This engine is of 6 horse power, but can be
worked up to 12, and with a load of 12 tuns, in a train of four waggons,
will travel on level ground 8 miles an hour, and on the inclines in the
interior at from 2} to 4 miles an hour, accurding to (he nature of the
gradients. The first trial trip in Ceylon was made at Colombo on the
17th February, 1870.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
b; others elsewhere, and the traffic on the main lines of
commuDicatioD throughout the island will be aa completely
revolutionized in the course of a few years, as has already
been the case with that between Kaody and Colombo, by
means of the Railway.
The first at^e for halting at, after leaving Awi^E^wela,
is Puswella," The road undulates along the base of forest-
clad hille, or through tracts of paddy lands, and presents
nothing remarkable, beyond the paintings on the walls of
a way-side Ambalama,t which represent, among other things,
Buddha striding from the top of Adatn's Peak, after in-
denting there the print of his left foot, to Siam, where he in
like manner left the impression of his right foot } The rest-
house at Puswella is perched on the summit of knoll, a
little distance off the road, and affords a fair amount of
accommodation. A secluded pool, a stone's throw behind
the resthouse, at the foot of a small and shady glen into
which a rocky stream pours its crystal waters, is a capital
bathing place, a desideratum not always obtainable at a
roadside resthouee in Ceylon.
* * Fus,' a kind of jungle creeper; ' wella,' a tract of sand.
t A native restlioiuc.
I " The Siamese," »aja Baldteus, " exhibit a footstep impressed upon
a stone on a mountain, wbich ia bd ell and a half long and three-fourthi
broad. Tbe sides of it are covered wilb ailTer ; and amagnificent temple
is erected in the neigbbourhood, round which man; of tbe priests of the
country, and other people dwell,"
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Beyond Puswella, and near the 48th mile post from
Colombo, is the rivor Kuru-gnpga, a principal tributary to
the Katu-ga^ga. By diverging to the left of the main
road at the village Higgaba-h^na,.' about iialf a mile before
reaching the bridge, a walk for a mile and a half through
alternating paddy Gelds and cocoanut plantations will bring
one opposite the Kuruwita waterfalls, which are well
worthy of inspection. At the time of our visit the waters
were high, and the Kuru-gagga was rushing along its bed
with a dangerous velocity. From a gap in the rocky ridge
that faced us, and' which formed an almost mountainous
embankment to the river, abroad volumeof water thundered
down and leapt in broken masses of ever-changing form from
rock to rock, until, after a fall of a hundred afid fifty feet
" tbe torrent with the mtaj hues of heaven "■
that
" Hung ita lines of foftming light along,"
surged against and mingled with the stream that hurried
past to swell the waters of the Ralu-gagga.
Besides the waterfall there are in this and ao adjacent
range, two remarkable caverns, or grottoes, or subterranean -
passages, six or seven miles apart from each other, the
* Jlina, or cheno, a high jungle ground, cullivated Kt interTals, upon
which oRginallj grew the Uik, or Hula^hik treea, Chickrauia tabuiarit.
Dig.liz.ao.LiOOgle
rtJODglc
ijGoogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
terminations of which have not been explored. The Rat6-
tnahatma^-^* of the dietrict told uii he had examined one for
a distance of two hundred fathoms, and might have gone
further but for the annoyance of bats; and that the natives
believed the other could be traced for at leaet two miles;
but ihey had a dread of both, fearing serpents, &c. Possibly
the author of Sindbad the Sailor had heard eooielhtng of
these, and fancying the streams which ran by them to have
gone through instead, worked thera up in his hero's ex-
periences of Ceylon; for he speaks of rivers flowing through
mountains; and declares that by one such he was floated on
a raft into the interior of the Island.
There ia a route through the jungle from this place to the
pilgrims' path to the Peak, much frequented by those who
make the pilgrimage from the immediate neighbourhood ;
but the usual route being from Batnapurn, we turned back
to the main road, and shortly after crossing the bridge, saw
on our left, the Katutiyambar^wa vih&ra. AVe found it to
be of modern date, having been built by Ekueligocla
Dii-Awa, the daring chief who seized the person of the last
king of Kandy, and delivered him, a fettered captive, into
the hands of the British;! an act which greatly facilitated.
• 'Batfranhatinaja,' the chief native revenue officer of a Kandian |
District. The corresponding officer in the Mariiimc Provinoen hai Ih« :
rank of Mudaliyar.
t "On the I4th Ftbniary 1815, the British forces entered the I
Kandian cnpital unopposed. The king having airokc loo late from his I
iiz.ai, Google
ADAM'S PEAK.
if it was not the actual immediate cause o( the annexation
of the Kandian kingdom, and for which, as al^o for other
eminent services, he received a gold niedid and chain from
the then Governor, General Sir Kobert Brownrigg, together
with the more euhstantial though not more prized rewards
deliisire dream of seeuritj, haJ Hod on their approach into Piinibora,
ai't'ompanjcd liy only a fi^w Tamil adhi.Ti.'litH; leaving the fi'malea orhlt
family, with a coiisiilerable twa^ure to thf mercy of the viclor. Driven
by henry rain from a mountain where be coiieealeil himself during the
day, he descended and took aheller in a solitary bousu in the neighbour*
hood of Medamabaiiuwara, nut anare that there was a force at hand
lying in wait for him. The retreiit was soon discovered by aome of
Ehflepola's atlherents, under the orders of Etn^ligocla, who cur-
rounded the house in nhich he had hid himself with two of his wives.
The door was strongly barricaded, but they battered down the wall of
the apartment in which the tyrant was concealed; when he was exposed
by the glare of torchlights to the derision of bis enemies. Their abrupt
entry, — the Gr^t time for fifteen years since he became king that he had
been approached without servile humility, —for a monieni seemed to
confound him ; but as the party pressed forward, he dared them to touch
him. The chief urged on his followers, and the orders to seize (he king
were aooii obeyed. Ekneligoda had ventured too f^r to indulge any
hopes of safety, unless the downfall of the tyrant could be accomplished.
If the king should regain authority, he felt certain that he would have
been added to the list of fnrty -seven bendtnen, many of them friends of
his own, who in ihc previous year had been brouglit from Saffragam,
and impaled by the tyrant's order. Wikrama Si(fha, was soon after
conveyed to Vellore, in the Madras J'residency, where he died of dro[isy
in 1832."— HiSToBT OP Cbiloh, published by the Sinhalese Trart
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
of grants of lands, and the high native rank of Dia&wa."
There is an inscription on a stone, set upon a pillar, record-
ing the piety of the builder, who is also buried here. The
image of Buddha is sedent, and some of hie relics are here
preserved in a karandua or case carefully covered over vfith
cloths, in order to preserve them from the profanation of the
gnze of vulgar or heretical curiosity. The grounds about the
vih^ra are kept in very neat order, bordered with laurels and
flowers, and the pansala or priests' residence is of two stories,
the upper one having a balcony in its front, from which was
hung a representation on white cloth of the Sri-pAda, with
the hundred and eight signs, marked in vermilion, that
indicate the possessor of them to be a Buddha. These
correspond with the embossments and ornaments on the
cover of the sacred footstep kept at Pal&baddala, The
signs consist of devices formed from the appearance of the
lotus flower in its various stages of development, the lotus
being, throughout the East, the emblem of beauty and
perfection.
The expression "lotus feet" or " lotus- footed," is one
* Governor of a Kandisn Province, under fbe native kings. This titla
is now either extinct, or in abeyance; its last holder, ^h$lijago<fa
Dnsanftjakft Ranasigha Mudiyanse, Diafiwa of Three Kdniles and Lower
Bulatgame, having died in September 1869. The grandfather of the biglilj
intelligent and influential Kaadian Chief, William Alexander Abraham
Ekn^ligoda, or Ekn^ligoda of that ilk, the present Ratemahatmayi
of the Kuruwi(a Kcirale, was the Dis&wa referred to in the tekl.
Dig.liz.ao.LiOOgIC
ADAM'S PEAK.
commonly useil when speaking of Bmldha's person; and the
idea that
"fluwera upiprang where'er Ills foi't were plnced" *
ie repented again and again in the Icgenda and poetry of the
Sinhalese. To realise this idea, and indicate the appearance
of flowers as actually marked upon his feet, was but to ohey
the tendencies of the Oriental mind. The same or a cognate
idea is conveyed in purer form in the well-known language
of the inspired Hebrew prophet, "How beautiful upon the
mountaina are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that
publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that
publisheth Balvation."t The doctrines of Buddha, when first
promulgated, were good tidings in comparison with those of
the Brahmuns; and whosoever received them, secured to him
or herself, according to his teachings, peace and salvation
— the perfect bliss and absolute never-ending repose of
Nirwana. Perhaps this was referred to by the original
Byraboliser in the full-developed lotus flower in the centre
of the ball of the foot. At any rate this mode of sym-
bolisation is more poetical than that adopted by Burmese
* Thia IB in Hea firmly impresaeil upon tlie minds uf Buildbinlfi, who
hire ■ singulsrmethod of perpetuaring tlie belief, in Ihc manufacture of
a peculiar kind of sandal, from the upright peg uf which, gripped between
the gr«aC uid second toe, each time a «ti.-p is taken, a spring causes a
metal-shaped lutu:' to start up.
t Isaitih Hi. 7.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Buddhists; who, while they demand the same Dumber of a
hundred and eight marks, depict them in a different form,
each form, no doubt, symbolising perfection: thus, the toes
are each marked underneath with a chank with right handed
whorls,* and the ball of the foot has circles of alternating
banzaSft and other animals and figures; which signs the
orthodox Buddhists of Burmah now-a-days believe were
actually marked upon the feet of the founder of their reli-
gion, when he lived and moved and had hisbeing upon earth.
The senior priest of this vihlira, Delgamuwe Terun-
wahaDs4, ie afriendly hospitable old gentlemao, well pleased
with the visits of Europeans, of whom he never fails to
inquireconcerning Major Skiuner. He evidently entertains
tn enthusiastic regard for the great Road-maker and ex-
Director of Public Works in Ceylon.
The village through which the main road passes at this
place is called fembiliyana, or Ekneligoda, the ancestral
domaiu of the Ekneligoda family. From thence to within
■ In the ordinary Turhmelia rapa, the wborU run from left to rights
but those called bj the natives Waliampory, have the irhorlt reTeraed,
mimiiig from right to left. These were regarded with such reverence
that fiirmerly tbe; sold for their iteight in gold. Even now Bpecimens
can Bcarcelj be procured for less than four or five pounds aterllng.
I The iecred hsnza, or Brahmanee goose, is tlie national emblem em-
blazoned on^tbe standard of Burmah ; it hat been from time immemorial
an object of veneration there, as well as throngbout all parti of India,
including Ceylon.
D,9.i,z,-,^.-,>.L-.oogle
ADAM'S PKAK.
a few miles of Ratnnpura, the character of the country is
much the eamc as that ah'cndy passed through from Awisea-
wela. The hills perhaps assume more of a mountain cha-
racter; their slopes may be are holder, their sides more rocky,
their altitudes greater; and the forest timber with which
they are clad or crowned is possibly of a heavier growth,
The tract of paddy lauds, for ahout two miles before
reaching Ratnapura, is called by the natives 'Weralupe,'
the cat's-eye district. It is also famous for rubies and
sapphires. This circumstance, and the richness of tlie beds
of the immediately adjoining streams in similar precious
products, gave to the city its name, — ' Ratnapura,' the city of
gems. A large amount of money, we were informed, had
recently been made by some speculating Moormen from
Kalutara, in extensive gemming operations here, the prin-
cipal of whom, owing to the excitement caused by a too
sudden acquisitioo of wealth, had unfortunately lost hia
reason. Gold is also found in the beds of these streams,
but not in sufficient quantities to pay Europeans for the
expense — irrespective of the risk to health — of washing it
from the soil; and washing or digging for gold is not so
attractive to the native mind as the search for gems.
A minor road branches off from the main one to the right
near to an iron bridge about a mile from Ratnapura. This
leads to the Maha Saman D^wal€, distant about two miles
from the city, and close to the righthankof the Kalu-gapga.
To this place apilgrimage is made by large bodies of natives
every July, when the festival of the Perahera, lasting
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
fifteen dayg,* with proceesione of elephants, &c. is held.
At this time a temporary town is erected for the accom-
modation of the pilgrims. This consists principally of two
streets, 260 yards long by 45 feet broad, on either side
of which is a continuous row of huts made of bambus and
jungle sticks roofed over with cadjans, or the plaited leaves
of the cocoanut palm. These roads lead straight up to
the eastern side of a quadrangular enclosure (60 ft. E. &
W., by 200 ft. N. & S.), which forms the outer courtyard
to the temple. An inner quadrangle (150 ft. by 200 ft.) is
approached from this by a flight of 25 stoue steps.f Both
quadrangles are enclosed by dwarf walls five feet high, above
which are rows of palings alternating with pillars, the whole
protected by a tiled roof to shoot off the rain. The gate-
way to the first consists of two brick pillars, on the top of
each of which a bo-tree is growing. On the top of the steps
leading to the second is a narrow verandah, with four carved
wooden pillars, two on each side the doorway. This is of
stone, with rudely carved lintel and jamba. The inner
*For ftn accouDt of the great Perahfra feetir^ at Kuid]>, to which
that at Ratnapura is ver; umilar, see Appendix I.
f Captain PaiDHiH, in hia woil on Ceylon, describes these steps aa well
as those which lead up to the temple from the river, as made of marUe.
This is a mistake. The atepi, which are very rongbl; dressed, are of the
ordinary stone of the neighbourhood, gneiss or hornblende, with here
and there a carved block apparently brought from some overthrowu
building, probably from the Portuguese church iriiich once stood here.
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
quadrangle scema origiDally to have been a low mound,
tlie sides of which were artificially raised, eo as to form the
foundation platform for a fortification. There is reason to
believe that this was the site of a Duw&le from very ancient
times,* and that upon the cajiture of the place by the Portu-
guese, its strategical importance led them to convert it into a
stronghold for themselves, f In the centre of the quadrangle
* "The eailiest menlinn I have seeo msde of tbe SsfTrRgain temple of
SamiD (which ia either this or the one on the Peak) ia, that in the reiga
of DappooU A. D. 795, a statue of li&machandra, (an iDcaroaiion of
Vishiiii) formed uf red snnilal wood, was sent from Dondra to be placed
in the temple of Snman at Saflragam." — Forbbs's Eleven Tears in Cejlon,
vol. i, p- 185. The inclemency of the weather for nine out of the
twelve mondis of Uie 7ear being such as to prevent anj one living on the
Fealc, and the Bhrine there, <ledioateil to Saman, being open on all side*,
and onl}' about three feet high, the probability ia that the statue referred
to, was sent to die temple at Sabaragainuwa, where it would be better
cared for and preserved. During the season of the pilgrimage to
the Peak, it might have been taken thither from Sabaragamuwa, and
returned when the season ended.
f Captuin RiBGiBo, in the chapter of his work which gives an aecouoC
of the regular troops and militia which the Portuguese maintained in the
Island of Cejlon, sajs, that besides the camp at Manicavary, where, in
times of peace, at least 4000 men were always stationed, "there was a
second camp in the Saffragam country, near the kingdom ofU'wa; it
comprised four companies of Portuguese infantry, amounting to ISO
men, and from 4000 to 5000 lascorins ; these were under the command
of the Dis&wa of the FroTince, who had wiih him an adjutant and a
chaplun. In these two camps consisted the chief strength of the
country, especially in time of peace."
D,9.i,z,,a.„L,OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
tliey built tlieir Church, a porrion of which is probably
included in the exiating XH'vru.\6. Oiiposite the doorway,
in the centre of the quadrangle, is a colonnade fifiy-fourfcet
in length, and twenty in breadth. This consists of two outer
dwarf walls, five feet high, with openings near the west end,
and five pillars rising at irregular distances five feet above
the walls; inside these are corresponding rows of five brick
or cabook pillar?, with a passage ten feet wide between.
On each side of the colonnade, at the west end, between the
lust two pillars and the walls, is a kind of raised dais, intended
probably for the accommodation of prieslsormnsicians. At
the end of the colonnade, a doorway gives access to a hall,
about sixty feet long, dimly lighted by two small windows,
and having in its side walls two central doors facing each
other. A row of seven wooden pillars, three feet distant
from each wall, leaves an avenue in the midst of the hall
of about fourteen fi;et width, which leads lo five semicircular
steps at the foot of the door of the sanctum, a two-storied
building, occupying an area of 20 by 30 feet, the top of
which, viewed from the outside, has a very pagoda-like
appearance. Plaster statues of Hindu deities flank this door,
and on either side of the second step is placed one of a
magnificent pair of elephant's tusks, each seven feet in
length. We could not gain admittance to this part of the
building; but Captain Forbes states, that it contains what is
called by courtesy, the golden bow and arrow of the god.
AVe heard that it also containc<) a silver-stemmed umbrella,
which in former times used to be spread above tlic shrine
D,9.i,z,-,^b>.L-.bogle
ADAM'S PKAK.
uf Saman, oa the summit of .Samiiiitila, iiulicatm<; his divine
suprcuincy in tlie District. Inwitlc the hull were several
larj^c long-handled fans, and nthcrurticlcs used in |micessions,
besides six antique looking <;ingaUa, some of which we found
to he of but very rough and modern manufacture. They
were clgliteea inches long, with an inch thickness of metal,
and a bore an inch in diameter. Kuch was firmly fixed
u|ion a three-legged carriage niiscd about eighteen iuelics
from the ground.
In the open quadrangle, north of the sanctum, is a well,
enclosed by four old massive walls (15 ft. by 24 ft.;, each
wall having a narrow arciied doorway in its centre. Tins
is the most archscological feature of the place; the walls are
undoubtedly those originally built by the Portuguese, and
the arched doorways differ from anything of the kind to be
seen elsewhere. At the eaet end of the quadrangle, facing
the two openings in the colonnade, are two Buddhist temples,
each on a raised platform 16 ft. by 24, with four pillars on
each side, forming narrow vcranilahs round a central room,
in which is an image of Buddha, anil a kanindua coTitaining
some of his relics. These relics hold an important [losition
in the processions at the Perahera in the month of July.
Against the walls of the quadrangle arc several lean-to
buildings, either occupied by the temple attendants, or
used as stores.
Cordiner, in his description of this Dcwald, says, at the
time of tlte Knndian canqmign in !80.3, "the apartments
of the Pagoda"— (by whieh he evidently meant the whole of
w
i.LiOogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
tlie buildings in this quadrangle)—" aflfbrJed excellent shelter
for the troops; who found in acvcral cheats, a greater quantity
of silver and copper coins than they were capable of carrying
away. The Malays, probably from motivys of superstition,
rt^fuscd to receive any share of them: and almost all the
iiuligunt coolies [camp followers] disdained the sacrilege of
either entering ihe Pagoda, or touching the coin. The idola
had been removed, but a great many beautiful elei)hant8'
tuekd, and other curious ariicles remained, which could not
be brought away." ■
Scattered about the ground are sundry fragments of
slender gothic pillars, which clearly formed a part of the
church that once stood here; and near to one of the
Buddhist temples stands what looks most suspiciously like
a baptismal font. It consists of a stone pillar rising two
feet three inches from the ground, square at the base for
twelve inches, and octagonal above. This supports a font
eighteen inches square on the upper surface; the outer edges
of which are moulded, and carved with delicate tracery; and
the sides rounded from the top to the base. The inside is
hollowed into a circular basin fifteen inches in diameter,
and four in depth.
Let into a deep niche in the basement of the raised
quadrangle, a little to the north of the flight of steps
leading from the outer courtyard, is a mural stone of some
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAMS PEAK.
historic value, nnd of singular interest iVoin the stnuige aud
unexpected position in which it id found. On it, sculptured
in bold relief, are two figures, about half the size of life.
They represent the closing event of a mortal combat between
a Portuguese, armed cap-a-pie, and a Siyhalese warrior.
Conquered in the encounter, the latter has been stricken
doB'n; his sword and shield are cast despairingly aside; and
hia antagonist, trampling under foot his prostrate form, is
now with one final blow about to deprive him of his life.
The inscription below, partly in lloman, and partly in
Siphalcse characters, is so much efi'aced as to be only very
partially readable; some portions of the figures are also
damaged, eeemingly from the action of the weather upon
tlie stone. The whole is, however, most spiritedly executed,
and enough of the inscription remains to shew that the name
of the Portuguese soldier was Gomez. The Siyhalese say,
the prostrate warrior was their champion, one Kuruwita
Bandera, a dreaded enemy of the Portuguese, whose soldiera
he had repeatedly cut off, and that some iifty had fallen by
his hand ere he himself was slain. The sculpture was no
doubt executed in Europe by royal or vice-regal command,
and sent hither to do honor to the soldier whose valorous
deed it commemorated.
At the north and south sides of the outer courtyard are
raised platfonns, with hi^jh canopies, which are profusely
decorated during the pilgrim season. The backgrounds
are then filled with jtaintings of the gods, and in front of
these, gazed at by admiring multitudes, the dancing girls
V, Google
ADAM'S PEAK.
in the service of the temple, perform their parte in the annual
featival in honor of Saman. On such an occasion one can
realize the description given bjr Sri R&hula of eimilar scenes
in honor of Vibhisbana at the temple at Kelani, four cen-
turies and a half ago.
Yet linger for awhile and note the dancing fair
Whose charming, handsome ears, bright shining gold plates bear;
Whose ejes, long, lustrous, dark, wash'd with cotljriuiD, geem
With deeper, darker lustre, beneath their lids to gleam;
Whose tresses, twined with flowere their beauty to enhance,
And fragrant odours flinging, beholders' hearts entrance.
Upon their dancing stages, in gala garb array'd,
Each vestment strew'd with jewels, gems dazzlingly display'd,
At everj agile motion snd lissotn action light
Thej scintillate in splendour, seem lambent lamp-flames bright:
AiofV, alow, tbeir arms, tosEing, waving in the dance
And around them casting manj a swift-sped sidelong glance.
Their narubaras' * end- falls thej from their broad hips fling.
The full-folds op'ning, closing, at each elastic spring.
While bells from lonea gem-spangled thetr slender waists girt round
In unison chime sweetly, as o'er the scarce touch'd ground
They clink their golden anklets and flash their lotus feet
And step in time responsive to music's measured beaUf
A flight of fifty steps leads up from the river to a path in
the outer temple grounds; and on the sides of the (xuadrangles,
* The narutcra is a graceful kind of waist cloth, the wide end of which,
about a foot in length, falls from the ginjle over the hips Id a number of
thickly gathered folds or pUita.
t S^la-lihini Sandese.
D,9.i,z,,a.„L,OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Uu, Temple,* and other trees spread their umbrageous
branches over the eDcloeiog walls, Kapurillas and temple
officers and tenants perform a daily service within the walls,
with the harshest of pipiDga and the noisiest beatings of tam-
a-tams. A dozen or more elephants are attached to the place,
their chief duty being to take a leading part in the annual
processions. The temporalities are large, and the revenue
is collected, antl all the affairs of the temple regulated by
the Kaodian Chief Iddamalgoda Abayak6a Atapattu Mu-
diyanse, himself a Buddhist, but the Basn^yaka Nilam^, or
lay incumbent of the great Hindu D6wi,\6, which, with a
kind of mutual toleration, Buddhists and Hindus alike agree
to consider one of their most notable places of holy resort-t
• The Ficat religiota, and die Michelia Ciampaea,
t Saman b generally believed t« be an incarDatJon of Viahnil, (see
ante, p, 13). Witli reference to this deity I am indebted for the following
note, to the learned Tamil Adrocate, Mr. C Brito, "During the domi>
nation of the Tamils, the elastic faith of the Sinhalese had to be extended
so aa to iDclude a large number of the gods of the rulera. And every
vih&ra had to receive a number of Imagae of theae uncoutb gods. But
thej were not received indiscriminately. And if I do not greatly err,
ViahnQ was the only god who waa received without reluctance. His
shrine is the Dfwile we meet with everywhere atUched to Buddhist
temples." The adoration of VishuQ under the forma of Rama aad
Lakshamaoa, or Soman, was the old traditionary religion of the Kghalese
before the Vij&yan invasion. Buddhists moreover believe that this god
is tbe tutelary divinity of tlie island ; that he is ■ candidate for Buddha-
bood, and will, in some fbture kalpa, be maiufeatod aa a Bnddba ; bence
the readiness with which they allowed bis worAip at tbe time referred to.
But at the same time many Hindus mwntain that Bnddba bimKlfwai only
an aval&r or incarnation of VishnQ.
D,9.i,z,a.„Cj00gle
Jdam's Pralt.
"Amidst the (rmve tlint crowns jon tufted hill
Which, were it not for manj a mciuniain nigli
Kiaing in loft; niiika, sntl luriier still.
Might well itxdlf be deemed of diguity,
Tliu convent's white ivnlls glisten titir on high:
Here ilnrella the ciiloyer, nor rude is he
Nor niggard of his i;heGr; the pawier by
Ih welonme still; nor lieedleM will he tli-e
From hence, if lie delight kind Natnre'a sheen t
CHAPTER V.
Ratsai'iha. — Mount Karangoda. — GoDiGAsiuirA. — Gii.i'-
mai.k'. — 5i-LAriTA ToTUi'oi.A. — Gdiiumwas, Kalv, and
IIatcla GA^«AS■. — Banda'ua Maiiatmava'. — Tuntota
Febry, — Maskeuva gasga. — Bridur axi> Fokd. — Au-
Ha'kTENXE, — "ESTOAUY OF REBDS," — BaTAPOLA. — BoCK-
CAVE. — Mapanan-ella waterfall. — Pala'baddala.
The city of Ratnnpura, like the " Inng toun o' Kirkaldy,"
coneists principaliy of clustering rowa of houses on either
side of ihe main road. On the left of the rond, approaching
from Awiss&wela, picturesquely situated in an arborescent
dell, is the residence of the Assistant Government A;rent of
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S IM;AK.
tln^ Disliict, Ticnr to whicli is the small epifcopal place of
wor!?!iip, called by courle^y, the church. On tlie right of the
road is the gaol; beyoiid which, receding towards the bank
of the river, are theivstUouae and theCi'ivemment Husjiitul.
These are both newly creeled, coinmodio'ia binUling!»; and
at the back of the former, fringing the high river-bank, is a
luxuriant grove of nutmeg trecf. Witliin the walls of the
amall fort, surmounting a rocky hillock, about 114 feet above
the level of the sea, are the Government Kachcheri, in wliich
a meteorological observatory has lately been eelablished, the
Di:strict Court, and other official buildings. This fort waa
formerly a military station; but the troops have been with-
driuvn; and the Police, who have a station and barracks
further on, now guartl the Kachcheri, and discharge the
duties formerly entrusted to soldiers. The situation of the
city is considered healthy; there is anexccllont bazaar; and
a Roman Catholic chapel in a very central position. In the
suburbs there are many pleasantly detached bungalows, the
residences of the Judge, the lawyers, and other leading
inhabitants. An ancient mosque, indicates that the faith of
Islam is no very recent profession amongst a section of the
community, the majority of whom it may be presumed, from
the neighbouring viharas, and the great Saman Dcw&l^, are
Buddhists and Hindus. Strings of bullock bandies con-
tinnally pass up and down the road; either on their way to
planting districts Badulla-wards, or with coffee to Colombo;
or to and from the stores of an enterprising British Colonist,
the depot for the traffic on the river, the southward rival of
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
the road: taken altogether, the city has an asijcct of busy
thriving industry, which may be considered an index of the
prosperiiy of the District of which it forms the ca|iital.
Many lofty mountain groups and ranges tower around,
and radiate from t!ie point where Adam's Peiik ii^ seen.
Amongst these, a few miles to the northeast of llatnapiira,
is Mount Karangoda, the view from the summit of which
is magnificent. Bennet, in chapter xlvii. of his work on
Ceylon, gives the following description of its tem)de and
scenery.
" The ascent to the first landing is by some hundreds of
broad «tep8, hewn in the solid rock, which is covered with
jungle, and pine apple plants, whose leaves are from five to
six feet in length, a proof of the effect of shade upon that
plant. Upon the first landing is the residence of the priests,
an extensive and substantial atone building, having a large
interior square, with wide and covered verandahs, into which
the dormitories open.
"A similar but less inclined flight of rock steps leads to the
second landing place, where a rock vihdra displays Buddha's
recumbent image, surrounded as usual with Hindu deities,
and having an oblong table before it profusely covered with
flowers. But the-chicf attraction to the European is a well
of the purest water, of so very cold a temperature, that in
five minutei? a bottle of claret was cooled as well as if an
experienced Hopilar [butlerj had iced it.
"From hence the approach to the summit is extremely
rugged, and covered with the gigantic groundsel ( Senedo
,v Google
ADAM'S PEAK.
gignnttiis} exceeding twenty foet in Iieiglit, jungle and grass ;
botli well tenanted with »n:ikod and land leeches; but one
is amply rewarded for toil, tronhlc, an,l even danger, by the
magnificent panorama which, on gaining the crown of the
mountain, bui-dte upon the view. Here, castellated llatna-
pura, and surrounding country, intersperneJ with every
variety of champaign, undulating, and hilly land, intersected
by the meandering and (for boats) navigable Kalii-gaygaj
there, the Peak towering high above the clouiU lo the
northeiistward, and the various villi^cfl dispersed tipon the
banks of the river and its tributary streams, bordered by
extensive aroka, kettule, and cocoanut tope,', with occasional
patches of intervening jungle, scattered among verdant
tracts of pasture land, as if by way of contrast to the golden
glare of paddee and mustard fields in their approaching
maturity; and everywhere teeming with abundance; the
nearest plains covered with innumerable herds of bullocks
and buffaloes, and the distant ones with deer and elephants."
The route from Ratnapura to the Sri-p^a commences
near the 57th mile-post, in a path which strikes to the north
just before the road crosses the Ratnajiura bridge — a three-
span iron latticed structure, each s|)an MO feet in length,
with a roadway 18 feet in width.
Our arrangements having been completed overnight, we
thought to have started by daylight on the morning of the
26tb Siarch, But our interpreter, and chair- bearers, and
commissariat coolies and other servants, were by no means
so anxious as ourselves for the trip, and it was nut until
D,9.i,z.ar„Xj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
.. M. that we were all fairly off. A mrher ludicroua oc-
i took place immediately before. Our hoat'a appu,
who went by the name of the Angel Gabriel, hearing his
roaster (our coiiimist>ary general) inquire about the supply of
tea, in order that nothing might be wanting to ensure every
requisite for making that refreshing beverage while on the
road, detained one of the coolies until he had boiled a large
keltlefull of water, with which he made a final addition to the
man's load, and it woajust a chance that it was discovered, and
the boiling water emptied out, before the man set oft" De-
tjcending from the road (a pretty stiff embankment forming
the approach to the bridge) we struck briskly across the fithi
and were soon into the jungle, where we mounted our
chairs,— arm-chairs with stout bambus tied to the sides, each
one borne by four coolies. The chair that fell to my lot.
•On our two subm'qiicnt joumejs our start wus here delayeJ. The
tuiise of the first I give in Ibe words of one uf my companions: — " We
mnilc our start from liatnapura in rainy weather, and nith about filtevn
or twenty ciiolieii to carry our baggage, we headed up towarda the I'cak.
A Irick of one oflhe coolies just afU'r siarting causeil us some amuse-
niont. We ha<l some diffieul'.y in getting the number of men we wanted,
and tliis one was the laai whom we obtaineil. As be fame last, he found
a losd awaiting him whith many of the others had tried the weight of,
and left as being ratlicr Ino heavy for tlieir Castes lie trudged along
behind us with hia box, still lugging more and mure in the rear, and soon
aficr we turned off on to the [lilgi-ims' track, we lost sight «( him al-
to-etlior. The interpreter wus sent back to hurry him on, and sonie-
tiuieutltir returned with another coulie carrying tiie load, and told us the
D,9.i,z.ar„XjOOglC
ADAM'S TEAK.
however, soon gave way, iiiy weight cracking the banibu wliicli
Bugiported it; and not being nccustotneJ to such means of
progression, we found them so uncomfortable in r.'unding
sharp rocky comers, and in going up and down ascents and
descents, and we had to make such frequent dismounts at
the frail bridges placed across watercourses and ravines —
"edarida^,"i. e- logs of trees, many of thorn half rotted, with a
loose swingiug bambu or length of jungle creeper fur a hand-
rail, — that when we had proceeded about five miles, and cauie
to a bend of the Kalu-gapga, which wc had to cross, we sent
them back to Ratnapura, and performed the rest of our
pilgrimage on foot.
The footpath pai^acs througha considerable, well-cultivated
tract of paddy lands, until it reaches Godigamuwa, when it
skirts the base of a range of hills which abutt upon the Kalu-
gagga, here called the Itatmone-ella. On the opposite side
are the mountains Batugcdarakanda and Katugala. The
river runs rapidly down the narrow intervening valley, and at
first one hud left tlie box in thu road and bail bolted. Evidently tlie
fellow, on finding tliat our wny turned off lowanls Adam's I'i;»k, liad,
wilh n sagacity anil discrimiuation that di.l credit to his int«llei:tual
poivrrs, determined tii run all riskn rmlier ihnii carry liis b<i\ to thi' top
of the Teak, and had set down hin lond mid 'madetraeks' " Un the ihiiil
journey, the toolie we hail desjMlclied from ColouiUi with pruviniDiis,
four days previously, failed to Itinkc lii* np]icarance, anil after irniting fur
liim in vain for twenty-four hours, wc liad t> proceed Willi siieli provender
»■; we rotild prouiiru al the buKuar,
1, Google
ADAM'S PKAK.
this jilnce the processions oF tlie Perahera terminate, the
elephants marching thus far, wlien the Kapurfila proceedg
to cut the watersofthc running stream.* Beyond this is the
small village Koekolawatta, and opposite it, the mountain
Kirigala.t — so named from a conspicuous patch of white
rock near its summit. A narrow track near this leada to
a ford, which in dry seasons enables the traveller to make
a short cut, and 8ave a quarter of a mile's walk. Our guide
took us down this track, but we found the current running
too strongly, and the water apparently much too deep, to
warrant the risk of an attempt to cross it; we therefore
returned, and soon after, descending a ravine, came to
the Irihadepdna-ella, or doIa,f a broad brawling mountain
stream, considerably swollen by late rains, but passable
without much difficulty, with the a.^sistance of large rough
stepping stones laid at irregular distances across. This
stream is the boundary between Crodigamuwa and Gilimal^.
Kear the 61sl mile is the village Malwata, or, as its name
indicates, "the flower village," a place where flowers are or
* The Knpurida strikes Ihe water with a golden sword. At tbe iame
instant a brazen Tcssel is di|>ped intu the Hrcr while the water is jet
disparted, aod a portiou is taken up, which is kept in the Teagel until
the following year. The water which was taken at the previous festival
is then poured back into the river.
+ 'Kiri,' white, milky; 'gala,' rock.
J 'glla,' a stream free from stones. 'Dola,' a stream, tlic bed of which
is full of sloues and rocks.
JIZTCobgIc
ADAM'S TKAK.
were cultivated fur offennga to tlie temples. From tlionce
the path leads acroi's the Dudaiikancrtc-ella, and the IJi'i-
dola, beyond which the Kajiiwatia, a native roadside tavern
is reached, where a short lialt is usually made. Wc here
procured some kurumbfis,* and some of our coolies refreshed
themselves with arrack, obtained at the primitive bar of
fence and bambu sticks where it was retailed ia the hut.
Leaving this, we shortly after reached Dimbulwitiya; and to
cross the ella had to balance ourselves cautiously over an iigly
t^danda. The road from this point to where the Kalu^apga
id crossed, was being cleared and widened when we last
travelled upon it; on the two former occasions it was pretty
well overgrown with jungle. Here, at the Ellapita Totu-
pola, or ferryj we dismissed our chair- bearers.
Just before reaching this point we observed a remarkable
species of fungus, of a kind which none of us had ever
before seen. The stem was about nine inches long, and an
inch in diameter at the ground. From the top, where the
stem had narrowed to about a quarter of an inch, a cap
loosely hung like a cup-shaped bell, covered with a fine white
raised reticulation, the interstices of which were filled with
a viscid liquor of an olive brown colour. From the neck,
below the cap, and surrounding the stem to the ground, was
a globe-shaped mantle, as if an outer skin had been blown
cocoanut milk.
D,9.i,z,a.„L.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
out bladder- wise, and tlien pierced through and through
until it became patterned into inimitable lace-work, of a
white colour above and pink below. Nothing of the kind
could be more beautiful.
The banka of the river, on either fide of the ferry, are
somewhat abrupt, and require care to avoid a slip down the
steep slope of stiff mud of which they consist, when the
weather is at all damp. In the dry season the natives
usually ford the stream, which is then not more than from
two to three feet in depth; but wlien the rains have been
heavy and continuous, the passage is by the ferry-boat, a
small fniil looking double canoe. Past the 64tb mile-post
is the Yatowita ella, and beyond it the Malid-dola, both
which are crossed by ^dandas. Between the 65th and P6th
mile-poats, lies the plain of Gilimalt?, and here, ou each of
our journeys, we halted. For, although from the point at
Godigamuwa, where the road undulates along the base of
the valley through which the Kalu-gagga runs and flows
and eddies its seaward way, ferns and slender baltalees"
overhang the path, while mosses of an infinite variety
beautify the untrodden ground, and shrubs and flowering
plants enliven the scenery, agreeably shaded here and there
by gigantic forest trees or clumps of tall bambus, and every
now and again diversified by ])atclies of open plains and level
tracts of paddy-fields, — the pleasure all this affords the eye
• TUe Bambttsa stridula.
i.LiOOglC
ADAMS PEAK.
and mind, iloes not cniintorltalance the fcflini; nf fatigue
tliat begins to mnkc rest ami rclVesliineiit luiiyed for, and
heartily welcomed as soon as they can bo obtained.
Giliniale, fiiiuoiiri for its betel leaves, is, in this partleular
jiortion of it, a level fertile plain, about a iiiilc in eireuiii-
ferenee, fringed and skirted with belts of cocoanut and areku
palms, and ehimps of jaek, shaddock, orange, jitantaiii, and
various other fruit trees, which flouriah in luxuriant abund-
ance at the base of the lofty bills which surround it, and
amongst which clusters of native dwellings and nestling
villages may be seen half hidden in their grateful shade.
The spot, and the singular shrinking sensilive plant' which
here abounds, reminded us of old James Shirley's Hues in his
poem "Xarcissus."
"Fnim hence deliglit convoys
Into a fpacioiis green, whose either side
A liill did j!uard, whikt nith bid trees liku hall's
Tiic clouds were busy binding up his hcud.
The flowers here smile upon him as he Ireadn,
And but when he looks up hang down their hea<ls."
It waa here, or in the immediate neighbourhood, that
Prince Dutugemunu, son of KAvantissa, king of Rolnina,
concealed himself when threatened with punishment for
• A plant of the genus Mimota, so called from the shrinking a
traetiuu of its tcavi;a on being touched.
D,9.i,z,a.„Cj00gle
ADAM'S PKAK.
the insult offered to his father, after failing in his en-
{leavoiir;^ to imiuee or provoke him to make war n^ninst the
Malnbars, then ruling in the Xurthern kingdom, and whose
e:(Iiul8iou from the island it was his great nmhition to accom-
phah; an objeet which he succeeded in eff'acting soon after
his accession to the throne, B. c. 164,*
The name of the place, Gilimalc, signifies "mountain iin-
mei'ged," the Samantakuta not being here visible, although
* '-Thia pi inco Gemini, who wns stilled in the elephant, horse, and
lioiT exercises, as well as in stratagems, was thea residing at Mahagaiiio,
and the king had ntationed his (wcondj son Tiseo, trirh a powcrlul and
elHciciit force, at Digbawupi, for the protection oflm dominions, (against
the invasions of the damilos.)
"Afier a certain period had elapsed, priuce G&iDini, having held a
review ofliis annj, proposed to his royal father, 'Let me wage war with
the ilamilus.' The king, only looking to his (sun's) personal safety, inter-
dicted (the enterprise); replying, 'Within this bunk of the river is
anflicient.' He, however renewed the proposition, even to the third
time ; (which being still rejected) he sent to hiui a female trinket, with
thia message : *It being sjid my father is not a man, let him therefore
decorate himself with an ornament of tJiia descidplion.' That monarch
cnrjigcd with him, thus spoke (to his courtiers) [ ' Onler a gold chain to
be made, with which I shull letter him; not being able to restrain him
by any other means." lie (the Prince) indignant wiih his parent, re-
tiring (from his court) fled to (Kiitta in) the Malayik d-strict [Kotmdlie]-
I'rom this uircumstance of his h.iving bucorae ('duttha') inimical to his
father, be acquired from that day the appellation, ' Dutthagamini.'" —
Tiibnoub's Muhawansu, p. 145. The Itfijnwaliya, narrating ihc ^^ime
event, adds that the prince first "fled to Giliiiialf, and hnving hid hiniacif
there for several days, fled from thence to the plate called Kotmalie."
DigjizMb, Google
ADAM'S I'KAK.
the two ^iiininits of tlic Beiin 8amana1:i nre. Tins iis
owing to the lowness of the level, wliicli is [irubably not
more tlian acvcnty feet higher than the s^'a. On the way from
Goilif^iiinuwa, at the points wlicrc tlie road rises by the bank
of the Kaiii-ganga, all the three peaks are distinctly Eceu
when the sky ia clear; but the lower the path dciseeDds, the
more the Peak of the Holy Footprint seems to i^hrink out
of eight, until it is wholly hidden by the mountains that
begirt the Gilimale plain.
The bungalow where we breakfaste.I on our first excursion,
and where, notwithstanding we brought all our supplies with
us, we wore most hospitably entertained, and made to
partake of the owner's abundant fare, was the Walawwa
or mansion of Laksha Mudiyanselage Punchi Bandai-a,
Mahatmayu of Gilimale. It lies a short distance to the
ca^t of the road passing through the plain, where it is
" W'fll set vfitU fair fruil bL-nriii-; irccs and grores,
ntl [>ii|>iit()us witlt dovcd.
Ami walereil by a wniiilerinK tlear gi-ceii strcnni," —
the Guruluwan-gaiiga,— which 6owa in a northerly direction
to join the Ilatula, a tributury of the Kalu-ganga. While
breakfast was preparing we adjourned to the adjacent river
for a bath; the stream was broad and rocky, and in some
parts deep; the water cool, clear and most refreshing; and
abounding with numerous small fish, of two kinds in parti-
cular; — one, apparently a species of perch, from two to four
Indies in length, with red mouth, tail, and fins, and banded
D,9.l,z,.^b>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
verticnlly with alternate stripes of black and silver from
head to tail; the other etmaller and more slender, of a dusky
brown colour with a longitudinal black stripe on cither side.
Both were bold and fearless, and swarmed about ua when
we rested, pecking at our limbs with their mouths, and pro-
ducing a sensation as if we were being pricked with a
multitude of blunt pins. Their elegance of form and beauty
of colour should make them valuable acquisitions to aqua-
riums, as much so as the Ciiinese gold and silver fishes, to
which one kind seems to be allied.
On the opposite side of the plain, running south, and
forming its western boundary, flows the Kalu-gauga, — here,
attheGilimale Parapa-totupola, very picturesque and sylvan,
with a fine shelving sandy bed, — a stream altogether to be
prcfi^rred to bathe in; with its gentle windings, shady banks
o'erhung with trees, and placid waters, which
" to tlieir resting plaoe serciii!
Come frrsbpuiiig anil reflecting all tlie scene
(A niirmr in ihe duptli ofllmvery aLdves;)
So aweet b spot of eurth, you might, ( I wccn)
Have gui'ssdl BOiiie congregation of (lie elves
To sport \>y summiT inooiia liaJ shaped it for lliemselves"
Campbeu..
Tiie Bandara family came originally from the Maritime
Provinces. The cause of their settlement in (Jilimalu, we
were informed, was as follows. — The grandson of Baja-
Sitjba II., King Sri Wii-a Prakranm Nereudra Siijlia, the
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S rCAK.
Inst of the Siulialcse born oovprci^ns of Ceylon, wlio reigned
A. D. 168 5 — 1707, was consklerably addicted to drinking,
and apt, when in hie cup.^, to resolve upon atrango freaks,
lie was nevertheless, from a Bnddliist point of view, a pious
monarch, who devoutly repaired and endowed vihtiras, and
otherwise benefited llnddhism and Buddhist priests, Olc
day, when on a visit to Sitawaka, he took it into his head
to wisli for a light to be exhibited on the universally
supposed inaccessible sunimit of the mountain Kunudiya-
parvate. None of the Kandians would make the attempt,
whereupon one Bandara, from Pagoda, a village near Cotta,
undertook the tnsk, and after s|iending much time and
overcoming many diflicultie«i, aucceeded. The king saw the
light, and royally rewarded Bandara with grants of land :
these lands his descendants still retain.
After breakfast, to which our liberal host added plantains,
oranges, curdled milk, and a variety of curries, we indulged
in a few hours' rest, and did not resume our journey until
3J p. M. Then, divesting ourselves of sundry articles
of dress such as coats, waistcoats and neck-tyes, and
grasping light tough sticks some five feet long, courteously
presented to us by our host, we went on our way, as light
hearted and merry — and I may add, in our purple, plaid,
crimson and grey woollen shirts, varied-shaped pith and felt
head-gear, and dissimilar cut and coloured nether gar-
ments — as i)icturcr:(pie a quartette of pilgrims as ever trodc
the pilgrim's jMith in that or any other direelion. One of our
number, armed with a ilouble barrelled gun, was to sporting
'"'D,9.i,z,""7bX-«o6gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
taates inclined, but the number uf pilgrime journeying to
antl fro had made both bird nnd beast shy of the road we
were taking, and cpnrt we had none; an occasional ehot or
two, however, awoke the echoes of the woodland wilds, and
reverbemled amongst the mountains that rose on either aide
of us with a grand and sometimes startling efTect.
From Gilimale to Palabaddala, where we purposed
sleepin*^, a distance of six miles, the country begins to
assume a more nigged and mountainous appearance; the
ascents becoming higher and steeper, and the descents
deeper and more difficult; the route in fact traversing some
of the outlying spurs of mountains, iuto a chain of which we
were penetrating.
Shortly after leaving Bnnd&ra Mahatmay&'s Walawwa,
we came to the Tuntota ferry, which crosses the Hatula-
gavga; here, at its junction with the Kalu-gapga, a broad
and rapid, but somewhat shallow stream, overhung with
clumps of the tall gracefully waving feathery bambu, and the
wide-spread branches of many a noble forest tree. Proceed-
ing onwards through a well wooded country, we crossed the
Pahalewala cdanda, and the Saman watte ella, — so called,
because the land through which the ella flows belongs to the
Saman D^wdld. Four low hills followed, from 60 to 100
feet in height, at the bases of which flow 'dolas' of various
names. We were now upon the bank of the rnshing
Maskeliya-ga^iga,* A bridge was being constructed over
■ ' Uaskclija,' playing of the fishes.
~ DintizoribyGoOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
the river in lien of the olil roi;ky ford,— a difficult pafsaffe
at best, iind at times decidedly dangerous. The site of
the bridffe was 8onie distance above the ford; a huge
precipitous boulder formed n natural abutment on one side,
and a masonry one had been built to correspond on the other.
The river, rustling from the north down a mountain gorge,
strikes and ponds up against a mass of rock that causes it to
make an abrupt bend to the wcat- In making iho bend,
close to the right of the bridge, it swells into a deep lake-like
pool, the waters of which swarm with plump, inky coloured
fish, about 13 inches long, with large well defined scales.
They were called by the natives oropuile, and were said to
bennfit for food; this however is not the ease, unless it be at
special eeaaona; but it is certain they are not held in esti-
mation, and are but i-arely eaten. This particular part of
the river ia called Nitna-wala, the king Sri Wikrama Raja
Siyha, the last of the Kandian sovereigns, having used it as
a bathing place.
The bridge was about 60 feet in length, in two spans
of 30 feet each, sup[)orted in the centre by wooden piles:
its height above the water was about 30 feet. Coming up
to this, and observing that in its then state one half consisted
of but two round untrimmcd trunks of iron wood trees,
between two and three feet apart, and the other of two
similarly placed trees, roughly acjuared; and that the only
side support was a loose swinging hand-rail of jungle cane,
I paused in dismay, not perceiving the ford, about a hundred
yards lower down, and not at all relishing the necessity for
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PEAK.
venturing along so perilous looking a path. On the opposite
eide however, numbers of pilgriine were asBcrablecl, who had
all crossed in safety, and my companionsj all more or Icsa
accustomed to such matters, encouraging me to make the
attempt, on I went, hardly daring to lift one foot after the
other, until I reached the squared timber, when 1 breathed
more freely, and in a second or two felt myself wonderfully
relieved, as I again trod the solid earth. From the bridge a
short ascent led to a patch of comparatively level ground,
perhaps 100 feet above the level of th« sea, where we were
overtaken by a smart shower, and gladly availed ourselves
of the shelter of a boutique on the wayside, until it had
passed away.
The characteristic features of the scenery from the right
bank of the Maskeliya-gn^ga, where we crossed the stream,
differ considerably from those we left behind us on our wny
from GilimalC'. There, it was open, undulatory, park like;
and "from the many jessamines, from the various orange
flowers, from the citron and lime, from the areka, from
innumerable plants and flowering trees arise divers perfumes,
which blended in the morning dew and wafted on the early
breeze, aflTorded the most delicate and exquisite fragrance."*
Here, it was the rising base of a mountain range thickly
clothed with magnificent forest trees, straight as pines, and
from fifty to seventy feet in height. Gigantic creepers
nCcjlon, Tol. i. p. 167.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S P1:AK.
twined al'Out the trunks, and with perpentme convolutiona
eprend from tree to tree; orchidd and nwweed and lichens
overgrew their bark; while a floral underfirowth breathed
ricli oiloiirs and scented the air with sweets of a difl'erent
but not less fragrant [jerfume. Passing through the forest,
and cresting seieral hills that rose each higher than the one
bthind, we came to Ali-liAntenne,* a tract of dense canes
or battulees, crossed in all directions by numerous elephant
tracks. This was evidently one of the favourite feeding
grounds of that monarch of the forest, as the name it bore
jjlainly enough indicated. Beyond this is &d extensive
nmrsh, thickly covered with large reeds,— "the estuary of
reeds" of Ibn Batutfi, — a swampy district, not at all plea-
pant to pAi-s at any season, wet or dry. owing to the swarms
of leeches that infest it: and further on ia Batapola, a part
of the domain of the Band&ra family. Here temporary
buugalows are put up for the aecommodation of pilgrims.
On the right of the path in the upward ascent, is one of the
caves which Ibn Batutfl refers to in his narrative. It is
formed by a straight fissure, in shape like an immense
inverted v, \, running longitudinally through a huge
boulder forty feet in length, from twelve to fifteen feet in
height, and projRirt ion ally broad. In a distant range in the
same direction is seen the Mapanan-cUa water-fall, leaping
down the mountain side on its way to join th'e Maskeliya*
g«Vga-
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
" There was the rivur heard in bi^ of wruth
{A pr<K;:pke of fuoin from inounlaiDs brown).
Like tumulu heard Iroiu srime tar diatant town :
Tiut Noflcning in appronvli he Icll hia gliHim
And mnnnurcd pleFumntly, ami laid hiiu down
To kiss rhoae easy curring banks of hluom
That lent the windward nir an excjuiiiile perrnm
A etcep and rough at^ccat, for a considerable distance
I from Bntapola,— midway in which a stone tumulu:- haa been
I erected on the spot where the remains of an old iiriesi were
I burned, — brings the pilgrim loPal£badda1a, " the houec of
\ the old woman," according to Ibn Batuti, "and the farthest
; iuhabilcd part of the island of Cejion," that is, when he
I travelled through it, about five hundred and thirty years ago.
' Although fatiguing, the walk from Ratnapura to Pald-
baddala, from the rich variety of scenery one passes through,
! is very enjoyable, especially if the weather be fine: and in
, this rcppect our first excursion was all ihiit could be desired.
I It was not so on the two subsequent occasions. Opportu-
nity serving, a second trip was resolved upon in the usuidly
I fine and dry mouth of September; but the cycles of the
I seasons are undergoing a change, and the month turned out
i an exceptionally wet one. It was not the pilgrim aetison,
and as Colombo coolies were averse to undertaking the
journey further than Ratnapura, it was possible that our
])rogrei-8 might be delnyed for want of assistance along llie
uninhabited diiftrictc; owing iiowcver to the good offices
,v Google
ADAMS I'liAK.
most readily rendereil ua by Mr, F. R. Saunders, the A^^sist-
ant Government Agent, and the directions given to their
subordinntea by the Chief priest of the Peak and the Rate-
niahatmayu of the Korale in which the Samanala is situnted,
we were [Hit into coiniiiuiiieation with the (inn&rachchies
(jictty headmen) of (jTodiganiuwa, Giliniale.and Haghapolla,
(a village near Palfibaddala), and through them were enabled
to hire, at different i^tagcs, aa many CDoliea as wc desired,
at the rate of 9d. a day. Eknellgoda Ratemahatmayi alao
placed at our service one of his retainers, a man who knew
every inch of the route, and was in every respect a valuable
acquisition to our party.'
• The wrvicea of nui-li h man are invjilunlile on iinj similar journey in
tlie jungle in Ceylon ; lie wiis a cupitnl alint, and neror at a Iohs for re-
sources; anil I lieaitily agree wlib the following tribute paid him bj ooe
of my companions:— "If ever there was a right man in the right place,
Francina was ihe man. Iteaily, willing, active, inexlinustible in expe-
dient, and c-heirful under all dilBcully, lie never fuJIeil us. He always
was really to tinw, always came up smiling, anil if under trying eircum-
slanceH, in posilions sometimes that would linvc redueeil Mark Tapley to
the brink of suitirle, we were anableJ to bear diai'omforls which vex the
spirit of even a good man, wilh a jolly philoaophj — and we certainly
did — why it was to Francina's dinners in a large measure that we owed it.
Foriilicd by those dinners wc d'.-fieil obsiacles, the adsersu spirits of the
Teali, the evil genii of the way, and the clerk of the weather." Our
interpreter, Ur. -Solomon Justin Iteliera, aldo proved a ii»eful intelligent
assistant to us; hut the pilgrinnige knoi'luil him uji, and he returned to
Itutnapurn, more fHilgiiol than eithei' of his European etnjihiyers.
1, Google
ADAM'S PEAK.
It was late in the afternoon when we etarted, and we did
nut reach Ellapita Ferry until the sun had set. The rest of
the way to Giliinalfe waa in the dark; and as a drizzling
rain was contirinally falling, the "chulea" or torch e a tiiat
we lighted were of no great use. I'unchirdla. and Muda-
iihdmi, the Oanarachchiea of Godigamuwa and GilimaU.
met us on the road, and the latter provided hnuac-room for
us in his bungalow on the plain, where white cloths were
spread above and around the apartment allotted to our
use; our train of servants and coolies finding shelter in the
neighbouring huts. Our first care was to get rid of the
leeches which had swarmed over us while tramping along the
sinmpy paddy fields, or through the dripping jungle." The
' No description will c«nvcj to the reader's mind b better idea of these
peats, than llie following by wortliy old Robbbt Knox. — " There is s
sort of leeches of the nilure of ours, only diSertng in colour and bigneaa ;
for they are of a dnrk reddish colour like the nkin of biicon, nud as big as
a goone <|uill ; in length, some two or three inches. At first, vben they
are young, they are no bigger than a horsehair, so that they can scarce
be seen. In dry weather none of lliem appear, but immediately upon
the Tnit of raina, the gr.iss an<l woods are full ol' them. These leeches
seize U(ion the legs of travellers, who, going barefoot, according to the
custom o( timt land, have them hanging upon their lega in multitudes,
which suck their blood till their bellies are full, and then drop olf. They
come in such quantises, that the pe<iplc c.iunot pull tbem off so fast as
they crawl on: the blood runs pouring down their legs all the way they
go, and it is no little smart neither; so that they would willingly he
without, ihein if thoy could, especially those that have sores on their legs ;
fur they uU gather to the sure. Some, therefore, will tie a piece of lemon
ijGoogle
ADAM'S l-EAK.
night wasbuistcroiid, and the ruin fell in torrents; and at day-
break we Iciirnt the Ma{ikcliya-gn;,iga was impaasiible. We
were in the poaitiun of Jjisori of old on bis way to lolchoB,
when
"...liglidy thr(>iij;li the well-kDnwn woihIs tip juiisnl.
And cnmo out to tlie open plain at laxl,
And went till ni>;lii came on him, nnil then slept
AViihin a horapatcw) that i poor man kept,
And rose aguin at dawn, and slept thiit aifUt
Kigli the Anaurus, and at murroir'a light
Hime up and went into the river'9 brim;
IJnt fearful seemed the passage unlo him,
For swift and yellow drave the stream adown
'Twist eruinblin); bank? ; and tree trunks rough nnd brown
AVhirl'd in the bubbling eddies here and there;
So swollen wan ihc stream a maid niiglit <lare
To crons, in fair days, with unwelted knee."
We were not, like him, fortunate enough to And a godde^
to help ua acroee; the ^orrent raged furiously over and
and salt in a rag, and fasten it unto a stick, and ever and anon strike it
upon their lega to make the leeehes drop olf : otbera will st^rnpe them olf
with a reed, cut flat and sharp in the fashion of a knife ; but this is so trouble-
some, and the; cume on ajjain so &st and so numerous, that it in not worth
their whila: and generally they suffer them to bit*, and remain on iheir
legs during their journey; and they do the more patiently permit them,
because it is si) wholesome fiir them. When they come to their journey's
end, tiiey ruli all their le^s wiih ashes, and so clear thetn<>e1ves of them
at once; but still the blood will remain dropping a great while after."
i.LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
among the rooks and boulders, and the bridge had, monthB
ago, been swept away. Shortly after the burst of the mon-
soon, in the month of May, the floods from the mountains,
checked by the bend of the river, rose rapidly to a height of
forty feet, and completely submerging the hanks, whirled to
destruction every impediment they met with. On their
Bubsidence it was found the bridge was gone, the masonry
abutment on the right bank destroyed, and only a few logs
of the entire timber work of piers and pathway, left stranded
here and there on either bank.*
We at first thought the natives were trying to frighten
UB from going further, but on ascertaining the state of
affairs for ourselves, we returned to Gllimalt;, and waited
to see what another day would bring forth; in the mean-
time a few pigeons, kingfishers, orioles, jungle crows and
other birds, were shot, and a little taxidermy practised with
a view to the preservation of their skins. Starting early
the next day, we with some difficulty effected a passage;
although in crossing the Hatula>gagga, we found that that
river had fallen four feet during the previous twelve hours.
The ford, where we crossed, was fully a hundred and fifty feet
wide from bank to bank, and we had occasionally to make a
* A bridge has again and again been put ap bere ; but 00)7 to be swept
awBj as orien as erected. It is understood to be tbe intention of the
Chief priest of the Srip&da to erect a anapension bridge of a single span;
raised sutTicientlj high to enxnre it against ilestruction from catastrophiea
similar to those which deotrojed its predec
i.LiOOglC
ADAM'S TEAK.
jump from one rock to another, in placea where a slip would
have been followed bj inevitable desrruction ; iinlesfi one
had the good fortune to be caught by or ugainst a length <)f
cahle-ratan* which had been pitrtially strtitched across the
bed of the river, apparently with a view to rendering assist-
ance in case of possible accidents. The worst place was near
the right bank, where a mighty tree had been overthrown, the
trunk of which stretched diagonally over the deepest channel
of the river, a chaem down which the waters were rushing
and tumbling in tumultuous foam. A large Hmb of tiic tree
was jammed between the rocks on one side of the channel,
while the roots were stuck fast in the other. Up this limb,
and along the wet and slippery trunk, and down the roots,
each one had to pass ere he could gain the opposite bank.
It was a nerve trying operation, and under such circum-
stances heavy nailed boots certainly do not give one a feeling
of security. Here the shoelet-s natives had a decided ad-
vantage over us. Several of these indeed declined trying
the tree; and slinging their loads on bambus, waded two and
• This ratnn ia n epecies of Calamtu, occasionnlly fiiui'd 300 feet in
tengih, an inch in diameter, and wiih acarcelv any difference in thiuknea*
throughout its entire leiigth. From it' lightnea.", strengtb and toughness,
it lia« been employed by the nacivea with strikiug success in the funnacion
of sunpeoaion bri'lgea over water-courses an 1 ravine*. Oescriplions of
the»e briit^s are given by both Sir J. E. Tennent, and Major Forbes.
In the work by ihe latter a wiwid engraving is given of the one whit-b
eroded tbe Dedru-oya, on the Triniiomalee road.
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglc
ADAM'S PEAK.
two among the rockB above where we croasetl, probing the
depth of water with long atickd as they went, somctUnce
eiaking to their aniipib), but always »o zigzagging as to fiad
the shallowest part of ihe stream. They knew the river
an I we did not ; and after all had passed, ibey declared that
but for our deterroination to go on, and the number we had
to render help to each other, they would not have ventured to
try the passage. Happily no accident occurred, and we
reached Palfibaddiila with no further damage than that of
being wet through; with the exception of what happened
to one of the coolies, who, carrying a nitrate of silver bath,
the top of which was fortunately screwed on, in shifting his
load turned it upside down ; a slight leakage followed, which
not distinguishing from the rain, he took no notice of; the
consequence was, that the brown skin of his back and chest
become covered with stripes and streaks of black, which,
when a glimpse of sunlight broke through the clouds, shone
with a bright metallic lustre, and he was very nearly believ-
ing he had been bewiiebed, or was undergoing punishment
from Samnn for venturing through hia tcrrilories at so un-
wonted a season. It was a sort of satisfaction to our minds
to find, on the third excunsion, that the natives themselves
are not without feelings of apprehension, sure- footed as they
are, and nonchalant as they seem to be. At this same ford,
alihough the water was lower, and nothing near so foamingly
boisterous as on our second journey, one of our coolies became
completely panic-stricken. He stood trembling on a rock in
the middle of the stream, perspiration pouring out at every
D,9.l,z,-,^b>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PF.AK.
pore from sheer dread : move he could not; and we had to
^cnd two men to relieve him of his load, anything but a
heavy one, and help luin over: but lie would go no further,
lie liml had enough of the pilgrimage, and we were obliged to
proceed without him.
Piilabaddala, — or according to same authorities, PnU-b.it-
dola,— Ktfinds on an elevated plateau, I.IHO or I,2n0 ftet
above the sea. It conRiels of a village or hamlet, containing
aevcriil email irrepuhir streets, with sundry spacious open
bungalows for the nceommodation of pilgrims passing to and
from the Peak. Its ordinary population, according to B aba
Sinho, the intelligent Oandrachohi of Ilaghnpola, was about
250; but thousands throng into it during the pilgrim season,
espeeially in the months of February, March and April.
In August 186fi, the place was nearly all burnt down by an
accidental fire; but wattle and daub hute, withcadjan roofa,
are soon run up again, and one good has perhaps resulted
from the fire, in that several of the bungalows are now
substantially roofed with tiles.
The following legend ia connected with the place, and
accounts for its name. Long, long ago, a very poor woman
was desirous of performing the pilgrimage to the Sri-p£da,
but, owing to her extreme poverty, could take nothing with
her except some common jungle leaves, which in times of
distress the natives occasionally resort to for food; these she
boiled, and rolled up in a platntain leaf; and having arrived
thus far, when about to |>artake of her food, she found
the boiled l(fnves had been miraculously turned into rice.
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Thenceforward it was called Pala-bat-dula, "the place of
rice nnd veffetables," a name which it has ever sioce retained.
The fact that rice was eubslitutcd for the leaves, is, no doubt,
correctly enough recorded; but the chanf^e was one which
it needed do miracle to effect; although if niiracica were
needed at the time, the eup|>ly, ae a matter of couri<e, would
be created to meet the demand.
To the south of the hamlet, separated from it by a field a
few hundred foet in breadth, is a quadrangular platform
about 90 feet long and 72 broad, raised three feet from the
ground, anJ approached by six roughly hewn steps. On
this is placed the Vihdra, a small modern building, udjoining
which is the Ddgoba, formed of brick, about 1 'I feet in height
and 70 in circumference. In Iront of the d^goba is a stone
slab, 3ft. 6in. by 1ft. Sin., raised .Sfl. 6in. from the ground:
faint traces of an inscription are observable upon it, and it
is carefully roofed over; it id used as an altar, on which the'
Buddhists make their floral offerings to the djigoba. This
is apparently of onsiderabic antit^uity, but much <Iila])idated;
it was partially grown over with a shrubby vegetation, the
roots of which were penetrating through and threatening to
destroy it.
The vihara contains a facsimile in copper of a former
golden and gem-adorned cover and representation of the
Sri-p(iJa, long since lost, or destroyed. Engravings, and
embossments in silver, represent the 108 marks upon the sole
of the foot, which indicate their possessor to be a IJuddha.
In this instance these are all represented by lotus buds and
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S I*1:aK.
fli)wera, in various stiiges of dcveliipinciif. A brass rim was
lyin^ by it in piece.-', ricbly chased nn 1 engraved, and at
one time ndoriied with precluiia stones; but the sdckets they
onct- filled were now eiliier empty, or 61led with imitations
in '^\ass. There waa aldo an im:igc of ltu<ldhn, in a standing
position, about two feet high, made of an amalgam called
"loka'le," consisting of copper, brass, and three other nietala,
the names of which the priests did not know. A silver
diigoha-.-iha|icd karandua, with a golden top, containing an
image of Buddha in bronze; and a shrine, covering a ecdent
Buddha, about six inches high, made of a atone called
"kirigarunde," stood in front of the copper Sri-]iada. This
ehrinc was filled with dead fluwers, and had cerLainly not
been looked into for some time; for when the priesit opened
it, to give us an opportunity of examining the figure, out
jumped a rat, and a family of yonng ones were discovered
left behind in their neat. The two officiating priests,
llattcmbe unauae, and Hatwelle ummse, reside in the central
street of the hamlet. We were, on each of our visits, much
beholden to them for accommodation and information. They
are literally worshipped by the people, (and so, in fact, are
Buddhist priests, by Buddhists,* in all other places), to a
* 'The Buddlms, aacred books, anil ihe pricsthuod, are regnrdcil as
tlic threp moat prefious getns. 1'hpy are all s-siitiatcrl in the lliree-folU
fonniilHry rL<p«ntt^<l by llic BuiUllii:<t w)irii Ik> naini-s, as nii aol c>r worship,
Ihp triii.l tn whicli lie h>.>k» as the ol.iwctnf liis roiiriJcaye ami hU ti-fiige."
— IlAtiiiT'« Ka^lcni Monachisiii, p. )66.
D,9.i,z,,ab,L.oogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
greater extent even than the Sri-padi, and the d%oba;
and it was painfully pitiable to see men, women and children,
making their ofFeringa of flowers, oil, money and valuables;
and bowing doAvn in adoration before them.
It beingnearly sunaet when we arrived, and every corner
apparently occupied, we were for a wliile puzzled where to
And a resting place. At last having told the interpreter to
make known our wants to the princip.il priest, he was good
enough to allot to our use an unfinished house, which, al-
though its walls were of undried clay, and one Bide was minus
both door and door-frame, was, happily for us, roofed in, and
gave us all the shelter we were actually in need of. In a
few minutes two rude bed-fiames were also supplied, as well
as a small table; and while our servants were preparing
dinner, we strolled out to observe what was going on around.
The pilgrims came and went, in a continuous stream of
companies of families, or villages, some of them in regular
procession, headed by a party bearing an ornamented shrine,
and accompanied by a band of shrill horanawa, tam-tam and
doula* players, blowing and beating, and tormenting one's
tympanums with their noisy discords. All found quarters,
any where and every where, as best they could. Amongst
* The lioranaiiTa U a kind of darionett; the tam-tam a small pair of
ket'le drums slunjj in front of a nisn, anU beaten with two slender sdcka,
tlie extremities of which iire bent into circiea; the ilouU is an obloDg
drum, generally' btateii iit one und with a atiik, aiiil on the other with
Ihe baud.
D,9.i,z,a.„L.OOglC
AUASrs TEAK.
tliem were a few Iliiulua, and a sprinkling of Moormen.
Someof tlie^c latter, with aa eje to bunincss, had extempo-
rized a bazaitr, where almost everything in a small way could
be bought by tho^e who were so disposed.
" The place aftbrded a very intcrnstiiiff view.* Situated
just at the commencement of the upward elope, the altitude
was scarcely sufficient to command much of a view of the
low country, but the prospect given of the mountain range
before us was fine indeed. A long barrier of mountains,
covered with dark forests, lay in our front, and it was up
one of the passes of these that our to-morrow's route would
lie. About half way up the alope a long wall of perpendi-
cular rock stretched along the mountain front, and over this
cliff, many torrents were streaming in far resounding water-
falls, on which the evening sun-light was pleasantly [ilaying.
At the extreme left of the range a noble mountain erected
its head to the clouds. The mountain I refer to is called
Kunudiyaparvftte. It extends from the low country in
one sheer, unbroken slope, to a height of upwards of 5,0(K)
fect, like an enormous buttress to the mountain range behind.
Towards its top it rises in precipit*>us rocka, and the black
ehining surface of these lofty cUttd were on the evening
that I watched them, all glowing in the last rays of the sun.
• The above extract i« from a skcti;li ofoiir seooml est
by one of my conipanin'is. It will be un<kTstu.Hi iliat a
■ftisttnguifbeil by niark^ nf (jiiotatiun, bul tu wliicli no at
is given, Ls frum ibc samu [len.
1, Google
ADAM'S PEAK.
tlien setting heliind the western liilU. Shortly afterwnrda
the clouds lowered on the mountain, anil the beautiful view
became lost in the night."
Our appearance rather escited the cunoBity of the people,
and when we dined, we nte our meal in state — a state which
we would have dispensed with had it been po)isible, for we
were gazed upon the whole time by as many fellow pilgrims as
could crowd their heads in at the open doorway. They were
not however otherwise rude or uncourteoua; but did nil that
lay ir. their power to assint us in our wants. As the raoon
rose, it being nearly full, and the sky clear, the appearance
of the place was animated enough ; — here, companies of men,
women and children, clustered round their cooking fires,
eating their food, or chanting Buddhist legends; — there,
lighted by the glare of numerous torches, throngs intently
listening to men reading aloud from olas: — in one place, a
number looking on and applauding the musicians, as they
danced an accompaniment to their music;— in another, de-
votees surrounding a portable shrine, worshipping the small
image it contained, and depositing their offerings in a cup or
basin placed before it. We did not escape the notice of the
tam-tam beaters, who formed up before, and treated us to
their best performances; and the way in which the two
dancers, each beating a pair of kettle-drums slung before
him, rattled away with stick and elbow and palm, and kept
time with the seated douln, or big drum beater, and the
horanawa blower, was marvellously strange and grotesi^ue.
^Rewarding them with a few rupees, by way of getting rid
v/Google
ADAM'S PEAK.
of them, we laid down to try and sleep; but tlie continual
noise occasioned by fr.ish bands of [iilgriins arriving and
departing, was of so disturbing a nature, that we no sooner
dozed off than we were again awakened, and were only too
glad at laat to hail the rising of the sun as a signal to pro-
ceed ourselves. It must be owned, our bods were not of the
most sleep- inducing kind. Two of us lay on frame?, the
canes of which were at least three inched apart; a couple of
rough planks, and a door taken off its hinges, served the
other two: but we had not expected luxuries ; we had pro-
vided ourselves with ruga, and for the rest supposed wo j
should have to rough it ; and we found our suppositions here i
and there fully realised. The unfinished house we occupied ]
was one being built for the |-riests, and on our subsequent
visits we found the rooms pleasant quarters enough. The
worthy unanses gave us a hospitable welcome, and the best •
accommodation the place afforded, and we were abundantly j
ijatisfied. I
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
gdam's JJtali
" Where'er we paze, around, nbove, belnw,
U hnt rainbciw tintB, what magic tbiirms are rouml!
Bock, rirer, forest, mountain all abound,
An<l bluest skieii, that barnonize the whole:
lienenth, the didlaut torrent's rushing aounil
Tells where the mlumeU cataract dotli roll
IK-tween lliuse hanging ruL-ks, that shock vet please the coul."
CHAPTER VI.
Pai.a'baddai.a. — Mountain ranges. — KALCfiAXOA biiidge. —
Uda Pawanema. — Ni'lihela. — Getanetcl-gala. —
DiKABETMA. — Idikatupa'na. — Diiakma-ra'ja-cala. — Ku-
nudiva-pabvate'. — Be'sa Samasala. — Teuiiilenna. —
Ga.ngu la-hen A. — Si'ta-gangula. — IIeramitipa'na.
After performiDgour morning ablutlona in the presence
of a number of persona, who watched our proceedings in-
tently, if not admiringly, we took, from a stand point near
the vihira, and while waiting for coffee, a rapid survey
of the scenery around. To the north of Pal&baddala rises
Kunudiya-parvati^, the monarch of all the mountain ranges
within view. Running south and shouldering agiunst it, as
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
it were, is u range consisting dC the KoiiJagula, Xili-
licla, and Kekillagnl^ moiintiuns. To tlie tioulliwect are
the mountains Dewana^aln, ^lorangala, Nawemeneagalo,
anil Kanngala-kanda. In tlic dislanco, simtliwarils, bevoml
Katnajnira, arc tlic two liigh ninuntaiiis Ainl>uldeDiakanda
and ICantigala-kanda;* and through the valley betwceu
them, is seen another high range one of the moun-
tains of which a|i)icnred to have a double sunniiit, not
unlike that of the liena Sanianala, Our path lay up by
Kundagala and over Nilihela. Passing out of Palabaddala
by the c;ist, a glimpse of the top of the Peak is caught
above the mounlains, and is hailed with shouts of " Sddhu!"t
by all true pilgrims, botli going and returning. As the
crow flies, the distance between the two points is not more
than three and a half miles; but the height to be sur-
mounted was etill 6,250 feet above where we btood; and by
the pilij;rims' irath, the distance to be traversed was at least
eleven miles. The intervening country forms a part of
what is known as the " wilderness of the Peak." A walk
of a furlong and a half, partly through paddy fields, brought
us to on upper branch of the Kalu-gayga, which ia crossed
by a well-constructed rustic Jiridge, about thirty feet in span,
and threefeet wide, floored with short mopas (sticks an inch in
* Qiiicre "Gallcnaknnda," It is sometimes difficult ti> uatoh the exflut
names of places nhen npoken in n language not familiHr to the listener.
t ■ SS'lbii ! ' — a joyous esclnmation. Well-duiie ! Goo*l ! lo a religious
sotiie, e'lnivalcnt perimps to HftUtlujali !
i.LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
diameter). The river liere runs down a steep and somewhat
gloomy looking rocky ravine, and from this point, about
a hundred feet higher than Palabaddala, the ditKcultica of
the journey may be Biiid to begin. Immciliately after passing
the bridge, tlie ascent is by a steep climb up the mountain
side, here called Pawanoli-hela; after half an hour of this
work, and pasting a huge overhanging rock, we came to the
village Uda Pawan-ella, consisting of a few bungalows on
narrow plateaux, rising one above another. They belong to
the Bnnddra family ; and are of essential service to pilgrims,
who generally halt at them for a while. Just below, there is
a small plantation of coffee, growing under the shade of , tall
forest trees, among which some specimens of the cotton
family are conspicuous. This is the last regularly inhabited
station, the elevation being about 1,500 feet above the sea.
When we first passed it, the bungnlows were crowded, and as
we did not care 1o stop, we pushed along up the path, which
is simply the not always dry rocky bed of a mountain
torrent, with here and there a few ladders of jungle sticks
to assist the traveller up a more than oidinary precipitous
piece, elsewhere with notches cut in the rock to afford a
foot-hold;" and for the rest an ascent on and over gnarled and
•"The walk frnniGilimal.' ta Pnl6ba<iUala la hy no raenna an easy
one, nlthough much inferitir in ilifEculty and steepness lo that immeiUHtely
succeeding Thia part of the road in by ftr the mnst difficult and
precipitous; in lat'^ much inure bo considering the extent, than anytliing
I could have suppused poaaible. I hail ascended Ben Lomond and
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
interlacing ronts of trees, and stoIlGl^ nnd etepe of every size
and sliiipe, from three inclic^i to three feet in height, the
average gradient being one in two — some partsof which can
eearcely be overcome otherwise than by crawling up on all
fuiirs.
Two wearying miles of this kind of toil brought ua to the
jS'ilihela amhilama, a welcome halting place on a level of
a few yards length; and a i^tntion celebrated for the loud
and reiterated cclioes thrown hack from its surrounding
mountain walls and etupondous precipices. Here we rested,
and while partaking of a rouglily prepared breakfast, entered
into conversation, through our interpreter, with some of our
fellow-pilgrims. One old man, leading his family, told us
this was his 51st trip; another, that he was returning from
hU 52nd; and a third, whom we subsequently overtook, ohl,
feeble, and tottering, and supported by son and grandson,
WU3 making his 56th journey.
Not far from the ambalama, near a bend of the path, a email
patch of cleared jungle leads to the ledge of a terrible
precipice; where it is said a fair and sprightly girl having
carelessly stopped aside, fell over and was dashed to death
in the abyss below. Her name was Xilihela, and her fate is
Siioivdun, the laltcr alVr a liartl day'a i«alk,
which I consider<;d do
ordinary acliievemont; but anything like the ate-
r.t from Palihaddala to
Diviibetmn, I hud never before dreamt »f. It w
s a ennstant succession
of the most precipitous hilia to be climbed, on
after the other, with
wearisouie uniformity and unvarying difficulty.'
—Hi-ilnrj of Ceylon, by
W. KKI0I1T<>^, 1H45. p, 391.
DigjizMb, Google
ADAM'S PEAK.
commetDo rated by the place being named after ber. It is
custoniary accordingly for tbe pilgrims as tbey pass to shout
out Nilihelaakke! "sister Nilihcla!" and in a second a dis-
tinct double echo comes back, — a voice thr-y think, from tbe
spirit of the girl, in answer to their call; the fancied answer
being 'efiiia!' — coming. The elevation here ia about 2,700
feet, "The precipice is almost hidden by the vegetation
which grows on its face. Looking over it you view a valley
of immense depth, all filled with lofty forests, and on the
opposite side of the chasm you are fronted by the long lofty
precipice visible to us the previons evening from Palibadalla.
Here we had a splendid view of the [8] waterfalls, which
now ran full and strong, from the effects of tbe night's heavy
rain. One was a broad deep stream, which leaped at two
long bounds into the chasm below, where its roar was
decpcucd by the reverberations reflected from the snrrouuJ-
ing walls. Others were thin gauzy films of foam, others
long drawn threads of silver, and each had a tone which
contributed to the loud deep harmony of the whole." *
" The evening miata, wiih ceaseless change.
Now clothed the inountains' lofty range,
Nov teft their foreheads bare.
• "To show how these streams depend on the immediate rains, I may
here montior, that on visiting the snme place the next day, on our rPturn,
we saw that nearly all of the falle had diaappeared, and tlie place of the
largest one was now only ninrked by the bare dry rocks over which it
roared on the preceding daj."
D,9.i,z.ab,XjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Atul munil tlic skirly llicir mantle furlL>d
Or on tlie »a\i\a nalcri viirlvO,
Or, on tlic eililving liTLVZ'.-it wliirlvil
DKpcrseil in niiiUllc nir.
A lid, oft condenseil at once tli.- v lower,
Wlien, brief and (iorce, the inituiilain ^huwcr
Pmirs like s loircnt doirn.
And when return the sun's g!aJ bcanis
Whitvn'd with foam a. tlioussnd streams
Leap from tlii; mountain's grown."*
The next object in the accent to whicli our attention was
tlrawn was a etono or pebble tumulus, which we at first sup-
posetl marked the last resting place of some pilgrim who had
died on tlie road ; we were however mistaken in our surmise.
It seems it Is the practice for each pilgrim to deposit a small
Btonc here, and to pray to S;imaa-Dcwij6 to grant him a
renewal of strength and enable him to proceed and finish his
pilgrimage. These small mounds are of frequent occurrence
further on, A long pointed jutting eliib of rock was next
pointed out to us, called Uruhofa, " the pig's snout." Not
very long ago, our informant said, the resemblance between
the rock and a hog's snout was remarkable, but from some
cause, — probably to facilitate the ascent, — the end had been
broken off by some one, and the name is no longer applicable.
Beyond this is the site of the Getanetui-gala ambalama.
This no longer exiats, but on a rock below where it stood, is
V, Google
I lot
ADAM'S PEAK.
a rough inarription after the opposite fashion;
wliat the characters meant we could not learo.
The elevation was ahoul 3,100 feet-
Proceeding onwards, the oiountuin atill rises
for 6vc or six hundred feet, when there is a dip, and in a
nearly level hollow, of the length of ahout a hundred and
eighty yards, — a part of the pilgrims' paih in fact, — is the
Kalu-ga^ga-dowa,* the source of the Kalu-gapga. At this
elevation, 3,500, or 3,600 feet above the sea, we duly halted
at the spring which here welled out ita crystal waters, in
order to quench our thirst, and otherwise refresh ourselves.
Near the point Avhere we entered this small dell or ravine,
the ddwa, a mere rill of water, runs down a channel to the
southwest. The headman and the natives all agreed in call-
ing this the source of theKalu-ga^ga, — its highest, or head
waters. Baha Siiifio said he had himself traced its course
down to Gilimal<;,and he was therefore quite certain about
it. From this ' dowa' a toilsome half mile of uphill walking
brought us to the top of the well known mountain Diya-
bclma.
We were now on the summit of the water-shed of this
part of the country. The streams we had hitherto crossed
ran in a south or southwesterly direction; flowing more or
less directly towards the main branch of the Kalu-gagga.
EaatofDiyabetma," the division of the waters," they took a
northwesterly course, to be ultimately absorbed by the
' Down," the Si
i.LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Kitru-gnnpa, aa It winila its way tliroiigh the Kuruwiti
KoraU'. The smull plain on tlic top of tlie mountain is about
3,t^00 feet itbove eoa-levcl. The first object that catcliea
the eye upon entering tliis plain on a elear ilay, is the Peak.
Sliouts of reverential siilutation are then choruaaeil by the
pilgriiufl na the object of their journey thii3 bursts upon
their sight. Its appearance reminded ua of Milton's de-
Bcription of the eiistern gate of Paradise, True, it was no
" rock of alaljaster," yet was it, and tlie pilgrims' path, and
the shrine, surmounting all
■ " pitrd up to till' clnll.U
('(•nspicuous fsr, wimling with one a.^OL-nt
A<:cr)sil)]c frcim earth, one entrance liigli ;
The rest was craggy cliff, that overliiing
Still 03 it roHC, impossible to dimb."
On the south of the plain stands a dilapidated bungalow,
once a good eubstanlial rest-house, bnilt, the Gaf^-arachehi
told US, for a lady, by Dasan&yaka Nilamti, in theRajakdriya*
times. This lady, we understood, was the iiDivcrsally
esteemed wife of the Governor, General Sir Robert IJrown-
rigg. Our informant seemed to take an interest in the
place, and added that his father was one of those who were
obliged to assist in its construction. Roofless, doorless, and
■ A royal or GoTcrnment service ; under which syslEin works were
executed by the compulsory labour of the inhabitants. Tliia ayateii) u>u
aboliebed In 1832.
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PKAK.
windowless, it is now utterly abandoned, the Interior being
choked up with rank vegetation.*
) visited Ihe Peak about 1844, an'i stnyed a night
ill tills buiUiin<i, thus notices it. " The Amljalam at Diyubctine, is a largo
uncomfortable tiled building, having two rooms aurniundcd bjr u kind of
walled verandah of peculiarly' forbidding aspect. The interior of it, us
may be easily imaj;incd, is a damp, cli"e uncomfortable cell, tlie floor
being of earth, and so thiirougldj snmrated with the heavy dtws of the
district, that the guide informed me, it was never knoivn to lie dry.
The ambalam stand.i in the corner of a snmll plain, cleared of iis brush-
wood for a short distance round the building . . . The teinpcrature of the
place was so refreshing, that I felt compar.itivcly little fatigued liy my
exertion, whilst the poor coolies who accompanied me, sat upon the damp
cold earth the very piotures of misery and chilliness. Two of the numlwr
were busily engaged In en<leavours to obtain a apark from the flint ami
steel, in which however they did not succeed; and seeming utterly uu-
coiisiuous of any other way of wanning themselves, they huddled together
in a corner and lay down to sleep. Having dined upon a little bread
and cold bacon, which we had fortunately brought with us, washeil
down with libations from the brandy flask. 1 wrapped my blanket round
mc, and endeavoured to ci>m[K>se myself to rest upon the bamboo plat-
form supported by four rugged sticks, that served me for chair, table,
couch anil sideboard. This was a vain attempt however; for what with
the noise of elephants, cheetahs, monkeys, jungle cats, jungle fowls and
crows, it wa.s utterly impossible even to doze, beside the pleasant ex-
pectation of having some of the former as visitants (for our mud edifice wafl
. without door?) iluring the long dark night that was approaching. I lay
with my walking stick in my hand during that tedious night, listening hour
after hour to the roar of the elephants, and the screams of the cheetahs,
which were often, to all appearance, within a very short distance oi
,,AjOOglC
ADAM'S PF.AK.
A (IcH'cnt of abimt forty feci brought us to Diyabelina
]}i-|iata, a ruckj' strcaiiilct, when we aj;ain commenced an
asreiit, c^)^^iTlg riili^e iifier ridge on our iipward route.
Ik'twceii tlie.-^c ran sireiiiiiw, the most remarkable of wliieh
is the Idikaiujinne,* abroactl watcr-coiir.se, fifty feet in width,
ofbure, smooth, slab rock. This name was given to the [ilaee
because of a legend which asserts that Buddha, on one his
\i?its to Samanala, stayed here awhile to mend his robes;
while so occu|)ied, his terrible opponent, the great demon
AVasawarli-inaraya,first caused the rock to riae to bar his way ;
finding that to be useless, he then caused a torrent of water
to rnsh down upon the spot wliere he was sealod. Buddha,
seeing the flood approaching, merely traced a semicircle
before htm with the needle he was using, when the waters
parted right and left, and the malice of the demon was
again defeated. On our second excursion, a sheet of water
was rapidly rippling and running down the smooth rocky
bed, and close to the place where we crossed, the stream
tljo hriiixp. Ilntrever, 'it is a long lane that ha.') no turning,' and a still
longer ni^ht tliaC has no enil — morning dawned at laal, and the miati
which had encircled the moiintnin on which I stood Ibc wliole of the
pri;ce<ling ei'cniiig. lite a vast sea of quiet foam, gradually wore away,
and BmagnilU'cnt view rewarded uh for the tedium of the preceding night
To the Bonih anil west wa< a bnjt aucce^si'iii of irregular hills, terniinaled
bj an CKteiided plain, which appeared fading off" in tlie distance, lill
tcnninated by the sea, whilst in the north a high range ol hilla al)ru|)Lly
ended the prospecl."
" The needle rock.
i.LiOOglC
ADAM'S PKAK.
divided in two, one branch running north, and the other
northwest, uniting again a liUle distance lower down.
The islet thus formed waa [jointed out to us as the spot
where Buddha sat, and was alleged to be a convincing [>ro(if
of the truth of the miracle recorded in the legend. The
spot is considered sacred by Bnddhista, who upon reaching
it, ceremoniously bore their eara over a hole near tiie
middle of the river bed. Tlie height above the sea is about
3,900 feet.
A few yards further brought ns to the foot of the Dhar-
ma-rdja-gala,* anallbut perpendicular mountain mass, with
three flights of in-cut etepa to enable pilgrims to surmount
it. Counting these, we found 21 at the bottom, 9 a little
further on, and 100 leading to the top f From the morticed
holes by the side of the top flight, it is evident stanchions
and chains were once intended to be, and probably had heen,
placed. But there is nothing of the sort there now, and on
a gusty day the ascent or descent of this particular spot must
be one of some little hazard, if not of actual danger. To the
left of the steps, ascending, is cut in outline, on the face of
the rock, the figure of a man with his hands joined above
* Rock of the riglileoos king.
t Buddhists l«li(!vf that thsse steps cannot bo count«I. A hutidrud
(lllTereLit people liih^ eount tliem, the}' say, hut their iiuuihcrs will ulwajs
tlilTer. A similar belief h held by some people in England, in regnnl tt>
Stunehonge — the remains of the Druidiuul temple on Salisbury plain.
DializrfbyGoOgle
ADAM'S I'KAK.
Lis hcail, ]Kiintin<r towanls ami in aduratum of the still
afar-oft' Finit-iiriiit. Above tliis figure id an inscrijition in
Siylialese, very iiiiicli tililltcrated and weather-worn, but
sail] to record the death of him, n kin<!;, who^c fij^ure is
carved below, who there died, and whose name tlie rock now
bears.
There is a very onrious tradition eonnccted with the
mountain ran<re t>t' whieh the Dliarina-ruja-gala forms a
portion. It is to the foil<)wing ell'>jct.* To tlie left of the
Dharma-ri'ija-^ala, wme diotancc in the jungle, ia a tree,
round the roots of vvliicii tlirec seqients aru continually tivin-
iiig; about the distance of five bowshots from this tree la
another, contact with which produces instant death. f Snr-
rounding the place arc quantities of the bones of those wlio
have in this milliner met their death. An exploration of the
neighbourhood might lead to interesting results. Possibly
this Golgotha of the hills may be one of those places to
which the elephants retire to die. The whole of the sur<
rounding country ia marlied by tlieir presence, ai.d we had
seen their fpoor and other indications of their presence, all
along the route since we left Paliibaddala. " It is certain"
says Sir J. li. Tennent. "that frequenters of the forest,
whether European or Sinhalese, aru consistent in their aa-
n full, I am infonnwl, in a iiMtive work, an
llirinaiit could nut ri'ciillect the r.amc of the
o the dc^nilly Upas I
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
eurances, thnt lliey have never fouinJ the remains of an
elephant that had died a natural death."'
On a fine clear day, the view from the small platform
where the steps on the Dliarnia-raja-giila terminate, is very
striking. To the north the towering Kunudija-parvate ;,its
square rocky summit like the fracture on a mighty piUar
from which, in a. convulsion of nature, the capital had been
broken off; its western face a steep, tremendous, appalling-
looking precipice: there it stands, the frowning tempest-
battered Avarden of that amphitheatre of rock and mountain,
c-ives and waterfalls and rushing streams, and legends,
mystery and awe. To the south, of a nearly equal altitude,
is the Itena Samanala, with its alleged demon-haunted double
summit. Circling round between both lie a multitude of
* " Tlie Singhak'Ht: have a furtlior superstition iu relatiun tu tlie close
of lite in the etujihitnt: they bcltere that, on feeling the approach of
dissoluiion, he ri'pairs to a sohtnry vnlley, nnd there resigns himself to
<tt>nth. A native who nrcompanicd Sir. Cripps, when hualing, in the
forests of AnorHJnpuora, intimated to him timt he was tlien in Ihc imme-
diate vieiiiity of the opot ' to whic-h the eleptiants come to die,' but Chat
it was so iii}'»teriously concealed, (hat althougli every one bcheved in its
existence, nn one hnd ever succeeded in [icnetiating to il. At the corral
ivliich I have described at Korncgalle, in 1S47, Dehi<;amc, one of the
Knniljati chiefs, assured nic it was the universal beliel of his countrymen,
that tlie ek'phanis, when abont to die, resorted to a valley in SaiTragam,
among the mountains to the east of Adam's Peak, whii^h waa reached by
a nurrow pass with walls of rock on either side, and that there, by the
side of a lake of dear woter, they took their last repose. It was not
without interest that I aft«rwanls tect^nised this tradition in the story
of 6iiibad of Ihe Sea, who in his Seventh Voyage, after conveying the
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
moTintain toi>8 of minor plcvatioti. In front, below, facing
westward.s, is a miglity chasm, from whose depth!', and from
the valleys between the smaller mountains, rises the ceaseless
roar of the rush of many walers. These were the most
striking features of that wide- spread mountain [j^inoramn.
Concerning Kunudiyaparvatc, there is the follovying legend.
Buddha, struck by its singular aiipenrance, at first intended
to leave the impression of his foot on the summit of its
crowning rock. Suspecting this, Wasawarti-mArayti [daced
there the carcass of a dead rat-snake; whercuiwn Buddha
turned from the place in disgust, and ever since the waters
from the mountain have run foul and dirty — whence the
name, Kunidiya, "dirty water." The upper part of the
mountain also bears the name of Unudiya, "hot water."
presents of Haroun al Riiscliid to tlie king of Serendib, is wrecked od hli
return from Ceylon, and sold us a stave to n miiHttT ulio einploja hiio in
shoot'mg elepbanta for the sake of their ivoi-y;tiIi one clay the tree on
wbich he was stalioneil having been u|irnote<l by one of the herd, he fell
lenscleas to the ground, and tbc great elephant approaching wound his
trunk ariiund him and carried him away, censing not to proceeil until
be had taken him lo a place where, bis terror having subsided, he
tbund himself amongst the bones of elephants, and knew that this was
their burial place. It is curious tn find this legend of Ceylon b wliat
has, not inaptly, been described as the 'Arabian OJysacy' of Sinbad;
the original uf which evidently embodies Ibe romantic recitals ot the
sailors returning from the navigation of the Inli.m seas, in the middle
agei, which were current amongst the Mussulmans, and are reprmlueeil
in variiius forms tliroughont the tales of the Ariibinn Nights."— .Nalutal
History of Ceylon, by Sir J. E. Teskkst. jip. -^35-2:17.
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PEAK.
It would be intereeting to nscertaio whether there is a hot
mineral spring here; if so, the name it beare would be
much more rationally accounted for, than by the tale
Bud<llii(ttio lore has handed down to present days.
Ite^pecting Uena Samaniila, the highest of whose summits
overhangs its base, and is sometimes called the False Peak,
from being visible when intervening mists or clouds hide
the Samanta-kuta from view, It is alleged that no human
being has ever yet succeeded in scaling its topmost height,
The name of this is Deyiguhfiwa, or cave of the God. Major
Forbes states, that once a priest, confident in his sacred
character, ascended so far that the light was observed which
he had kindled at night beneath this overhanging summit
of the haunted mountain, but that next day he returned a
confirmed maniac, unable to give any account of what he
had seen. He adds, " There is nothing incredible in this
elory, fur the dreaded mountain is apparently easier of ascent
than Samanala ; and we need not be surprised at the
melancholy fate of the priest, if we take into consideration
how strongly the mind of a native (nurtured in the belief
of demons) would naturally be acted on when alone in an
untrodden solitude, haunted by vague terrors of superstition,
and the just dread of sav^e animals."*
Ad ascent of some fifty feet brings the pilgrim to the crest
* In I8S7 a company of Bmlilliist priests resolved Ui make the attempt.
Tbc hearts of some failed when they reached the foot of the mountain,
and tliey went uo furtlier. The rest proceeded, and found tbe ascent
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S I'KAK.
uf flic riilge of wliicli the Dharma-riijii-giila fiirni3 a part.
On the otlici- ni(ic there is ^ rapid dcsi^ent of some hundred
and twenty feet, to the Gani;ule-herK'-elIa, midway to which
is the Telihilona, a roeky cave, wIiltc tradition wiys nn
ancient king who had forsaken his throne for an ascetic life,
took up his abode,* After cros^^ing the ella, nnd ascending
about u hundred and seventy feet, a few poct-s on the top of
the ridge poiut out the site of a former rest-house, known as
the Gangule-hene ambalama. An elevation of nbont 4,UiO
feet is here attained, from which a steep descent of fifty feet
leadd to the Hfta or Slta-gangida— "the cold water fall," —
across a portion of which, and carried a short distance up the
precipitous gully from which we had just debouched, was
the first of the chains, which from this point are slung at
intervals to assist the pilgrims in the inot^t difficult parts of
their journey. From the length of this chain, made of stout
half-inch iron, with links a span long, wc iinagined it might
have originally been slung on the site of the hundred steps,
very likely before those steps were cut, since after their
formation, the necessity foraiich aid would, to a considerable
extent, be done away with.
bynomcnosiiifficuU; but terror si'izeil tliem when on or near the top,
and tliey swoi)ned away. While in tLis state one believud that he suw
revealed to bini a magnificent tcmplL-, adorned througliimt with gold and
prei'ioiia gems, and in the interior, resplendent be/ond all eUe, a Sri-pidii,
lo which that nn (he Samanala wasnotinanj way to be compared.
• This is probably the cave referred to by Ibn Baliitii, os tbut of the
king Sibak.
D,9.i,z.a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PKAK.
Large irregular mnsses of rock, filling a Bpan of perhaps
two hundred feet in breadth, form the bed through which
the river Ktormily forces ilsflf at the jioint where it is crossed.
The rapid waters seem to rush out of space as they leap from
the brow of a iiigh rocky ridge above, and are quickly
hurried off down the slec|» ravine below, which carries them
on their way to the KuruwitaFalls, where at their junction
with the Kuni-gafjga, they bear the name of Bapat-ella,
There is a stem grandeur in the scene, the effect of which is
heightened by the dark forest banks on either hand, and the
high back^^round in the distance, an Immense mountain wall,
— a sheer bare precipice many hundred feet in depth. The
rocks and boulders are piled about one another in stran^re
confusion, and form a number of aivernous dens, which
indentifies the spot as that named by Ibn Batiita, the "place
of seven caves," "When crossed at the dry season, the
appearance of these rocks is more likely to attract attention
than that of the river itself.
Pilgrims of all classes here make a halt ; their special
object in doing so being to bathe in the stream, and to
put on clean clothes; since any neglect in these matlers
would nullify all the merit of their pilgrimage. Much wor-
ship is also at the same time paid to the dewas or guardian
spirits of the rock and stream, and many were the prostra-
tions we saw made by young and old alike ; for large numbers
were congregated, of both sexes and of all ages, from the
babe of a few months old, to the tottering sage of seventy,
and the ancient dame of even riper years.
I by Google
ADAM'S 1'I:AK.
A variety of rcn^fins hnvo liocn as!-ii^nc;l for this ])ractirc.
Slime consider tliut tlic iwnie of the stream rettu's to Sfta
tiie wifeorRLima, who in tlic conr=a of her p;ii.tivity was
(letiiiiu'ii in ihisjiart of ihe conn try ;* nn 1 llmt it h owiii^ to
her havinj^ porfornit'd hoi- ahliitioiis in its waters tliat lUcy
pus.iL'iis the [loeuliar sanctifying^ powers attrilnitcil to tlium.
This corret^iioiiils with the belief in Inilia, where Wf know
thiit tlic mountain t^priii^s in wliieh she batheil, when
she and her brother-in-law aceonijianicl her husband m his
exile, are to tliis day objects of veiieratiuu among the
Ilijuius. It is to this fact that Kiilidusa ulludus, in the
ojicniiig lines of the Me^^ha Duta:t —
" WUpre Ri'ir
Ami tli...^.- ]
n(;iri'» tool ihirk «
isteml
Others again believe in the tradition, that somewhere in
the mountains near, Sainan possessed a garden, watered by
the sources of the river, wliieli teemed with all precious fruits
and delightful products; while a third party, holding to an-
other tradition, fix at its source either the site of the garden
of Kden, or of a garden cidtivate<l by Adam after hia ex-
pulsion from Paradise. Both have their faith confirmed by
•
Til
placo wLere Q
cen St'ta wa
s liiiMcn was
ilk-J Asoka-«a
ne. 1
Tl>
diH) site of this p
ace has not been delormini;!]
t
Th
Megho Duta, or
Cloud Miiss
iiger. BTitwn
in Sanskrit ab
lilt
56
D.C
TmiiHlateil intn
Koglisli by
Frofessor H.
11. Wilson,
2d
cdi
1843.
D,9.i,z.ar„XjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
the allefi;ed fact, that fruits, — king-cocoaDute, oraogea, limes,
&c. — are occasionally brought dowo by the stream, the place
of whose growth they consider is inaccessible; aod more-
over believe, that any one venturesome enough to explore
it would never return. At any rate, one could almost
imagine, that it was from tbe Bpot where we stayed awhile
to admire the peculiar features of the scenery, and with a
knowledge of the traditions last alluded to, that the Bard
of Sheffield wrote the following lines, so trnthfuUy does
the latter portion describe what we saw on our second visit.
" Tbere, on Euphrates, in its aDcient course
Three beauteous rivers roU'd Ibeir confluent force,
Whose streams, while m&n the blissful garden trod
AJorn'd the earthly Paradise uf God;
But since he fell, within their triple bound.
Fenced s loDc region of forbiddun ground.
Meeting at once where high athwart their bed
Repulsive rocks a curving barrier spread,
The embattled floods, bj mutual whirlpools crost,
In hoarj foam and surging mist were lost;
Tbeuce like an Alpine cataract of snow;
While down the precipice tbey daah'd below;
There, Id tumultuous bitlows broken wide,
They spent their rage, and yoked their four-fold tide,
Through one majestic channel calm and free
The sister rivers sought the parent sea."*
* "The WoHd before the Flood." The Sita-gangula, the Bapat-$lla,
and the Kuru-gapga, add their streams to and unite in the Kalu-gagga,
before it reaches the sea.
Diaiiz=ai,GoO>|le
ADAM'S PEAK.
in prose aa truthful, my compaQton wrote, "The bed of
the river is of the wildest character. Overshadowed by
lofty forests, and flanked on each side by towering moun-
taio slopes, the flooded stream roared and blustered, as it
tore its foaming course over and amougst the enormous
angular masses of rock by which its bed is obstructed:" Mid
if ever the injunction was needed, as regarded mere phy-
sical actions, to "walk circumspectly," we found it to be
BO when crossing the Sita-gangula, in the state described.
"Huge terraces of graoile black
AfTordcd rude ancl cuiubrous track ;
For from the moiintBin hoar,
Ilurl'd Leftiliong in some oiglit of fear
WTien yell"<I the wolf and fled the deer,
Loose crags had toppled o'er;
And some chance-poised and balanced )aj
So that a atripliiig arm might sway
A mass no host could rtuae,
In nature's rage at raudom thrown
Yet trembling like the Druids' stone
On its precariou-s base."*
The bed of the river being passed, we found ourselves at
the base of a shoulder of the Bena Samanala, from which
rose an ascent as steep, as rugged, and as difficult, as any
portion of that up which we had already toiled since leaving
PaUibaddala, even if it was not more so. Again and again
" The Lord of the Isles." % Sic Walter Scott.
dbyGooglc
ADAM'S PEAK.
we were on the point of euccumbing to fatigue, but 88 often,
rfter a bait of a few seconds, we Offua strode on — " Excelaier"
our orjr,— ~untij, after pftsrang the Yakknhattawegala, aa
immenee perpendicular rock frowning abore the path on the
left of the ament, we stood on the aunimit of the ridge, and
entered H^ ramitip&na, where wepnrposed restingour wearied
limba. Hie heat was exceeeive, aadeome of us almost vowed
never to undertake Bueh a joamey again; bat six moBthe
later the experience of perhaps the most fatigued of the
number was as follows : —
From the Sita-gangula to H^ramitip&na, " we had before
us a long series of high rough steps of rock, winding up
the goi^e. Bat owing to the heavy drenching rain then
falling, a mountain torrent was now rushing down, and
each step was a small waterfall. Consequently, in forc-
ing our way up this gorge, we bad to plunge through a
ehower bath at every step. Not that we cared for the
wetting. In fact we were always wet. It would be hard
to say which would be most wetted by the contact — we or
the torrent. Dry clothes we had long looked upon with
scorn, as tokens of effeminacy and luxury. But even dis-
regarding the wet, it was not very easy to make head against
that water. However we at last reached the top, where we
took possession of the bungalow buildings of Hcramitip&na."*
* On this journej, anc) on tbc sulmequent one as welt, from the time of
our leaving Ratnapura, it raned more or lesK the greater part of everj
daj. AStet once getUng drenched, our plan was to strip off our irct clothes
ii,.„o,L,OO^IC
ADAM'S PEAK.
It was past mid-day when we reached this spot on our firat
escursion, and we had not accomplished more than about
eight and a half miles in more than six hours, and there were
yet perhaps two and a halfto be traversed ere we "the sacred
impress of the lotus foot could see," io its temple-sbrine at
the top of the Samaoala, which stood full before us in all the
sublimity of its m^escic height and size- To attempt to
go further was out of the question, aud besides, our cooties
with commissariat supplies had not yet come up, and we
were hungry as well as weary.
The station, huilt io the shape of a quadrangle, 70 feet
hy '60, in its inner square, was filled to overflowiug, and as
we could obtain no room under any sheltering roof, we were
fain to do aa hundreds of others were doing, and bivouac
in the open, with umbrellas to screen our heads from the
sun's burning rays — the intensity of which was little less
than in Colombo, although we were now 4,350 feet or more
above the level of the sea. Casting ourselves down on mats
courteously spread for us, we watched the animated scene
at each halting place, and nrtng them as drj aa we could, and while ire
rested or stayed, to enjo; the comforts of warm diy suits, which with
our rugs, were cflrefuU; packed in a large water-proof wrapper. When
we proceeded, we again got into our damp suits, but the active exertions
which immediatelj followed, prevented asj inconvenient or evil results.
The chief difference in our two journeys was, that in September we had
much mist and little sunshine with the rain^ in Decemher we bad more
aimsliinc and scarcely any mist.
D,o.i,z,a.„t^,oogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
around. Huge cojiper nnd brass and iron caldrons were
seething their contents over dozens of fires int^idc and out-
side the bungalotvd on each side of the quadrangle; thousands
of natives were buay eating, or arranging themselves in
their beat for the final ascent; companies were coDtinunlly
coming and going; singing or chanting on their way stanzas
of the Samanala-helln;* the noise of the tam-tam and doula
and horan^wa was incessant, and ever and anon arose the cry
of" Sadhul SaJhnI" — the shout of many voices saluting the
siicred shrine above, the outline of which was perfectly
distinct, osaliio was that oftbe long and many -coloured string
of natives, winding op and down the mquntain side, eagerto
attain the end of their journey, or as eager to return, now
the great object of their pilgrimage had i>een attained. We
hnd not Iain long however, before we attracted the notice
of a kind motherly looking Sinhalese la«ly, who sent each of
• The Samanala-ljella is one of the popular ballnds of the Sinhalese,
having about as much poetrj in its composition, in tiie estimution ol
educated natives, aa the street aonga of LouiJod, the produclicmB of the
bards of the Scvcn-Diala, have in comparison with the songs and ballads
of tlie classic poeta of England. But for all that thaj catch the attention,
and are rivcttec] in the tnemorics of those for nhom they are speciallir
written. The Samanala-hella consist.? of forly-eight fuur-line stanzas,
each of vrhich contains a rccitlLtion of on attribute of Buddha, or of on
incident connected with his visit to the Saiiiana'i, or an allusion l«i Saman,
or the features of the country, the usual occurrences on the journey, &c.,
and eooclu'lcs with the determination of the singer to worship the 'Siri-
pa Simanala' — the sacreil foot of Samanala.
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PKAK.
iia a brimming bowl of liot rii^c coiijfp, bulled in fwoa-niit
milk, a Jisli we found by no means iinpulatublc, and certiilnly
very refreshing in ita inmicdiiitc efti'i-ts. Fur tins she wuuld
accejit nolhin<; iimrc rlian tbanks; and wc eub,>'c<|nonlly
ascertained tbat the wbolt- of the aci-oinminlatiim i>f the iiluoo
ad well as the food distributed, waa given gratis by a Head-
man of the District; — a very ineritiirioua and charitable act
on his part, wliieh we, witli all tlic other jiilgrims there
assembled, most gratefully aecejued.
Uy the time our eervanta lia<l arrived, (and it was a
marvel to us how they eamc at all wilh eiicli heavy loads
upon their heads) an exodus of a part of the pilgrims had
taken place, and we took possession of the quarters they
vacated, a space in a cock-Uift of loose planks immediately
below the tiles of the principal ambalania or bungalow. Tliia
. ambalama (a building about 60 ft. by 3n, with lean-to's at
each end), is unwalled on three of its sides; the roof is sup-
ported by sixrowaof |iil!ara, on tliefour inuer rows of which ia
laid the planking that forms the upstaira apartment; a clear
open space of about five feet all round this planking, ena-
bles those above to see nearly every thing that 16 going on
below ; the ataircase leading to the cock-loft is the notched
trunk of a tree. Here we spread our ruga and lay dowu
awhile to rest, some fifty of our dusky coloured brethren
sharing the apartment with us, ' Breakfast, tiffin, dinner,
or whatever the meal might be called, was ere long served,
our boxea doing duty for tablea, and our ruga for chairs;
and however rude the acccasories might be, the vianda were
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
good, and the cooking excellent; the only drawback to our
eiijoymeot being the dipcovery that we hiid exhauBted our
Block of beer and brandy ; we had however ample eupplies
of tea and coffee, and except that tliey took lonffer in
getting ready, they were jterhapa quite as good, if not better,
tlian tlie nior? anient beverages. Refreshed by rest and
the incal weliad partaken of, we amused ourselves, for the
remainder of the day, in watching the procecdinga of our
fellow pilgrims, — who a}ipeared to be etiually ae much
amused with ours,— and in admiring ihe grandeur of the
surrounding scenery ; the most attrnctive feature in which
was the Samanala mountain, broad and huge and high,
from the centre of whose long stretching ridge rose what
here prcnentt'd the appearance of a bell-shaped cmiic ma^s,
the venerated shrine-capped Peak, to vi;?il which wc had
joined the pilgrim throng.
"Tliere ptiwiJ in lliat rommitii- Hime
[Tlic] niounliiin anfiillj sublime;
O'er mnny a lenffue tlie bnsfment spreail,
It lowerM [nc'r] many an airy lieml . . .
Pure in niid-lieaven thai rwnrsltipp'ii] eimc
A ilifldem of g]ory shone ;
Re fleeting in the night-full'n skj
The l)e8nis of day's ile|jartetl eyej
Or holdicij;, ere the <lHy tii-gim,
CumiQuiiinn with (he u
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
A1>AMS PRAK.
The ^iiiisi^t was mairniliiTtit. lliuiijrii mir lioiiicon tn the
west wits lioniHleil by tlic t«]>^ <•¥ the hills we Iiml just Biir-
niimnteil, but tlip wn.nlcd slnpcs aii't tlio Iiijzli tnwcrinj: cone
of tlu- Sniimiiah, as well ns the ni;rJ:<"I imviiiituiis sMcs of
Ktiniuliyii-iiarvatL-, ivcrc a'^Vnv with hnj;hcst liiits of ■,n-con
and purple, !>niwn and roil; and no ^tmiipr had "lie of tlie
tliousand rajs" ,«iiuk bonciith the Imundiii;^ sca-liuo of the
west, than the temple above us was lij;Iitcd up, and looked,
as it was, a iiiij;hly Pharos in the blue serene. As the
shades of evening rapidly advaneed, suddenly " ihe i-ilver
mom in sjilondour *'hiine," rising just above and eclipsing
with its hrilliiint gliiry the lamp-lit temple that liad jnst
attracted our attention ; then sparkling up and down and
zigzigging on the monntain'a side, came the flaring torches
of parties of ascending and descending pilgrims : while
light, fleecy clouds gathered round llic "shining monarch of
the night"' to he wondrously illumined by the lustre of liia
rays; and in the concave viiult above, now thick besprent
with flashing stars,
" Unnimber'ii orlis of living fire iipponr
And roll in glittering eniniknir o'er the splipre,"
Altogether, the beauty of the night excelled anything that
any of our party had ever cither witnessed or imagined.
1
Tlic mooa
n.k-r, while
D ori
igl.t
ntiil piwlr/
s pursuniliFil
s a female.
n of i
n tlic m
ascnline
1
D,9.i,z.ar„Xj00gle
ADAM'S PKAK.
But soon the mista from tlje valleys crept up the mountains'
I sides, and gradually veiled from our eyes the enchanting
scenes upon which they bad been gazing.
I "Sweellysnil
The twilight shadows o'er the darkening seeiit',
' Earth, air, und oc-eun, all alike nereno.
j Dipt in the hues of sunset, wrealhi.'U in loneii.
The cli>uds are resting on their mountain thrones ;
One peak alone exalts its [cone-like] ereat
A golden piimdise ahove the rest;
Thither the day, with lingering steps, retires.
And in its own blue element expires.' *
Feelings well nigh akin to nwe had by imperceptible
degrees stolen npon our souls while contemplating the subli-
, mities of nature above and around, and in this mood it was
that we sought in our respective resting places, "tired
j nature's awcet restorer, balmy sleep."
[ But when we wrapped our ruga round us and lay down in
j our quarters, the wish was father to the thought, that
< Soniniis siion wouhl o'er us steal,
I Our eyelids in soft slumbers seal, '
for while the noise continuously kept on, the smoke from the
I greenwood fires undernenth us ascended through the chinks
between, and clung about the planks along which we were
; stretched; and its obnoxious pungency, mixed with the
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
AI>AM'S PKAIC.
other nial-nddiiiy tliat aros't; from flic tleiif^cly sIowcJ tliron^^a
Inilow, anil llie utter nej^lect ol' siiiiitiiry measures anmnil,
gave jriievdu.-i ort'ence to tlie eyes and miritrils. Looked al
from our {ilalform, the natives on the giiiund below were
literally jiaekid toj;utlier a." close as hcn-ings in a harn-I;
and we certiiinly Celt that, where we were ,iiinrtcred, we (vere
undergoing the jiroccs of hcing cured like fliteherf of bacon.
Dos|iitc every drawback, exhausted nature at his-t fell under
the influence^ of the drow!*y god, and we had enjoyed a to-
lernbly sound twn hours' rest, when the arrival of a fresh
party, either coming or going, produced such a hubbub and
commotion in the place that we were thoroughly roused.
Such rest and accommodation were, however with all tJicir
di-awbacki", infinitely to be preferred to our subsequent ex-
periences. On our Septemler journey " when we stopped at
the top, we soon began to discover that we had arrived at a
far cooler climate than that we had left at the bottom of the
mountain, A thermometer we had with us indicated 64° and
afterwards went down to 59^. The bungalow was streaming
wet ; the roof leaked at every joint ; it seemed considerably
wetter in-iidc llianout;" the planks forming the floor of the
central loft dripped heavily, and every drip was like liquid
soot; "and a green damj) growth that coated the walls and
the podden floor did not tend to make the place look any more
comfortable. Outside, a cidd penetrating mist was driving
past, and enveloped every thing, altogether obscuring the
I)rospect. Certainly not a nice place to spend a night in.
We thought that on the whole we might indulge ourselves
D,9.l,z,-,^b>.L-.OOglC
AOAM'S I'KAK.
in the luxury of dry clotlica, hut liad to wiiit almost an hour
for the i>ortinaiitoau to arrive in wliicli they wore packed.
We spent the time ia wnlking up and down, and iaiighing
at the decidedly unhappy look oftlic coolie:*. Poor beggars,
they felt the coM very much. Tluir attire was not calcu-
lated for euch a climate. There we had an advantage over
them, and they would no doubt gladly have exchanged tlie
primitive simplicity of their rig for the trousers of civilisation.
We told them to light up some fires, ^nd they made some
attempts, but ihe-^e natives do not appear to possess the fire-
making instinct, and some of their trials were very unf'uccess-
ful. However they at last succeeded in filling the place with
damp and smoke, wliicli had the most pungent action on the
eyes and nostrils. If they could not extract heat from the
ivct wood, they seemed pretty satisfied to get smoke, and
b<'gau to look somewhat more contented. The couches
which we had that nighl would not have satisfied a Sybarite.
Our accommodation altogether was rather defective. The
mist drove right through the building, and the only advan-
tage we possessed by being inalde instead of out, was that
we were nearly stifled and blinded by the smoke." We lay
on some damp rough planks placed on the muddy floor, over
which we spread our water-proofs and rugs; and although
sleep visited the eyelids of some, the rest were thankful
enough when the dreary night had passed. For —
" I»u<l tlie (iiist/ nijrht wind blew,
Mnnv an nwfiil p]!!].")! Ix-Iwci-n .
i.LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
And the mnonV bewilik'r'd linrk
Sy tlic iiiicl>ii<;lit tciii]i<?.4t to"t,
III a 3c:iof v'n)ioiii-s dark
111 a giiirofL'lomis wns losL"*
In December, the bungalow was dry; nltlumgli rain fell
heavily during the night ; but there was no dense driving
niisi, or gusty squalls, iind that was about all that could be
said in its favour.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
giiliim's |i;ali.
" Emerging from the cavem'd glen
From steep to steep I slowly cllLib,
All J far above the baunti of men,
I tread in air sublime ;
UerentL mv path the swallows sweep,
Yet higher crngs impend.
And wild flowers from tlie Hasiires peep,
And rills descend.
Now on the ridges bare and bleak,
Cool round my temples sighe the gale ;
Ye winds ! that wander o'er the Peak,
Ye mountain spirits ! hail !" *
CHAPTER VII.
Herahitipa'na. — Ascent of the Peak. — Aandita-mala-
TENNA. — MesIK- LENA. — ^"ELA-KANCWA. MaHA-GIRI-
DAN-KAPALLA. — Shrike of Sauan Dewito'. — Tue Sai'-
Pa'da. — The Kamiili -ge'. — The Kudamita. — Scenery
OP TiiE Skies.— Sunrise. — The Shadow. — The View.
TnE moon was still high in the heavens when we woke
OQ the night of our first visit, and shining with unuaual
brilliancy (or so it eeemed to us in the pure atmosphere of
* "The Peak Mountains." Bj Jaues Moktgomekt.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S I'lCAK
fo iiiHisiiiil a lici^'lil): mill lin^Iit wn? llio f^liciii of tiie many
cliirs of magnitude hIio.-c rnyn llu; l:irj^or orb piiliil tiol in
sti-lltir rijmi-o. Scar<-ely a cKniiI w.i^j vi>il)lc; aiul fcclinj; in-
vifr.iratt-.l l)y (Mil- sli.irt ri>t, wo rrsolvcil foi'thwitli to ri>.-uinc
our j.ni nicy.
'■\V;tli Mruiij;tliy(L.-.l .■,>i.flil,ii,-i.., tlio i.iiiri-li li..,;iii. . . .
A V[s(:.'|l:i(ll, lll»l tlll'l>U.>-ll llii- loivM ,-,],
Tlic iiil-iinis Ira.'kM. (ill .m tliv iii»ii,il,.iii-s li.^i-til
Tlu'v riu-t llif sun, n-wri-cii. in i.'li.ri..u- li;.-lit ;
l;i..]iiirlik-a i.ii..(s nU-...r il,,. l,iiiiU.-;.i"> nillM,
And ull tin- orifiit rlmi,-.! wi)lMl..uil> n(fr.,M"*
Iloraniipiuina wlildi signifies "tlie rock of ntavcs," or
"the Ininp of walking sticks," was, we wure also toKl, "tlie
]>laco for tiic lightinp; of the torcli.'s ;"f and we, who haJ
been wonilcring what tlio narrow cinilitooH-inch or two-foot
rolls were, which we IiaJ noticed most of the jiilgrinis curried
with them, now saw that they weie torches, — tubes filled
■ "TIk; World Wf.irL- the Fl"i«l."
t A frk-ml whii uiailf tli« aacynt si.mu fue nii<l twenly jcira nn;o,
iiiloi'mx me, tliut iron nnh, lu be ui-uil iis walking slicks. u»i.il lu tie 9iild
t" tlic pilfTiims nttbis siaticin, at the mioufn rix-dullur, or U.6i/.,CR<'h:
atid that on ttic arrival nf the pit{rriiis at tlie foot print, ihey iiinilc offer-
iiigs of those sticks to the Sr!-pAda. When ns inanj ac filty wi'ri! thus
col lot led, tbey were sont biick to HemniiliiiSud, by an ii;reii[ of the
priest, to be re-suld; anil this would liii[>]ieii ilirce or four limes a day, or
even more frequenlly, necordUig tu eireiimatanees, Tlie revcmie froip
such a source must hove been [ireltj pnifitable, as long as it Iii8lc<l.
D,9.i,z.ar„XjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
witli & resinous Eiibstancc, — here first brought into use, and
giving out a strong flaring blaze when lighted. Speedily
providing ourselves with a supply of-thcse, and leaving our
heavy baggage in charge of a hangani,* we set out accom-
panied by our interpreter, and a few servants to carry up
our overcoats and rugs, witich, for this part of the journey,
they rolled up and slung upon their backs.
A email valley with a steep dip, but not more than fifty
feet below Heramifip&na, separates the Samanala from the
mountain of the False Peak, or that ridge of it from which
we weredet^cending. The first portion of tlie opposite ascent
is through several gullies seven or eight feet in depth, and
extremely narrow, cut through the soil at the base of the
mountain by the torrents which pour down in the rainy
season; these alternate with steep rocks on whose faces
broad iron liidders are clamped, or with angular boulders,
up and over which the traveller must scramble the best way
he can. The ascent, nearly the whole of which lies through
a densely wooded forest, may be divided into four parts,
— I, the face of the mountain, as steep as anything we had
yet surmounted; — 2, the shoulder, somewhat easier travel-
ling ; — 3, the cone, the Akasagauwa, or "sky league," an
awful f^tcep climb ; — and 4, the Peak, an all but absolute
precipice.
As we wended on our way, taking great heed to our
steps, especially when a descending party seemed to block
* A responsible head coolie.
D,9.i,z.ar„XjOOglC
ADAM'S I'KAK.
tlie path, we were much struck liy a peculiar ami incessant
clacking sound wlilcli came from llie woods on either si<Ie; and
ive arrived at tlie conclusion that it was produced by swjiniis
of some inpcct or other, just as tlic "knife" or "scissor-
grinder"— the Cicada — fills the air in the lowlands witli ita
shrill car-piercing notes. Very weird-like was our proces-
sion, as the torches flashed down their lifjht into the guiHcs,
or glinted on the cliffs which frowned above and about us ;
and nervous was the clutch with which we held on to the
chains that helped us up some ugsome rock, with steps cut
here and there in its adamantine lace ; or grijiped the ladder
whose sloping irons gave but a slippery hold to the soles of
our boots, admirably adapted although those irons were to
the naked feet of the natives, whoae toes are trained to all
the uses of fingers, as far as mere holding is concerned.
Thus on and on we went, until we arrived at a mound which
we were told by our guide was the grave of the first man who
made a pilgrimage to the Sri-p&da, and who became a Saint
in consequence; but he was not able to inform us whether
the party canonized was a Buddhist, a Hindu, or a Moham-
madan.* It is more than probable that the mound is the
* Capt. PsiDHAM writes, (p. 614 of hie work on Ccj'lon), "On the
luniiuit of the continued ridge, colled' Aandiyamallc-tenne, is the grave of
an Aandiva or mendicaDt priest, now a Mahommedan eawt, who closed
his pilgrimage, iloubtlesa to his great content, 90 near the place At whit-h
the lather <if maakind and the lirsl of Mahommedan prophets, had, in bU
belief, been compelled, tbaii pede in uno, to perform so long and uncom-
furtuble a penance. After his bodj bad lain fur three months on this
i,z.ar„Xj00gle
ADAM'S PliAK.
place of interment of one of the last named religionists, ivlio
are aomewhat apt to revere :is eiiinta such notabilities of their
faith as happen to die whilst on their journey, when led to
undertake a pilgrimage. Immediately after, we entered
Aandiya-malft'tenne, "the plain where the Aandiya died,"
a small plateau where once stood a two-roomed bungalow,
now only a ruinous mound. Tliifl place no doubt obtained
its name from the fakcers whom Kaja Siyha the Apostate
made custodians of the Peak. Here we made a short halt, —
adding one more group to the many already there, the whole
forming a picture such as Salvator Koaa would have been
delighted to transfer to canvass, — all jiausing at its immediate
foot
. . . . " In view that towering Teak
That eastwanls, rears bis regal brow
And sliadons half tlie vole below :
One moment biiaking in the blaze
}]is majesty of form iliaplajs
'Jlien with a rube of splendid ulouds
His giant bulk again enshrouils.
With filial ane the Indiana siill
View that mjslerious holy hill.
Bpot, reiiisting the most inveterate causes of deeompoHilion. it was dis-
covered by a hermit from the wilds below, who had undertaken, as an
uddiiional penance, the task of reaehiog the Peak, through traeklesa
deserts, thorns, rocks, under caverns, and over barriers of every kind, .
where man hud never trod before ; and he it was who came upon the
dead body, and pcrtonned the lost office of humanity over the swntud
d^TGo'ogle
ADAM'S PICAK.
With tlic-m llincel.al
1- i.n
ir pro,,
'J'lii.' sai-rmi niiirk ji-t lii'- ii
lIcTli'p every rank, niiit spx
l'iT:«nn llip [.ioii- [.ilgrima
Ana yearly (Inrk from fir i
T.. •
nib Mi>! .turk rock'^
Ajr^iin bracing ourselves to tlie ta^^k before lis, we sot out,
and colj us the niglit was in those iii)[»er rejjions of t!ie air,
we were all soon in a streaming pcrsjii ration from the violenee
of our exertions in surmounting the diffiiiullie^ of the patli,
which consisted of nothing but a aeries of chains, ladders
and rnclts, and rocln, UJders and chains, until all hut
breathless wo reached what may be termed the neck of the
Peak itself. In this part of the ascent onu comes every nov
and again to the edge of a precipitous cliff, from whence a
magnificent view is obtained of the country I>eIow. At first,
the suddenness of the opening, as it were on to space, the
extent of the prospect, and the height one is conscious of
having attained, is apt to produce a sensation of giddiness ;
which a few moments in general suffices to dispel. When
about forty yards from the neck of the I'cak, a divergence
dbyGoogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
from the upward path for about the same distance, leads to
a rocky cave called Menlk-lcna, wliere it is Bup|X)aed gems
of great value may be found.* The top of thia so-called
cave is a large projecting horizontal slab of rock, in size
about 20 feet by 10, of considerable thickness, and about
eight feet high from the ground. When seated underneath
tht^, should the possibility of ltd falling in occur to the
mind, a feeling of nervousness may result, which it is as
well, at once, resolutely to shake off.
In the neck of the Peak, a temporary abed of bambu and
thatch had been put up. This we found crammed choke-full
of pilgrims who had preceded us, either going or returning,
the latter halting for a short breathing space before attempt-
ing the final and most trying part of the pilgrimage. Here
once stood the Ehela-kanuwa, or post of the Bhela tree,
where the pilgrims were accustomed to register vows, marking
them with chunamf on the post, before they made the final
aijcent. As this post is no longer there, it having either
fallen, or been thrown over the precipice, they now content
themselves with marking a piece of rock which has been
substituted for it-J
• Tliu iiiinn; Mcnik-k'na, signififs "the cave of gems."
t Cliuiiam, B fine kiud of slicit-iiiac, eaten with bett-t Icsf nnd areka-
X A story gcwR snioiig the nntitCR, th»t some seventy or eiglity years
ago, one of the Jlnngakkon MuUiliyard uf Mnt^u, wunt on pilgriinage
to tbe Sri-|)li(la, and (iMceiilt'il as fur astlie ^hclo kunuvra, wben looking
up (ho |n.'i]n.'inlicular asL-enl ho wa-i struck with fear, ami would go no
D,9.i,z.ar„XjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Passing out from this, we at once came to the Malia-
giri-dain-[or diin]-kapala, — " the grcat-rock-cliain-narrow-
pass" — a ledge with a sc^nt foot-hold and a jutting corner,
then a small bare sloping Blab, and tlicn the chains, and the
ladder, which more than all else affect and test the pilgrims'
nerves. This contititutes the final ascent, and ii divided
into five portions; the sloping slab just mentionid ; lengths
of chains to assist one up a well nigh perpendicular flight of
sixty steps cut in the living rock ; another eloping slab of
rock, with here and there a few built-up stones ; a further
flight of forty in-cut steps, still steeper than the last; and
a third slab rock immediately outside the wall that encloses
the Sri-piida. On either side of the steps several lengths
of chains, ten on one side, and the samfi number on the
other, each from six to cij-ht fathoms long, and formed of
various large oblong and triangular fashioned links, hang
clustering down fiat against the siile of the nearly vertical
cliffs; and by their aid, and, on the topmost fliglit, the addi-
tional assistance of a chain on stanchions forming a low iron
balustrade, all are bound to drag themselves up or let them-
selves down the precipitous wall of rock that forms the
pathway to the pilgrims' goal above- Those who prefer it,
furtiicr, but returned, cursing Budillia in Ihe moat reproacliful mnniier,
for being so cruelly uaklnil as to place bis foot-print on so dangerous
a place; reinarkiug at dio same time, iioir mueh better it would Lai'ebcen
had be left the inipresiion of his foot onastoneat tlie field of BatuKedara,
the villuge next tu Katnapura, i>u tlic oppoaitc bauk of the Kalu ga^ga.
D,9.i,z.ar„L.oogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
may indeed, at one spot, take a slightly different but more
I awfully perilous route,upa brood iron ladder close by, fixed
' neither straight on, nor at an angle in front of, but at a slant
i falling to the right, sideways from the rock; the slightest
slip from which will hurt the pilgrim to destruction in the
abyss below. And up this ladder one of our party actually
made the ascent. I did not see him, being in the rear, and
too busy on my own account to pay much attention to the
proceedings of others; but when I saw the ladder, its hang
J to one side made me shudder, and I gladly turned to the
chains. A\^hen about half way up the final (light, down came
( a company of returning pilgrims. To proceed onwards was
impossible, and to recede I dare not; so clutching firm hold
j of the chains with both hands, with the toes of one foot
hitched on to a step, and those of the other pressing against
; the bare vertical rock, I swung aside until all had passed, and
I then swarmed up with an alacrity which made me wonder at
myself. Arrived at the top, I was heartily congratulated
by my companions as I entered the opening in the southern
I angle of the wall which surrounds the platform, from the
I midst of which springs the mass of gneiss and hornblende that
! bears on it£ fop the far-famed impress—the "Sri'-pa'da" —
to behold which we had thus far toiled and won our way.
I We now had time to look about us and mark the novelty
I of the scene. The platform or terrace round the central
rock is enclosed by an irregular he.iagonal wall, five feet
I high, and about seventy feet in length from the north-
I eastern to the southeastern angle, by forty-five feet across
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S I'KAK.
at its {jroatcst breailtli. Gifiantlo rlnKl(«IeTnlnni,-< ovcrliftng
the wall on the eiistcrii siile of the Peak. Their beniling
trunks f!eem,tofhe IJudillii^t mind, to bow to the foot-print;
and to i>ff'or, in lioinaj^c mid adoration, thi^ir wealth of crown-
ing crimson flowers to the |)Ctlal impress of tlie founder of
their faith. The area wiiliin the wallc, as weU aa the eeiitral
rock itself, wa3 crowded with devotecH. Numerous streiiniers,
and flags of (plaint and strange device, flaunted in the breeze,
suspended from the chains which servo as stays to sup[)ort
and protect the temple roof ajcainst the violence of the mon-
soon winds ; and many additional ones were hung on ropes
temporarily rove here and there. On a jutting point of rock,
a few pacoa from tlie entrance gap in the wall, was a shrine
three feet in height, dedicated to 8aman Dewiy6,thc tutelary
deity of ttie district, at whose request Buddha came hither
andatamped his foot-print on the pinnacle immediately above;
and thither every pilgrim rushed to fall prostrate in adora-
tion, as soon as he or she had gained the level of the terrace,
as well as to deposit certain otferings brought with them for
the occasioD.
Behind, and a little above thi^ shrine, is the Kudamita,
a Urge iron stanchion let into a crevice in the rock, on
which, in former times it was customary, during the pilgrim
season, to fix the silver-handled umbrella which is now kept
at the Saraan Dcwale in Ratnapura.
Standards, supporting from a series of spreading iron
branches circle above circle of big tin lamps, each threw
their cumulated glare in front of the shrine, and of the steps
D,9.l,z,.^.,>LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
which led to the foot-print ; and these were constantly being
fed with oil, and grease, and incense, the fumes of which filled
the air with a heavy and almost sickening odour. Before
these standards, tam-tams and doulas, and hordnawaa were
beaten and blown without pause; and a more demoniacal-
looking personage than one of the leading horenawa players
we never saw. One of his eyes protruded from disease ; his
whole face was pitted and seamed with scars from small pox,
and his cheeks were puffed out like bladders blown to almost
bursting tension. If, as an ancient writer* has declared,
the foot-print is that of none of those to whom it is usually
attributed, but Satan's own, then in sober truth the Arch-
fiend could not have chosen a worse or more truculent-
looking piper to render due musical honors to his mundane
mark.
Just below the temple, two large bells are suspended
together, between short heavy beams. One of these is
cracked, but the other was continually being rung by pil-
grims, who thereby intimated the number of their ascents,
as well as proclaimed their purity ; the legend being that
the bell refuses to sound if attempted to be rung by an
unclean person. Ten rough blocks of stone lead up to a
kind of altar-tuble of wood, fixed outside the temple, in
front of, but a little below, the toes of the foot- print, on
which are placed what may perhaps be termed the honorary
* MosEB or C1i5rene, who, in his IIiHtorj of Armenii, and Epitome of
Geography, writes coDcemiDg it, " ibidem ^ataniE lapgum narrant."
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
ofn;ri;ig.-' (.f the iiil:^rliiis. Tiie.-c arc chiefly flcral, and at the
tiiiie of our visit consisted iilmost entirely of the unbroken or
jiist-burdt Hower (iputhe* of the areka ]mlni. Above and
ovcrhiokiufi ail, wasthc pa'roda-:iha[>ed Swi^s-cottasf-io'jking
thi-inc thatai:rconed the holhiw in the rot-k, — the BO-c;dlcd
Sitci'eil Foot-jiriiit, — wortihi])ped alike by liiiddiiip'tri, Hindus,
and Mohaminadan^, as the iuHlre^B tliere left of the foot of
Buddha, Siva, or the Father of Mankind.
The Sri-iuidarock, theSainaiita-kiita, Ihcpinnade or apex
of the Samauala, is of an irregular pyramidal forcn, very
considerably steeper to the south and west, than to the north
and east. Ita ba^e is abont a hundred and twenty feet in
circumference, its greatest lengtti being about forty, and its
breadth about thirty feet. We estimated its height to be ten
feet above the level of the surrounding terrace or platform.
The Raphili-ge," or temple, is a small quadrangular build-
ing, twelve feet by ten, and is, in fact, nothing more than
a tiled canopy supported on pillars, between each of which
is a small balustrade, — balustrades and pillara alike shewing
eigna of age and the eflfects of the weather ;t and neither
the one nor the other at all improved by being carved all
over with the names and initials of visitors and pilgrims.
The roof was ceiled with white cloth, and similar cloths were
• " 1'lie fjoldc'n tovert'd Iiohsl-."
f This in about to be taken down nnd a new one put up in its l>lii('e.
It in 1 1 ciders tot 111 that the ulU one vill be pro^rved in Ibe gruuuda of tlie
AsBlNtant Govemineiit Agent's bouse at Ratuajiura.
lizMbyGoOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
I stretched between some of the pillars. The entrance to the
interior is on the north-west, ftiid cloee to thia is a great iron
I bowl, two feet in diameter, which is kept filled with water'
i from the well below. The indentation of the foot-print is
I to the west of the centre of the interior. The heel is much
; higher than the toes, and the artificiality of the whole is
1 palpable. A thick raised edging of cement marks the rude
outline of a foot, five feet seven inches long, and two fci't
seven inches broad at the point where ilie heel begins to curve.
The interstices between the toes are also formeii of cement,
and the whole of tlie niiirkings of the foot every now and
again need repair.* The inner portion of the heel and instrp
are the only parts that are clearly natural rock. But as
there are none so blind as those who will not see, the m-irka
of iheartificcr'dhands are invisible to the thousands tvho come
; to worahipthe venerated relic, whicli is just about the size of
the foot of the colossal images they adore in their principal
viharas. A white cloth concealed the Sri-pilda from view,
except when the pilgrims were about to present offerings in
the shape of money or valuables. These they were allowed
to deposit in the foot-print itself, from which however they
j were at once carefully swept out by the attendant unanse.
* Tliin edging of cement. iu< wvll m IIic artiliciul markings betwcun tPie
tnea, is pcrliaps renilered necessary, in order ui mnkc tlie fuut-print
correspnuii ivilh the di'scriplian given of il in tlie Saiuan^-kiitn n
nhcre it is suit) to be as eluar anil ircll ilelincil "us a nivnl ueal i
dbiTGoogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
After Jiie prostrations ami the repetition of the prescribed
Buddhist formulas, the prieat bestowed his benedictioo, and
- the devotees joy fully withdrew to make room for others; when,
returning to tlie terrace, they collected around email fires,
into family groups, while they rested to recruit from their
fiitigues, previous to attempting the homeward descent ;■ for
xeveral in
Dr. D*vr thus di-scribes o
Tbu party of |i
■lie lie witncss,..|! on one of these
1 that Lnil just arrived eunsistcU of
alive Sin;j;haleNeof the interior, neatly dretsed
ii) clean cUitheK. They i in me il lately jiroccedeil to their devotiuna. A
priest, ill his yellow roboa, atooil on tlie rook close to the iinpreaEion of
the fi)ot, with \m face to the penile, who had ranaied ihcnirtelvea in a row
beloiT ; Botiie on their kncea, with their hands uplifted, and joined palm to
palm, and otherM bending forwards, with tlieir handa in tlio same attitude
of ileviition. The priest, in a loud clear voice, sentence bj sentence,
recited the urtie'es of their rcli(;iDus faith, and dulies ; and, in response,
they repeated thesame after bun. When he had finished, they raised a
loud shout ; and, he retiring, they went through tlie same ceremony by
themselvea, with one of (Jieir party for their lender.
"An interesting ace ne followed thia: wives alTcctionstely and respect-
fully saluted their husbanda, and children tbcir parents, and friends one
aiiolhcr. An old grey-headed woman fir^t wade her salams to a really
venerable old man ; ahe was moved to tears, and almoiit kissed his feet :
he nlfeetionatcly raised her up. Scvi^rnl middle nged men then salamed
the parriarchal pair; these men were nalame<l by still younger men, who
had first paiil their reapeeta to the old people ; am! lastly, those nearly of
llio same standing slightly salamed each other, and exehanged betel-leaves.
, The intention of these salutations t waa informed, was of a moral bind, —
In confirm the ties of kindred, — to strengthen fami'y love and friendship.
It of the Interior of Ceylon, p. Si5.
D,9.l,z,.^.,>LiOOgle
ADAM'S PKAK.
although the moon-lit night seema to be the favourite time
for making the ascent, few or none care to sleep till day-
break on the Pi'ak, the belief being that only priests and
Europeans can do ao with impunity.
It was pointed out to an attendant priest by a visitor some
years ago, that as there is a hollow under the instep of a
man's foot, eo there should be a corresponding height in any
impression made by that member of the body upon any
yielding non-clastic substance; and that in a foot sixty-aevcn
inches long, there should be a proportionate rise in the centre
of the foot-mark, which is not the case in the Srt-pSda.
The priest admitted that ordinarily it should be so; but
that the ascent to the top of the Saraanala was in places
over soft and sticky soil, and that the hollow of Buddha's foot
had been clogged with mud or clay as he came up, ao that
aucb a rise could not be ahewn when the yielding rock vvaa
moulded by the pedal pressure of the All-supreme. The
answer was by no means bad, aa an off-hand reply to the
objection of an unbeliever. But the priest either forgot the
declarations in sacred olas about Buddha's power ofpassing
through the air whenever he pleased, or of his mode of pro-
gression when moving ordinarily from place to place; or he
may have presumed upon the ignorance in regard to such
subjects of the individual he was speaking to. Now,
aceording to Buddhistic legends, the manner in which the
Great Teacher walked, excited universal admiration." If
* Haiiit's Mnnual of ItudUhisin, p. 366.
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
there wore lliorna, rock:i, or otlicr ulihtructiona, they removed
themselves epontaiieoualy ; if there was mini it dried up; if
holes they disapjicared; if elevations they melted away like
butter that sees fire; and the air was filled with choice and
delicate perfumes. If he [>asned any body in pain, the pain,
however intense, ceased in an in:itiiiit: and when his foot
touched the ground, a lotus sprang up at every step! His
foot came to the ground as lightly as cotton wool! He
could walk in a »[)ace not larger than a mustard seed ; and
yet with as much ease as a man may cross his door-step, he
on one occasion placed his foot on the earth, then on the
rork Yugandhara, then on the top of Mcru I Of the height
of Mcru an idea is to be gathered from the statement, tliat
a pebble would take four months to drop from the top to
the base!
The Kuiiia Jataka* describes the way Buddha walked as
follows: —
"At once frnm offtbo couch he rofe
Ami on llie earth that did, wt'U-jili'ascii, liis happy advent greet.
He aiiught in uiRJesty to place hU ever-eacred feet I
Ere he, the Lord Supremi;, wlio h with everj meril graced,
His shining: (cct upon the ground uiajestlcall,v placed.
Til hear tlial ever-saercd twaiti ere lliey on earth hud trod,
A scven-huddcd lotus burst all blooming fruro the »>d! "t
* K. J., stanzas Sd, 57.
t TliL- Ku^aJalaha was writlpn A.n. 1610. l>v ALiniAWASA Mohottaf.a,
nn author who occupies in Siphalc-c literature the piiaition held lij Pope
ill ihiLt of England. Il is a poem of 687 four-line xtauzta, descriptive
1, Google
ijGoogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
Thinking over the strange iocongriiitiesof the scene before
119, we ensconced oureclvcH in a sheltering angle at a corner
of the terrace wall, not far from the email hut occujiied
by the resident priests, one side of which reste on the base
of the terminal rock of the Samanata; and glad of our
over-coats, and the thick rugs with which we were provided
aaa protection against the cold, we endeavoured to compose
ourselves to rest, if not to sleep.*
of one of the exislcni-rx of Ruilcllia frevioux to his final birth and
assumption of the BuJdha-htHMi ; and in the opiuion of cioinpetenl judges
"the unity of its plan, the steady progress of the narrative, and a certain
unaflected displaj' of (genuine feeling in iu prlnci|>al characterrt, entitle it
to ranic aa a poem of tlie higliCBt merit." A brief account of the author
and his writings is given in page.*! ccvii. — ccxL of the Introiluction to the
SiJat Sangarawa, by Ja.ues D'Alwis, Esq.. Advocate uf the Suprciiie
Court, Ceylun, whose untiring rexearehes and manifold writings on the
language, literature, history and religion of the Sinhalese, bare won for
bim A reputation among Occidental scholars that lia.s never before been
attained by any of his countrymen, and placed hiiu in a foremost rank
amongst the highly distinguished Orientalists of the present day. An
elegant English metrical trnnalationof the Kuaa Jalaka was published in
the Ceylon Obnerrer, in the year 1865. It is understood to have been
from the pen of T. Steele, Esq , of the Ceylun Civil Service ; and it is
hoped that ere long it may appear in a more permanent form, with the
author's latest touches to add tu its value. To the kindness of thia
gentleman 1 am iudebte<l for the extract in the text.
* In the ac^eompanying sketch of the ground plan of the Samanta*kiHa,
o, is the Ragliili-ge, or temple; fi, the bells; c, the shrine of Saman-dewiyd;
rf, the prientK* house; e, the entrance from Rntnnpura; and/, the entrance
from the Kandlan Districts.
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PEAK.
Rut our interpreter and servanls were not so well screened
i'rnm the cold as we were, and it was not long before they
nought out and obtained ]icm]ission for us to occupy a
two-roomed house on the soiitheastern slope of the mountain,
to which we descended by some rough steps, which terminate
the road to the Peak from the Kandian Diatricts— a route so
comparatively easy, that a man may almost ride to the door
of the building we now took pos3i'ssi(m of.' Here we found
a Police Constable, and a Priest; the latter attached to the
temple, and the former placed on duty to represent the
majesty of the law, and to protect the offerings made to the
Sri-pada from the depredations of a litigant party, who claim
them on behalf of a former chief priest. This priest it seems
had been deposed from office, and another elected in his
stead; but the deposed, although he had vacated the office
and allowed his nuccessor to take pusse:<sion, had been per-
suaded to dispute the validity of his deposul; and in the
* It was up UiiH mail that, in IHI4, M<)1l1g'«l<l<-, the ncwlv apiwiiiteJ
fimt Adikar and Diraiva of Sflburagainuwa, entered the Provinci;, nhen
Bheylaimla hi.s preileoesaof, reliulled Bf,'iiiiist the luat king of Kandy,
L'|>on reteivin-i the onler to su|ipvi'sa the rebellion, Dr. Davt aajn
" Molligixlik' oboved with alaericy ; be entered Saffrai-am ovlt tbe lofiieat
point of the island, and the most dillicult pas-— the -ammit of Adaiu's
Peak. The hearts of the native.'' failed them on his approneh; and he
met nlth hut little opposition. Kheylapohi, with some of his adherents,
fled to Columbo, and MoUigcddii returned to Kandy witli a erowd of
prisoners, forty-seveu of whom were impaled." — Account, of the Interior
of Cejion, p, 321.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
previous season, he, or his supporters, hati made a foray upon
the temple, and succeeded in carrying away the offerings,
which are, in the nggregntfi, of considerable value. To prevent
a similar procedure this season, the law had been appealed
to, and by order of the District Judge, the value of all the
offerings must be [laid into Court, until iho right to them of
one or other of the claimants has been legally decided.*
Notwithstanding all our wraps and rugs, the cold was so
intense thut we shivered ngain, and our teeth rattled toge-
ther like castanets : so ibiil we joyfully welcomed the appenr-
ance of a fire, and watched with an unwonted interest
the preparations made for boiling a caldron of rice conjee.
Priest, policeman, pilgrims, interpreter, coolies, and all
connected wilh our party, crowded into the small rooms,
whose bare mud walls and low roof reminded one of an Irish
cabin; a resemblance heightened in its effect by the croon-
ing way in which, with coat collars turned up about our
ears, and rugs drawn over our beads, we huddled together
over the difficult-lo-be-kindled and slow-burning embers,
and stoically endured the eye-smarting, eneeze-eicciting,
larynx-irritating, cough causing smoke they emitted, for the
sake of the warmth which gradually began to temper the
biting keenness of the surrounding atmosphere.
• Tlimiifth the obliging courtesy of llie learned Adrncnle of tlie
Supreme Cimrt, Mr. C. L, Fcrdinamls, one of ihe Icsiling Counsel
engaged in tlie case, I am enabled to give, in Appendix J, some inlci'e-''t-
iiig documents relating to iho mode of appuintiuenl, and s
tlic office of Cliief-priest of the Teak.
D,9.i,z.ar„XjOOglC
ADAM'S PI:aK.
The water for the cnokin^ was broiifrht from the well —
(sDme pay spring, but I doubt the pl)^^ibility of there being
n spring at such an elevated [loint fur above all immediate
cumiunding mDiintnin top?)— a little ili^tiinoe niirtliweet of,
and about thirty feet below the terrace wall. This water is
said to possess many and peculiar properties, and is held in
as much repute by pilgrim? as is the i)rcei()U^ water from the
holy well Zem-zem at Mecca by every hadji amongst the
faithful and turbancd Islamites. In due course the conjee
was ready and handed round: and what with it, and the
fires, about which we bat and stood, and the smoke which
filled the rooms, we at last regained something like our
natural warmlh, and began to feel ourselves again.
We had just resolved upon lying down, as best we might,
for a sleep, when a messenger came to say that the house
was wanted for the accommodation of the family of the
Itatemahatmay^ of Kuruwiti Korali;, who had just made the
accent ; and out we had to tuni, which we did willingly
enough, for ladies, young and old, were now the parties to
be accommodated. This Bateinahatmaya, an able, active
and intelligent Kandtan Chief, was educated at the Colombo
Academy, and is believed to be a Christian, although his
family are Buddhists; his presence therefore appeared more
that of the natural protector of his family, than as a co-wor-
shipper with them.* He offered to obtain for our use the
• An appu once toUl his master, Bpologetit'ally, that he went on pilgri-
mage to the Kflani vilrfira and dagubn, " to please the womans."
D,o.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADANrS PEAK.
priests' house on the Peak, but this we would not consent
to. Returning thereCore once more to the terrace, we
stationed ourselves near the entrance at the southern angle,
and watched the companies of pilgrims as they came up.
The ascent from the bambu shed at the Ehcla-kanuwa
is usuallymade withoutapause; the peril appearing bo great
that any check, allowing a glance around or beneath, might
bring on giddiness and result in fatal falls.* Many, if not
most of the women were completely worn out with fatigue
by the time they had attained this point; they had therefore
to be assisted up the acclivity by their male companions,
who hauled them on to the terrace, and bore them, faint and
utterly exhausted, to the nearest shrine, where they bent
tlicm down and forced them to make the requisite prostra-
tions, and then carried them, all senseless as they were —
some in death-like swoons — to be recovered by the care and
' Under ordinary circumatttnces, wentlier permitting, any one wiih a
cool head and sieady nerves, may go up and down these cliffj with perfect
safety. But accidents do somctiiuea oocjr, though happily but rarely.
Major Forbfti mentions, that in 1815, "several natives were blown over
the prceipicc, and yet continued clinging to one of the chnina during a
heavy gust of wind ; but in such a situ.ition, no aasistance could be
rendered, and they all periBlied." And Dr Davy was informed, that only
a fortnight before his visit to the Peak, in April 1817, two natives
looking down the precipice, " became giddy, and frightened, fell, and were
dasbed to pieces." In April, 1S69, three natives were said to be blown
down the precipice by the force of a fierce stonn that then came on j
and it was allcgeil, tlut at the same lime several olbers perished from
fatigue, and the intensity of (he cold to which they were exposed.
i.LiOOglC
ADAM'S PKAK.
attontum of thoir fiicndi', wherever they could find a vacant
The heavens above ns were cleiir, the stara were shining
briffht, and the ghirious fuU-orljed nuion was scarcely past
the zenith. From the Peak, ahhize with ligiit, to the Hera-
mitiiiiina station, similarly lighted np, the whole of the
pilgrims' patli was filled as it were with a living chain of fire,
connecting the two points together, and formed by the
torches of the multitudes going to and fro. On our riffht, to
the north, above, and beyond iloraniiiipiina, towered Unu-
diya, the gigantic rocky Alp that crowns the Kiinudiya-
parvatc; to our left, and almost rivalling in height the moun-
tain just mentioned, was the Bena Samanala. These, with
the Peak on which we stood, Mublimcst of thcni all, ro.se
sharp and distinct, from two to three thousand feet above
the clouds, which like an immense plain of enow, with
irregular rifts blown into fantastic shapes along the level,
hid all below from view. The mother-of-pearl tint of the
apparent plain, the moonlighted tops of ihc fleecy rifts, the
darkened shade of their caverned sides, and the shadows
they threw Ujion the motionless mantic of cloud and mist
thus suspended in mid-air, and spread westwards to an
illimitable distance, was a spectacle that once seen can never
be forgotten, and well illustrated the ins])ired assertion of
the Royal Psalmist, that "the heavens duclare the glory of
God, and the firmament ehewefh his handy work."
The wonderful beauty of this scenery of the skiea did not
however prevent us from noticing wluit was going on around.
D,9.l,z,.^:,>LiOOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
On the Rvtfsmahatmayaa family coming up to view the
foot-print, one of their retinue unceremoniously swept from
off the altar-table the whole of tlic floral offerings prevtoualy
placed there, and pitched them over tlie terrace wall, in
order to make room for those his party were about to
present. The chief himself seemed to take little heed of
anything but the welfare of the ladica of Wis family, the
younger members of which were evidently greatly interested,
and not a little amused, by the novelty of all they saw.
They were weleomed by the musicians with a special burst
of wild discords, improvised to do them honor in the presence
of the assembled crowd.
The night had considerably advanced, and the east, —
hitherto bounded by the dark mountain ranges whose out-
lines broke black against the deep blue sky,— bcgaa to shew
indications that day-break was at hand.
The clniiilk>sfl blue (lalod into grey,
Tht givy tn umber tints gave way
Tlien fiil8lii.ll u roay red;
Tlio n-'Ugruw crimsiiii, ilicu aflame
Willi hrigtiler brightness all became.
AVIiilc dawn ainl [layiipriii<; s]>ri;ad.
As the advancing light became more and more diffused,
the mountain chains of the central zone grew more disiinct,
and the stars above grew dimmer and yet more dim. Then,
heralding the advent of the sun from his tabernacle at the
end of the heavens, the morning star arose from behind
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PEAK.
the (12 miles) distant Kirigallepotah* (7,871 ft. high) and
rapidly iDOiiDtcd upwards in the coirulcan arch
" As if an an^tl -sentinel of night
From earth to Leaven had wing'd ha homeward flight
Glorious at first, but Icssi^ning by the way
And lust insensiblj in higlict daj."t
Behind the mountain ranges, the light grew stronger,
broader, and more and more intense, until, from north to
south, the arc of. the horizon glowed like a molten looking
glass; and rising from the Nuwara EHj-a plains (6,fi00 ft,
above the sea), the purple dome of Pedurutalagalaf 8,295 ft.
high, and 22 miles distant in a direct line), could be distinctly
traced behind the peak of a northern range :
"the heavens
n<] more resplcnilcnt, till on earth
peaka burn'd as with rosy flume."
The morning star had attained an altitude of about twenty
degrees above the mountain tops, and had already paled in
* Or " Kiribat-gul-kanda." The Kandians in Uie neighbourhood of this
mountain say, that when any important personage living near it is about
to die, a great voice is heard to proceed during the night from its interior.
This they allege has happened thrice within the memory of living men;
once, a few days before ihe death of Doloswala Dis&vra; again, at the
death of Galle N'&yaka uniin.ie, in 1836; and a third time, a few days
before the death of the lato Sumangala Xayaka uniinie, in 1638, both of
whom were Chief-priests of Adam's Peak.
f'Thc World before the Flood."
i,z,.^b>LiOOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
bi'illiaDcy, when, with electnc speed, a seeming stream of
golden fire ran riglU and left through the fringe of forest
trees which marged against the sky the brows of the mighty
hilb in the distant east, and from the core of the arc, behind
the peakof Totapclla( 7,720 ft. in height and2 1 miles distant),
the light increased and radiated, until at last, with a vehement
blaze, and an indescribable flush of effulgency,— all the more
intense and intolerable to sight from the darkness of the
mountain in its front, — the sun itself burst with a blinding
flash on the eyes of the multitude who had assembled on the
eastern side of the dizzy pinnacle where we stood, to gaze
upon the brightness of his coming, and watch his going
forth on his circuit to the ends of the earth.
" Wilh such raviiihiDg light
Ani] mantling crimson in tranaparent air
Thu splendors shut before us.
Eflch mount did seem
Colossal ruby, vrhereon so inwrought
The sunljeams glow'd, jet soft, it flamed intense
In extany of glory."
Old legends slate, and devotees believe, that as the sun
rises, he seven times salutes the Foot-print on the Samanala
Peak. We noticed several yellow-robed unanses intently
looking at the blazing orb that rose before us; and could
well understand how easily their dazzled eyes would lead
their minds to endorse the mythic tale. Well, too, could we
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PKAK.
a|>|ire('iatc at tliat nioiiioiit, tlie tliovpiit tliat iiromj.tid the
lines of tlie Laureate .Smtlioy, in iiis Sminot on the Sun.
" I miirvi-1 nor, () Runt tliat iwU> ilu-(>
In ,i.U.nili,.n ii.on sl.miM l«>w llu- kucp,
r.T like a gf d ll.nu art, uii.t on ihy «iiv
Off-lnrj- siir.Mi.!<l -nidi U'lii-miiit ruv
Iteautj- and lifo nml jivanco fruiii iiliavc"
Ilut it was Easier Simtlny morninjr, and we ili<l not furpet
the cvt-nt tlicn celebrating tliroiijrlunit the Cliristian world,
nor fail to breathe a prayer that the Sun of Kiylitconsness
who tlieu arose with healing in his wing;*, Inumpbing over
tlie night of Death and the darkness of the Grave, would
hasten the time wiien the knowledge of his glory, here and
eli-ewhere, ehonid fill the land, as the waters of the sea fill
the channels of the niiyhty deep.
The lustre of the moon was meanwhile fading fast; and
warmer tints began to tinge the still cloud-covered west;
but we who had witnessed the wondrous glories of both
night and morn, and under their eubliniing influences had
but slightly felt the effects of fatigue and want of alccj), now
found our bodies yielding to nature's just rciiuiremeutp, and
therefore hasted to return. We thus missed two eights, the
magnificence of either of which amply repays whatever toil
a traveller may endure to behold them. To see these was
partly the reason why the present writer again, and yet once
more again, journeyed to the Peak. The weather was such
on the second excursion, that he did not ascend to the Sri-
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PEAK.
Pdda, but contented himself with making observations about
the base of the mountain, and around Heraraitipana. The
followiufj however is an extract from the graphic account
written by one of hie two companions who then went up.
"Plaving just returned from an excurBion to Adam's Peak,
I am told that it is the correct thing to write an account of
my journey. Everybody does, so they say- Giving all the
weight to this argument that it deserves, I don't know that
1 could add much of interest to the literature respecting the
Peak. Like Canning's knife-grinder, I have 'no story to
tell.' And yet perhaps my journey possesses some elements
of novelty, from the season in which it was taken, and the
weather by which it was accompanied. The season was of
the wettest, the ground was saturated by the rains which
were constantly falling, the jungle was in a streaming state,
the mountain water-courses were swollen, and the rivers in
high flood. The prospect also which we obtalnt^d from the
top of the Peak, although doubtless it has often been wit*
nessed before, has not, so far as I am aware of, been described.
Many no doubt have seen it, but they have not cared to
write the description. It was not the prospect which so
many visitors havesketched.that wide outlook over subjected
mountains and rolling hills and far stretching forest, and open
plain, and meandering shining rivers, all enclosed in the
remote distance by the blue rim of the all-surrounding ocean.
It was not this same view, as it is seen in calm beauty,
sleeping in the silver light of the meridian moon, which sheds
over all a pale faint lustre, softening irregularities, imparting
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S I'KAK.
to all the scene an air >tf roposo, ami liarmonUini; all into s
picture of loveliness ami pi'iice. Xot tlic view of dajbrtak,
when the wan lif,'lit of inorning is a.*ceiiJin{; in the ea.'t, the
shailus of nif];ht hastening away before ihe inarcli of the
morniji<^ U-^\\t, altho«trh slill lingerinf:; In places where
sheltered hy the shailowrf of intervening; hllU, while tlie dawn
ia advancing and
•■j..i-mi.l <lny
Stiiiul.i liptin' oil llic iiiistj- mnuiitmii t<'\>:"
and the f^rcat redorb of the Mun h bnrsting into view, anil its
roicate heaLiis are leapin;^ from hill to hill and chasing far
away the last vestiges of darkness and night. Theao views
many have seen and many have described. That which we
saw was not like these, hut what it was, its like will be
described. . , .The day broke dark and dreary. The same
thick cloud wrapped all the prospect. It was evident that
though we might go np the Peak, we ehould see nothing
from the top; but my younger companion and I determined
to make the ascent. At any rate we should see the road,
and should also have reached the summit, and so have
defeated the prognostications of many friends who prophesied
tliat we should never get there. Accordingly we set out.
The road up to nearly the top, as also for the least few miles
of our yesterday's journey, bore traces of the late presence
of an evidently large number of elephants, and the coolies,
as we went on, endeavoured by constant ahoutinr's to scare
them from our path. The road was not difficult. It wa-sio
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
fact, a long rough rocky staircase. "VVe were, to epeak
mathematically, ascending the terms of an infinite series —
of steps. . . .On nearing the top and getting on the rock-
cut steps, by the sides of which the numerous chains lie
intended to assist the ascent, the coolies who were accom-
panying us, evidently considering that our Uvea were only
safe in their hands, made a frantic rush at us, ciiught hold and
tried to hurry us at railway pace up the steps. We objected
to this and preferred to take our own time. ■ . -Well' we
rcachei] the top and looked around at the prospect. The
view was one of the thickest clouJ, above us, bulow us, and
all around. We were upon a little point of rock, a small
air-suspended island in an ocean of mists. We knew that
there were precipices around us, but we could not see them ;
that there was a wide stretching prospect below us, bul it was
all invisible. A strong westerly storm-wind blew in wild
but fitful gusts, and howled and raved as it swept (laet us
and beat on the rocky surfaces of the weather-assailed peak.
. . . .When we were leaving to start on our excursion, we
were informed that we should never reach the summit It '
was impossible to do so in such weather, the fury of which
was indicated by the fact that the iron chains atthe top were
so lashed by the tempest that their clanking could be heard
two miles off. I believe that up to this hour one of my
companions fondly clings to the belief in this statement.
Indeed the idea b rather a poetic one, and creditable to the
imagination that originated it. I think it is rather sublime
to think of the mountain assailed by spirits of the storm;
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PliAK.
rockinc; to iu ba^'c wlien sinitton by the teitijic^t blows, and
the chains swin^inff an<l eliinkinjjin harsK horrified occom-
pauimont. The fiction is ;;ranil, but it is a fiction. They
don't clank at all. Not a clank. They tlierc lie and niht
in motionk's:^ idicnc:?^, and uonid do c^o if all the tenants of
the cave -T'olus were to dpend their utniest ray;e ujioii and
around that hi^h summit.*
" \\'e strolled about the little enclosed platform, climbed
up to the .-brine, and examined the sacred foot-priijt. The
latter id wliat Mr. Wackford Siiucers wonld call 'a rum
and a holy thiii^.' Still, I was not all..p:ether satisfied
with it. It i^, I think, i<(ime five and a hiilf feet lour:, but
how is it that it is not bigj^er? M'hy do they fitop at five
and a half i'eot ? This would only <!ive a slaturc to Bnddha
or Siva of some forty feet. But 1 like to think of Siva as
rather a tall party. Then, the shape of the thing? AVhy
do they call it a footprint at all ? Certainly, by adding a
lot of cement, and bita of tile, and by other devices, they
have made it look something that may pa^s for being a very
■ lame reprci^entition of a foot on a rather larjre scale, but
who wad the first imaginative genius who thought that
that depression in the rock resembled a foot in any way ?
• The I'liuins I'vrlaiiily <iiil not clank wbon llie ivriiei of tlie prccoJing
ski'leh nan on (lie I'tvik. But tliere is imtliiiig to himlor ilicm dDing so,
when the wiud is bliiwir™ stmngly fiMm partiL-iihir (jiiortora, since llicj
hnnj^ lo'isely down fr'iin their fastenings ot ihe tnp of the eliff; ind the
natives pafJiiv>'lv usai^rt thut at suoh tiiuua they ctaiik loutlly.
D,9.i,z.ar„Xj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
The same mark might as well be tlie impression of any
other part of the body as the foot. If Buddha or Sivfi had
sat down on the rock, the impression made by the divine
coinboy might have been not unlike that. Down at PaU-
baddala they show in the temple what they call a facsimile
of the foot-print. The fact is, that it is no facsimile at
all. It is perhaps the facsimile of what the foot-print
ought to have been, if it was to preserve resemblance at all.
The whole afTuir, with its patchwork of cement and tile,
smacks of Brummagem rather too much. . .But yet we ought
not to laugh at this specimen of superstition and credulity.
There was a period when our own ancestors believed in the
miraculous virtues of bits of the 'true cross, 'at a time when
there were enough pieces of wood in Europe under that
name to have built a three>decker, and enough 'true nails'
to have turnished the iron for engines, boilers, screw, anchors,
cables, and standing ringing. We should think of these
things, and not judge harehly of uneducated credulity.
" While we were upon the platform my attention was
attracted by the devotions the coolies were paying to the
shrine. They had brought with tliem some offerings, the
flower shoots of some palms, and these they now laid reveren-
tially before the foot-print. To see these poor coolies with
such earnestness, and Huch apparent reverence and trust,
make their lowly prayers, suggested to my mind many
mixed reflections. It looked strange, contemplated from the
stand-point of the sceptical nineteenth century. What
with one side and the other, the claims of the one, the
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
scciiticism and criticism of tlie other, they Hcem to have left
eo little fur an honest man to believe in now ; and yet these
poor fellows seemed quite satisfied to believe that this waa
the foot-print of the great Buddh:i."
On onr third visit, wc started from IToramitip^na at
earliest dawn, and although we thus missed the glories of
the sunrise, we had the opportunity we hoped for of seeing
the marvellous Shadow of the Peak projected above the low-
lying mist clouds, and stretching beyond the bounds of the
Island far away into the surrounding ocean. Faint, and
not very clearly defined at first, aa the sunlight became
stronger, the outline and body of the gigantic pyramid-
shaped umbra grew sharper, darker, and more distinct ; and
as the sun rose higher in the heavens, the titanic shadow
seemed actually to rise in the atmosphere; to tilt up and
gradually fall back upon the mountain, shrinking and
dwarfing in dimensions as it drew closer and yet closer to its
mighty parent, until, absorbed in the forests with which tlic
mountain is clad, it was wholly lost to view. So singular a
eight,— one so strangely magnificent, and even awe-inspiring,
can be seen nowhere else in the Island, perhaps nowhere
else in the world.*
* The Re», J. Nicholson, wlio ramie rl.e ascent in 1863, thus de-
scribes this scene : —"As the sun rose in tbe huavens, eai'li penk and hUl
gained a share of his ray», and threw its sliodon upon its fdlow, or into the
valley ; but tbo lonjtest ami the best was that tlirown from 'iho holy
shrine.' Right tn'yond, at an immenic di^lanee, the dark shadow was
D,9.i,z.ar„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
As the mist and clouds diepereed, the extensive views
that opened out became eublimel; grand. Iforth and eaet,
below and beyond ue, were range upon raoge of mountains,
the valieyaand elopesof n hich, from Maskeliya to Rambodde,
from DimbuIatoHapu tale, were the homes of the enterprising
men whose capital and industry have, within thirty years,
made Ceylon the third, if not the second, largest CuSce-
producing country in the world. Sweeping round to the south
were the eiinilar ranges of Sabaragarauwa and the Morawak
Korale, where, before similar energy and enterprise, the
primeval forests have disappeared, and in their stead now
grows the coifec bush. Down the sidesof the mountains were
eeen the ruahing waterfalls, the nearer ones broad bands of
glistening foam, and those afar mere shining threads atid
filaments of silver aa they shimmered in the light of day.
To the south and west the circling ocean met the eye, — from
Point-de Galle, soon to become the great steam-harbour of
the Eastern world, to Kalutara, Colombo, Negombo and
Chilaw, the sites of which, with the aid of a good glass and
a map, could easily be made out ; — while in between lay the
vast espanse of hill and dale, watered by the Kelani-gapga,
gprcad. Photographed ea it were upon the clouds, as far m vision could
reach, there was the picture of tlie sacred aumrait. With one hand I
could cover a mountain, wliile the Bhadov from my small body was fear-
ful indeed. I could hiudly take it as a compliment if anj friend were to
espreas hia desire to me — ' May your shadow neTer grow less I ' But as
that shadow shortened with the advancing light, we hastened on our
homeward march."
D,9.i,z.ar„L.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
the Kfllu-gnygft, and other etreama, the chief of which sprang
from the ranyes tliat immediately siirronnded the isolated
pinnacle upon which we stood. Standing there, and seeing
all this, wo felt there was not the Biifrhtei^t exaggeration in
what Sir Emerson Tennent has written npon this accne, and
I which he thus suma up: — "The panorama from tho summit
of Adam's Peak Is, perhaps, the grandest in the world, as ni>
I other mountain, although surjtassing it in altitude, presents
! the same unobstructed view over land and sea. Around it,
^ to the north and east, the traveller looks down on the zone
I of lofty hills that encircle the Kandian kingdom, whilst to the
I westward the eye is carried far over undulating plains,
threaded by rivers like cords of silver, till id the purple
j distance the glitter of the sunbeams on the sea marks the
I line of the Indian Ocean,"
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
gidiim's |cali.
" Stoi'p the (icacent tuid wcarisuiiie Uie way ;
The twistecl boughs IbrbaUe the light of dnj- ; . .
Upri^iit and tall (he trfes of ngt's grow,
While all is Innelincas and waste lieluw :
Tht're at the massy fiilinEe, fiir aloof
DisplnyM a durk impenetrable ruof,
So, gnarleil and rigid, elaspt and iiiterwound
An uncomh innze of roots emboBs'U the gruund ;
Blidwny btneulli, the sylran wihl asaiinicil
A niilc).;r aspect, shrubi" and flow'ri'ls bhinni'd ;
Openings of sky, and little plots of grccti.
And tihoiTers of suiibenms through the leaves ner
CHAPTKR VIII.
Descent phom the Peak. — Heramitip.vVa. — Ai.kxaxd Kit's
EiitfiE.— Cavk of Kiii'zK. — Si'ta (iANori.A. — DiiAtiMA-R.v'jA-
GALA, — Uda-Paweneixa. — AcciiiKNTS. - Pala'baddala to
KATNAprnA.
Cold aa we were, and fatigued as we felt, on our March
trip, we divested ourselves of ruga and overcoats, and stnfF in
band, turned westwards onour homeward journey. Down
the cliff went two of my companions, holding on by the
• "The World before the Flood."
D,f,t,z.db,.Goo^le
ADAM'S I'KAK.
chains: and down the slanting liukler went he who had
adventured up it. Arrived at tliebrow of llie precijiice, and
seeing below nic but one step for my foot, and infinite space
hcyoitd, I stopped short. Culling to the interpreter for
a.-fi»tance, for without it I could not go down, an aolive
Vidahii" readily came forward, and with his and the inter-
[ircter's help, I accomplished the descent. This hesitation
on my jMirt wae neither the result of fear nor of dizzinesB,
but of tile stiffened state of my Ihiib?, wliich began to fail
and flag, and shew symptoms of inability to act simultane-
ou^ily with the volition that directed their movements. It
behoved me therefore to be cautious. Just as I went over
the brink, my ears were saluted by a most melancholy
whining howl. Our commissary -general's dog, answering
to the name of "Tinker," who had made the pilgrimage
with us, and scrambled up to the top of the Samanla-kdta,
where he found a solitary canine friend to keep him company,
on coming to this spot shrank back, and gave doleful vent
to Ilia dismay at the perils before him, and his grief at being
forsaken; — for there we were obliged to leave him.
We observed in our descent that some of the links of the
chains, and irons of the ladders, had short inscriptions en-
gmved upon them ; and that on the rocks here and there
longer and more elaborate inscriptions had been cut. "We
were informed that in the one case they simply recorded
subordioale officer.
D,9.1,z.ab,XjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
the names of those who hnd fixed or repaired thnse useful
aids to the ascent; and in the other gave an account of
pilgrima who had vidited the Peak, eome of whom had died
when they had reached thus far.
Vt'e got back to Heramitipina in considerably less time
than it took us to ascend from it the previous night; but we
found the journey down the ijamanala, much more painful
aud trying th:m the clamber up. We had observed the pre-
ceding day, that from some [ilace below the station, on the
side on which we entered it coming from Palabaddala, the
pilgrims brou(;ht up their sujiplies of water; and on returning
from the Peak, in going down towards the Sita-gangula, we
saw a descent to our left, which mistaking for the proper
path, one of us went partially down before he discovered
his error. About fifty or sixty feet below, he saw a clearing
in a small deil, in the centre of which was a square kind of
tank; and this dell he determined to examine on the occasion
of his third visit. The result of the examination was, that
he identified the station Hcramitipfina, and this place, as
that described by Ibn B:ittila, aa " the ridge of Alexander,
in which is a cave and a well of water," at the entrance to
the mountain Serendib. The old Moor's account is some-
what confused, his notes or recollections not always carrying
his facts exactly in their due order; but half-way down the
descent, on the left hand, is a well, excavated in the rock,
in which we found about five feet of water, and which
swarmed with tadpoles. Possibly Batdta found it in the
same condition, for he speaks of the well, at the entrance.
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ADAM'S PKAK.
full of fisli, of wlrifli "no one tiikcs any." At the bottom
(if the ik'll is H cloart'J ppiicc ; in the centre of this is a
eipmre tank, or well, the aides of whieh are formed of
hldcks of Kiune, it'ix or eight feet lonf^. Beyond this,
iiliiioat fiieiri^ the descent, some twenty tV^ct up the opiio-
situ njountiiin's side, is a cave. To tliia my com|ianion and
I forced our way throui^h the jungle, aod came to the con-
clusion, that this was the eave of Ivhizr, where, Batuta aays,
" the pilgrims leave their provisinns, and whatever else they
have, ami then ascend about two miles to the top of the
mountain, to the place of , Adanl'si font." In the preceding
sentence he sayB, " Near this [cave 1 and on each side of
the path, is a orstern cut in the rock." Now, no other place
that we saw, or heard of,— and we were particuhirly minute
in onr inquiries, — answers to such a description. There
are the two wells, and the cave ; and the distance to the
foot print is also pretty fnidy estimated. Making due
allowance for a few inisphicementa of positions, which old
travellers, — who more often than otherwise wrote from mere
recollection, — were prone to, the account Ihn Batiita gives
of the route to the Peak,' will in its general accuracv, bear
• It ia quite iiossible tbiit ihi; roiit« lias been sliglitly variet! since
Ibn llutiitu nri>t(^. 1 atii iiidinur) to tbiiik thit the palli (irij^innliy leil
dirt'i't til die (k-ll abuve iK'serlbml, fri^m urime jLiiiit lowor duwn tlie aseent
to lIcruiiiitii|iE^iia, anit tlmt the a<'ucnt to the I'vak wax also niaile direct
fi-tmi it. |[cr)imi!i[)Aiia is hovrever a better .-'iiuateil and more healthy
j,.,slriunforaiiil{rnins:iitlm.
., LiOOg Ic
ADAMS PEAK.
comparUon wilh that of any narrative of any writer of tlm
age ID which he lived.
The elopes of the mountain leading tn IIeramiti|>ttaa arc
thickly clad witli noble forest trcee. The vegetation on the
crest of the ridge, aa well as the undergrowth amoDgat the
trees, consisliii principally of several varieties of the Nilloo
plant, * which we found in full bloom in the month of
September, when too, it is evidently a favorite food of aome
of the denizens of the forest, for the shrubs bore roarke of
having been browsc'd upon in all directions. The Datura
arbarea also added its quota of magnificent white gigantic
trumpet-shaped flowers to the floral beauty of the epot; and
the headman and interpreter pointed out to us other flowering
plants, some of which are used by the natives lor medicinal
purposes; such as the Adatodd, the Agal-dd&ra, the Pawatta,
and the Wieta-hira-f
* The Nilloo (5frt>6ii:tnfAM)isabritcli!Jointci) plant, well known in the
mountain ttiitriuls of Oeylun, where it furmes a complete undergrowth In
tlie furest. When in blouui the red anil blue Sowera with which it ia
coveru<l are a singularly beautiful feature in the landiuape, and aru
eagerly Bearelicil by the huney bees. Some siH'cics ara said to flower
only oiiuc in live, lioven, or nine years; and after npening their seed
ihey die.
I The above are the native names. The Adatodi and the Agnt-idara,
arj speties of the ilalabar nut ; the Pawatu is the PaotUa iadica, WillUT
the Waita-hira, is a kind of lie<Ige plant, (he botanical nanieof wliieb I
aui Ij^uorunt uf.
i.LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
I Stopiiing ftt tlic station on our March excursion just
I eufticientl)' long to be able to get a cup of coffee, we started
! for the Sita-g«ngula, where we purposed bathing aud
I breakfasting. Two of my companions, younger and lighter
than L. and myself, aoon shot ahead; but we found (and so
I did they) that the going down was a very different matter to
' the going up; — then, it was only the lifting muscles that
I were brought into action, now it was the lowering ones,
I with the whole weight of our bodies to bo sustained, at each
I dcttcending step, upon our already strained ankles and trou-
I bled knees. With the perspiration streaming from every
pore, and with feet swollen and inflamed, we hobbled and
I stumbled on our way, objects of com[>a-*sion to many who
I passed ua, anl especially to one old sympathizing native— our
[ bcnisons on his venerable head ! — who pausing to look at us
i for a few seconds, drew from his wallet a fine orange, and
I with & smile of encouragement handed us the refreshing
I fruit, — a gift we most gratefully accepted. By the time we
arrived at the river, I was obliged to seek the assistance
of a coolie, in addition to that of the alpenstock I grasped.
I Having resolved upon a bath here, we scrambled up the
! bare smooth rock in search of a convenient pool, out of sight
I of ihe pilgrims at the ford, and in so doing, I came to grief;
. for on pa^ssing one of the fissures between the boulders, my
foot sH|iped, and down I went, feet first, into an ugly-Iook-
I jng hole filled with water, dragging my attendant coolie in
! with and upon me. Instinctively throwing my arms across
i the chasm, (about three feet wide), I brought myself up
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ADAM'S PEAK.
when immersed to the waittt, although I touched no bottom
with my feet.' The coolie quickly recovered himself and
helped me out; hut I slipped again at the first atep I at-
tempted, nod ihifl time went souse up to the arm-pile,
receiving blows upon my clbowe and knees which did not
facilitate my after progress. Helped out again, I stripped
off boott) and socks, and made my way bare-foot to where my
companions were distorting themselves; laughing merrily
at ray mishaps, which they had witnessed though a crevice
between the rocks ; an amusement in which I could not help
joining, for the whole affair was irresistibly ludicrous. A
brisk shampooing, combined with the bracing coldness of the
waters, greatly revived us, and our subsequent breakfast on
the rocks below was not the least relished meal of our trip.
In a smalt stream which here joins the SIta-gangula, we
observed eome good-sized crabs, about four inches broad
in the body, and were not a little amused at the voracity
with which one seized with both claws the wing and breast
bone of a fowl, and commerced tearing off with its mouth
the fragment of flesh that had been left upon it.
The ascent frora the river to the Dharma-rdja-gala was
comparatively easy work— a gentle shove behind from one
of the following coolies being a most efficient upward help.
When we reached the rock, an English-speaking Sinhalese
who there overtook us, gravely declared that no two people
could arrive nt the same number in counting the steps, it
being a standing miracle, ordained by Buddha, that their
number should never be exactly known. Unbelievers as
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AI>AM'S PIOAK.
ive were, and one of oar party havino counlod tliem on tlie
journey up, wc aj»rced, for the satislaction ofoiirinfonnsnt,
to count them ngaiii — onr interpreter aUo counting with us.
When wc came to the bottom anil compared notea, each one'a
C()Mnt corresponded with the other's — exactly 130; amattcr
of fact wliich evidently exceedingly puzzled our caaual
acquaintance in the emart jacket and comhoy.
After pafjiing the ruined resthouse at Piyabotma, when
near the site of Gefanetul-gala ambalama, a beautiful view
of the country below is obtained from anopeninjron the left
of the path. The whole of Giiimale lies mapped out before
theeye, with glimpses of the Kalu-gaiigamcanderina; through
its plains. Further on, at a lower elevation, on the right
of the patli, a Eimilar view is obtained of the Ivuruwili
valley, watered by the Kuru-gaijga. But more welcome to
our longing eyes than scenery, however beautiful or pic-
turesque, was the rustic Nilihela ambalama, when we came
within view of it. For our progress, slow from the first,
had now become most painfully so. D. and G. had long
since distanced L. and myself, — and gradually our pace had
become reduced to that of a suail'a gallop. The old man
who had made his 56th pilgrimage, decrepid from age, and
bowed and bent with infirmity, was, with the help of his staff,
and son and grandson, proceeding as fa?t as ourselves, and it
became a question whether he or we would reach Pali-
baddala first, a^ we passed and repassed each other on the
rocky path. He had gtme on to the foot-print, while wo
stayed at Hi.'ramitipfina, and had returned and recruited
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ADAM'S PEAK.
there, ami started on hia way back to Ratnapiira before us ;
but we had overtaken him after leaving Diyabetma. Some
extra steep places, I could only, us an emerald islander
would say, face backwards, holding on by the coolie; others
I literally crawled down crab-fashion. For first, an ankle
gave way, and then n knee, and wlicn wc came to a some-
what level patch ol' the length of a yard or two, we found
ourselves staggering to and fro, from positive inability to
walk as was our ordinary wont,
A little beyond this, as we were toiling on, dog " Tinker"
came bounding up. He had somehow contrived to over-
come his difficulties, and his demonstnitions of joy at having
come up with ua were excessive; the stump of his tail
wagged wilh a. rapidity that threatened t^ difjoint it alto-
gether; and his jumps and fawnings about us had in them
an odd mixture of the ludicrous with the pathetic Soon
after, L., seeing that my baitings were becoming more and
more frequent, generously volunteered, although scarcely
less fatigued than myself, to make a push forward and send
back coolies to help rac on. This he did, and the welcome
help came none too soon; for though I perse veringly hobbled
on, upon the principle that each step brought me nearer to
my journey's end, when about three-quarters of a mile from
Pal4bnddala, both ankles and knees had so completely given
way, that even with the assistance of a coolie and iny staff, I
could scarcely move a step. Supported under the arm pits
on either side, and gently forced forward from behind, 1 at
last reached Paltibaddala, where our former quarters had
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S I'KAK.
been |ilacp(l at oiir tli.-iiosal, and where my cum pan ions were
alrcnilj- at rc!*t.
lieforc tlio arrival of tlie additional coi>lie«, wlicn [mssing
tlirnii;;h Uda Pawen-olla, wliere tlicre ia n iorge open tiled
nnibalnma, the old gt'iitleinan who had made his 51st
pilgrimago, and was there Imlting with his family, came for-
wani nnil led me to a seat, lie ^aw at n glance the plight
I was in, and probality fancied that I was worse than actually
was the csii'C, for he soon begun to i|iiestiun me, while a crowd
gathered round to hear the result of his inquiries. But aa
none of the natives present understood English, and my
knowledge of Siijhalc^e was by no means extensive, we had
to fall back npon the language of figna, for a proper under-
etanding of each other- First he felt my pulse, and then
pointed to and felt my ankles; at this I shouk my head, ami
eaid, Naraki(bad); he then pointed to my knees and thighs,
to which I responded, Bohomi naraki (very bad); this, if I
have any skill in the interpretation of looks, brought into
play many expressions of sympathy and commisseration.
He then pointed to my chest, whereupon I smiled, and eaid
Tlondi (good). Hondi and Uohomi-hondi were repeated in
cheering tones by him and by the bye-standera; and all seemed
to think that if the chest was not affected, it did not signify
much what ailed the muscles. With a benevolent smile and a
hearty hand-shake, he bade me good-bye, and I saw him no
more; but the recollection of his kindness, and of bis
sympathetic conduct, will be lasting. lie was without a
doubt, one of the good Samaritans of a country, of whom it
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I
I ADAM'S PliAK.
I
is in many respects a libel to ^ay— no matter upon what high
authority — that in it "mno is only vile." My coolie now cut
up and handed me, at the instigation, I believe, of my worthy
native friend, some pieces of sugar-cane, the juice of which
I found both refreshing and reviving. After munching
these, and partaking of a draught of water, I again set out,
and in a few minutes met the help that had been sent me.
That morning's journey is one which none of us is likely
ever to forget, for none had ever experienced in so great a
degree such intensity of muscular pain or such severity of
fatigue. Our frequent halts had however enabled us to
note more closely the features of the track we traversed;
and we found that in many places it narrowed to a mere
ridge of a rock, bounded on either hand by a tremendous
precipice, the terrors of which were happily hidden by a
luxuriant growth of jungle and forest.
The mosses and ferns, some or which were gathered and
brought home by G, were singularly graceful; and one of
the Utter proved to be a rare and seldom seen specimen.
Tiny flowers, with stalks so slender and delicate that they
looked like filaments of gossamer brightly sinning among
the rain-droi>s with whoae moisture they were bedewed,
clung to the faces of the rocks, encrusting them with
an exquisite gem-like efflorescence, which would baffle the
efforts of the most skilful artist to iiuitate. Admiring
their beauty, we gathered samples of all within reach; but
unfortunately, the c«olie to whom they were entrusted,
contrived to lose them. We strongly suspected that, not
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ADAM'S I'KAK.
appreciating our tnntes, or our love cif tlie beautiful as
manifested botanically, he ijiiiiply deemed tliem a lot uf
valnelesd weeds, and an soon as he safely could, rid liim^clf
of the trouble of carrying them by throwing them away.
The forests were magnificent," especially where iron-
wood abounded.! Perhaps no tree is more beautifnl than
this, when on a trunk fifty feet in height, with a };irth on
t!ie ground of four or five, and with branches symmetrically
tapering to a point above, the whole mass of its leaves pre-
sents to the eye a gor^^eous cone of carmined ftiliage, of
almost every possible hue, from palest pink to deep blood
red. In other seasons, when the leaves arc not tlius full of
sap, they are more of a sober sage-green colour, which
admirably contrasts with the profuse bloom of flowers with
which the tree is then covered. These in appearance are
not much unlike some kinds of white roses, the large petals
surrounding a cluster of prominent delicate yellow stamens.
Tliey emit an agreeable, but somewhat strong perfume, and
are favorite flowers for offerings at Buddhist temples.
Tlie river scenery was varied and exceedin-jly picturesque.
The views ai the ferry before reaching Giiimal(:, and at the
spots where we there bathed, were charming, but both were
cidipsed by the greater beauties displayed at the junction
of the Hatula with the Kalu-gt.vyi; while at Maskeliya,
• Fur H viviii <lescri|itii)ii iif Cejlrni f<irrat scenery, see Apjiendix K.;
iii'i CorHii aconunt of tlip RoiHiiy of Adam'* I'enk, Aiiju-nilix L.
t Sing. Xfl-galm. Mesiin fcrrea, L,
Dig.lizMb.UobglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
and at the Kalu-gttgr^a at Palibaddala, and the Sita-
gangula, and other highland streams, the aspect of the coun- '
try id wholly ch.inged ; and the sylvan gives place to the
wild and the grand, occasioned by the presence in and around
them of rocks and boulderij and frownins; precipices and
mountains huge, and towering Alp^, and gloomy forests
dense.
In the higher parts of each of the mountains we had
descended, we saw numerous traces of elephants, and were
at first puzzled to make out why their paths through the
cane brakes on either side of our track were so frequent and
eo close. A little consideration however shewed, that in
these places, evidently favorite feeding grounds, the saga-
cious brutes, who always choose for themselves the easiest
poBiible gradients, had made a series of zigz^s up the
ridge ; and as these crossed our path every few feet, we
understood at once both the steepness and the narrowness
of the ridge we were descending, and a very little diver-
gence to the right or left gave us ocular proof of the fact.
We once thought we heard their trumpetings in the dis-
tance; and all along the region of their tracks the pilgrims
shouted and chanted lustily, evidently with the view of
keeping them out of the way.
There was one piece of fun which the wags of a party
were very fond of. Dropping behind their companions, they
would send up a loud imitation trumpeting, and startle those
before them into swifter movements down the mountain slope.
Some however, like ourselves, were unable to quicken their
., LiOOg Ic
ADAMS PEAK.
paces, and tliere were one or two poor women whom wc
pasaed, lying proalrate on the rocks, who seemed as if they
would gasp out their lives ere they could reach their homes;
they wore however carefully tended by their accompanying
friends.
Of butterflies, although supposed to be in the region of-
their homes, we saw but few: they were principally of the
large-winged blue and purple-coloured vjirieties. The peat
of leeches, the dread and torment of the route in damp and
rainy seasons, we at this time luckily escaped, owing to the
dryness and the heat; not more than two or three of ihu^e
voracious bloodsuckera having assailed our persons. We
saw one or two reptiles, the green wliip-snake, and a
rat-snake; and on our third journey a tic-polonga was found
in theambalama at NiliheU. At Uda Pawen^clla we saw
an exceedingly ugly-looking centipede, at least eight incbea
long, with legs spread out for half au inch on each side of
its body. Some crabs were also seen at the same place,
apparently of the same kind as the one we noticed at Sita-
gangulft.
Comparing notes with, and laughing at one another's
experiences, we ajient the afternoon of Ea-ster Monday, and
before retiring to our primitive sleeping bunks, each had his
limbs shampooed, and well rubbed with an embrocation of
diluted Arnica, which one of us was provided with. The
recollection of this excellent restorative waa 8ugge8t«d by a
visit paid us by a' wederale/anative medical man, who had
heard one of us was ill and came to proffer his services. Our
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
raeonls of coolies grinned at the fun as we winced under
tlieir handa while they operated upon ub; for the muscles
of our thighs and the calves of our legs ached to agony,
and our nerves shrank and quivered with pain at the slight-
est touch; but we felt alt the better afterwards, and slept
more soundly that uight than we had done during the three
preceding.
Expert cragsmen, hardy mountaineers, and roembers of the
Alpine club, may smile at this account of our Gufferingi< ; and
we should doubtless have not felt anything like what we did
had we been in propertraining for the work we undertook;
but as we saw numbers of lithe wiry-looking Sinhalese
suifering in a similar manner, — pain manifest in every step
they took, with their swollen ankles, feet, and limbs, — we
have reason to think that the pilgrimage to and from the
Peak, on foot as we performed it, is a feat that would fatigue
even the hardiest and the best trained mountain-climbers
amongst our countrymen. When we woke the following
morning each movement was still the cause of considerable
pain ; but another shampooing, and a cup of coffee, enabled
us to make an early start ; and as the remainder of our jour-
ney was on much more level ground, as we warmed with
exercise we managed to get on more vigorously than we
at first anticipated.
On our second excursion the return to Folfibaddala was
lonesome. There were none on the path besides ourselves,
and we were struck by the quietude of everything around.
At Nilihela, where on our upward route we saw eight
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PKAK.
watcr-falla leajiio;; down tlie mountain picd[»l(;e#, there was
now not even a rill, Ixit
. . . ."(Icrp tW hiwh; tlie torrenl's oliiiiinel dry
Prcseiila h flony stw[), thi- o'lm's li;ituit."
An olJ woniftn, and a child or two, stored in wonderment as
we passed Uda Pawen-clla; and the priests and j;ood people
at PaUbaddala rejoiced at our return, for they had tried to
dissuade us from going, and prognoMicated that evils would
surely befall us for not listening to their persuasions. One
accident certainly did occur, and it was irreparable. The
coolie who carried the box of glass plates and photographs
taken on the journey, slipped, etunibled, and fell, just
before reaching the bridge above the village; the box flew
off his head, struck against a rock, and in an instant the
whole of its contents were shivered to atoms. It was a
serious loss to the artist, and my readers also lose the
advantage which such illustrations would have afforded in
their perusal of these pages. Another accident also occur-
red, but not to our party; although the medioaland surgical
knowledge which one of our number happened to possess was
thereby brought into active operation. On our way up we
had passed a poor purblind old man, who was then staying
at Uda Pawen-ella. After our return to Pnldbaddala, about
6( or y P. M. the same man was brought into the village in
a most pitiable plight. He too, in venturing to come to the
Tillage, had slipped, and fallen on or down the rocks; his
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ADAM'S PEAK.
scalp, and temple, and cheek bone, were laid open by the
accident, and liib face was covered with clotted gore. He
was certainly a very deplorable looking object when pre-
sented to us; but by the uae and appHctitioa of sponge,
sciesora, lint, lotion, a ticking-plaster and bandngea, he was in
a short time made tolerably comfortabie. The result how-
ever, was, that all the halt, maimed, ailing, withered, old,
blind and decrepid of the village, immediately swarmed in
and solicited aid, and 1o the best of our ability we prescribed
and doclored right and left, until our drugs and medicaments
were exhausted ; then, but not till then, did our would-be
patients leave us to ourselves.
On oiir third journey, we were accompanied by one of
the Banddras from Gilimale- After we had visited tlie
Peak, and were preparing to return from Heramitipdna, the
coulie who had been sent on from Colombo witlt provi'^ions,
made his appearance. He had come up to Kutnapura the
day after we left, and followed our steps thus far ; but had
left hia load on the rocks half wny between Sita-gangula
and Heramitiplina, not being able to carry it further, owing
to an attack of fever and ague, with which he was then
shaking. We gave him a strong dose of brandy and qui-
nine, and then hasted down to look after his load; for though
there was no likelihood of any human being making free
with it at that season of the year, we did not feel quite so
sure about the elephants, whose spoor indicated that they
were notfaroif. We had, bfjdides, just fiuiehed our stock
of provender, and the contents of that box were of special
V, Google
ADAM'S I'I:AK.
interest to us at that particular juncture. Finilin^ it where
the man had left it, and waiting to recall uur jiartj' safely
over, we were detained some time in croasiny ihc Sita-
giui;;ula! wlkile there, the Colombo coolie pointc-d out to us
a cave in the river hed, formed by three or four rocka piled
againstcach other, where, foudleea and tireless, he had spent the
jircccding night, the river roaring on either side, and theniin
pelting down on the rock above him. It was the dreariest
red ting-place conceivahle ; but we Hiw several similar caves
about; and in dry weather, a party on a moonlight night might
do worse than encamp in the rocky caves there, supposing
always they were well supplied with food and fire- From
thence our journey that day was most fatiguing, and through
constant rain. We were not ablo to proceed as far us
Palabaddala, but halted at Uda Pawen-ella, where Bandara
made us as comfortable as circumetances would permit ; and
although our lodging was on the cold ground, and our bed
hut a water-prooF wrapper, we had Deverthelesc, a roof over-
head, and a good supply of creature comforts; and conscious
that we might have fared much worse, we contrived to enjoy
ourselves, and slept soundly through the night.
From Paldbaddala to Uatnapura the return journey ia
comparatively easy. My companions on the first excursion
re-croBsed the Maskeliya by the unfinished bridge, while I
j)referred the river's bed ; on the second and third occasion
wo all had to do the same. After crossing in December we
saw in the jungloon the river bank a remarkable spider, or
what we sup[iosed to be one, which wo regretted that we
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ADAM'S PEAK.
could Qot secure. Its body was oblong, about an inch in
leiigth, and two-tbirdo of an inch broad; of a pale green
colour, with a black etripe down the centre: za it held on to
the cane on which we saw it, he legs extended an inch in front
and an inch behind. We baited and bathed, and were well
■hampooed, and breakTaatod or dined, and slept at Gilimal^j,
on each occasion, as circuuiBtancee permitted or rendered
desirable.
" Meantime unnuniber'd glittering atreamleta pky'd
And burled every where tlieir waters sheen
Thul as they bicker'd through the Bunny gliitti;
TLuugh restless titill themselves, a lulling murmur mnile."
Thomson.
On OUT second journey, when nearing the Ellnpita ferry
across the Kalu-gapga, we were overtaken by a moat violent
thunder storm.
" The wood* grew dsrk, ai though they knew no nowi ;
The thunder growled about the high brown hilt,
And the thin, waate<l, fthining summer rills
I Grew joyful with Uie coming of the rain,
1 And duubtfull; was shifting every vane
... with changing gusfa of wind,
! Til) came the storm blast, fnrioas and blind
Twixt gorges of the mountains, and drove back
The light sea-breeze ; then waxed the heavens blai'lt
I Until the lightning leapt from cloud l<> cloud,
1 With datterinc; thunder, and the piled-up trnwd
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ADAM'S P1;AK.
Itp«[un rn turn from stiflv liliic h> Rroy
Atiil luwiinl llie CLM l!ic lliiiniU-i' drew aw
Leaving; tli« norlli winil blowiiii; tttmllly
'Mip ruin-tl"inls from Olvniims."*
Riglit glad were we to fcikc shelter in tlie forry -keeper's
hilt uriiil its fury had abated; and thankful too, thnt we had
encountered nolhing like it while in the mount:tins.
At Dirabulwitiya, about six itnd a half miles from Ratna-
pura, we met, while halting on our first journey, Wcilanc-
watte Anunayaka Unanse, the seeond in rank of the priest-
hood of the Peak. He was on his nay to the Sri-pdda, tra-
velling in state,— banner-bearers and iniiificians before him,
hiniBelf borne in a palanquin by four tall coolies, two attend-
ant )>rie3ta on foot behind, and a retinue of servants and
followers in the rear. Shrewd and intelligent in look, and
in the full prime and vigour of manliood, he eyed us keenly,
and on learning that we were returning from the [lilgrimage,
became greatly interested, questioning ua as to the state of
the roads, &c. When we that day regained our starting-point
atKatnapura, we were glad enough that ourmarch of fifteen
miles was done. D.'s bungilow, the creature comforts he
there provided, and the delicious beds we that night slept
on, are things ro be remembered as those productive of a
heartfelt sutisfaL'tion, Huoh as one meets uith only on very
rare occasions in the course of a busy but withni somewhat
monotonous life. The next day we visited tliegem pit:? and
• MiiKRls-3" Life ami Doalli iif Jn^foli."
D,9.i,z,.^bv Google
ADAM'S PEAK.
gold OiggingB of Ratnapura; but aa there were neither getn-
mers nor gold washers at work, we hod to draw upon our
im II gi nations for pictures of the treasures that possibly lay
hidden heneath our feet. We saw however some fine epeci-
men9 of the Talipot pnlin,* that
. . . . "EuUnii of tlie statelv tribe,
IV'hii otiKi; a century displaya
His flow'rs to man's adiuiriiig gaze ;
For none uf womiin born buhiild
His budd a iiccond time unfold.
\V'itli arfU on arch aucceasire crown'il
'I'hu f ililing leaves tbe lop surround,
Kacli leaf a fan-like circle Ibrnis,
All ample screen from sun and storm;,
It^T Nature kindly lent to bless
The unrejoieing wUderuese 1
" The Corypha umbrae ulifera, "the Bt«iu of which BometimeB attains
the heiglit of 100 feet, and each of its enormous fun-like leares. when
laid upon the ground, will form a semicircle of 16 feet in diameter, and
cover sn area of nearly 200 superficial feet. The tree flowera but oocd
and dies ; and the natives finnl; believe that the bursting.of the sheatiK
which contains a magazine o( seeds, is accompanied by a loud explosion.
I'he leaves alone arc converted by the biQhaleae to purposes of utility.
Of them they lorni coverinj^s for their houses, and portable tents of a
ruile but elTective character! and on uccasioDS of ceremony, each chief
and headman on walking abroad is attended by a follower, who holdi
ab.ive his head an elaburatclj' oniaioented fan. formed from a single leaf
of the talpat. But the must interesting use to which they are applied Is
as substitutes for piiper, both for books and for ordinary purposes. In
the prcp.iratiiin of olaii, which in the tei'm applied to them whcu so
i.LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
As if her bounteous tnre bail sprp.iil
A shelter for the Irareller'a hc«d,
[tcncutli wlio^e umbellateil lent
His languid fnrra might find relU'f."'
One had ouly quite recently burst !nlo bloom; the central
flower ppathe towered straight up from tlic stem, and was
surrounded by others in gracefully drooping circles, the
whole forming a most ma^nificeDt floral plume. Its appear-
ance exactly corresponded with the description given of thi»
noble palm by Mr, A. M. Ferguson in his Souvenirs of
Ceylon. " The trunk rose about ninety feet in height. The
grand spike with its immense mass of primrose coloured
blossoms rising thirty feet high, formed a rich contract to
the dark green of the foliage from which it sprang, and
presented a spectacle perhaps the most glorious which the
range of the vegetable kingdom can present."
employed, the leaves are taken whilst still tender, and, afteraeparalingthe
central ribs, thcj arc cut into alrips and boiled in spring water. 'J'bcy
are dried first in the shade, and afterwards in the aun, then made
into rolls, and kept in slore, or sent to the market for sale. Before,
howerer, they are fit for writing ()n, they are subjeuled to a second
process, called madema. A stnooth log of ureca-palm in tied horizontally
between two trees, each ola is then damped, and a weight being attached
to one end of it, it is dmwrt backwards and forwarils hj ihc other till the
siirfiee beciuea perfectly smooth anJ polis1iL-d; and iluritij; the process,
AS the moisture dries up, it hi necL'ssiiry to renew it till Ibe efi't'ct is
complete. The smoothing of a single ola will occupy from fi/leen to
(weniy minntcfl."— .Sir.I. E. TKSuKsr'B (\vlon, vol. i. pp. lOfl, 110.
' " The Wnndrrer in Cejion."
D,9.l,z,-,^b>.L-.OOglC
gidam's |e!ili.
"A gentle river uuund Its quiet way
'i'hriiiigli iliis sequL'Hter'd gUde, mennilciing wide;
Smooth ss a mirror here the surface lay:
Where the pure lotun, floating in its pride,
Eninv'd the breath of heaven, the sun's narm benm,
Aud tlie cool freiihness of its natiTe Btream.
" Here o'er green Dieads whose tresses wared oulapreail,
With silent hipse the glassy waters run, —
Here ill fleet motion o'er a pebbly bed,
Gliding, they glance and ripple to the sun :
The stirring breeze that swept them in its flight ■
Raised on the stream a ahower of sparkling light."
The Pobt'h Pilokimace.
CHAPTER IX.
rHE KaLD-GAKGA.— KaLUTARA. — Pa'nADURe'. — MORATUWA.
— Ratuala'na. — College of Pbiebts. — Galkissa. —
Mount Lavixia. — Collupitiya. — Galle Face. — Colombo.
Being pressed for time on our March
returned to Colombo by the Batnitpura Coach; a course
adopted, for the same reason, on our Chmtmaa aud New-
Year's trip. But in September we determined upon taking
the river route to Kalutarn, and from thence to return to
Colombo, by the Galle road. We accordingly engaged a
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S I'FAK.
jij'ula-bont,' and as the resliiou^e ia very near tlie river, tliia
w.ts l)roiiffht for our accimimc«!alioti to a landing place close
liy. Sending onr horse Iiome by road, fi>r he would not enter
the beat, we dismounted our carriage from its wheels aud
stowing it with our boxes in tbo eentre of the boat, took uj)
our quarters in the fore part, while our servants and a portion
of the crew occupied the hinder end. The crew consisted of a
lindal or stecrsiuan, and six rowers ; a complement which
allowed four to be always working the sweeps on the over-
hanging prow, while two rested, si)ell and sptill about. A
good supply of fresh rice straw, covered with empty coffee
bags, over which we spread our rugs, made excollent couches;
while a clay hearth near the stem, with a few bricks and
earthenware pana, served all the purposes ofa kitchen. Our
arrangements being quickly completed, we started from our
mooring shortly after daybreak. It was a lovely morning,
although the night had been rainy; it seemed indeed as if
we were now about to have a return of fine weather, so
ausjHciously broke
" tlie ilewv mum
With breflth nil inceii!«, and with cliefk alt liltHim
Laughing the clouds svay nirh plnjfiil Brorn
And living as if earth cnnlnine'l no tomb
And glowing into diij." Btkon.
* A InTge flat-bottomed barge, about filly feet long, witli a riHiling of
CHiljans, raised aufiiciently high in the centre to allow a man to stand
uprisht; the ends of tliis are separately mailc so as to slidt bnokwanls
and forwards over the central portion.
i,z,,ab,L,oogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
A little delay occurred when we had advanced a couple of
miles. The tiadal wentashore toprayst the 8aman D4w&l€
for a safe passage down the rlTer, and especially to entreat
the god's protection against the dangers of the rapids lower
down. Heathen as the man was, he herein set an example
which it would be well for more enlightened Christian folk
to follow; for there can be no doubt that, as
"To jTreiue the nheel delajetb Done,"
"To church to pray doth binder none,"
two pithy sayings, which the mother of the great Reformer,
Luther, was in the habit of impressing on the minds and
memories of her oiFspriog. In about an hour we passed the
junction of the Ha^gomu-gapga* with the Kalu-gagga;
there was here a perceptible increase in the strength of the
current, and some care was required to avoid rocks, which,
as the river was pretty high from the late rains, were not
visible above water- About 1 p. m. we passed the junction
of the Kuru-gagga, and half-an-hour Inter shot swiftly down
Penigala-^Ila, the first of the rapids, amongst the rocks of
which our tindal, with an additional steersman, and all his
men on the qvivtve, skilfully guided his apparently unwieldy
* About three miles up this river is the Potgulu-vih&ra, or "vili&ra of
librorien," the belief being that there was once here ■ large collection of
all the l)uddhi»tii;al vrltinga. It is in this vih&m that the mouth of one
of the supposed subterranean passages exisla, referred to at page tl4.
D,9.i,z.ar„XjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
craft. Here, on the right-bnnk of the river, is the Kiri-
clle-d^wil^, where the natives are accuBtomed to make offer-
ings to Saman, as well as at the Saman-ddw^le, higher up
the Btreara. About 4, p. M., wo passed the K&ragala-c'lla,
the second and largest of the rapids ; and at 5, the Kotnpata-
ella, the third. Besides these, there are several minor
rapids, which obBtruct the navigation, called by the boatmen
"holombuwas" DarkncBS coming on, and the moon not
rising until after midnight, the (indal would go no further;
the boat was therefore moored for the night to the stem
of an ovcrhanj>ing cocoanut tree. Submitting to circum-
stances, we dined on board, and after passing a pleasant
evening together, were lulled to sleep by the gentle plashing
of the waters against the sides of the boat, aa the river
ripplingly ran by. Before the break of day, we were again
asUr, and ere long bad passed a remarkable rock in the
middle of the river, split or as it were cloven in two in a
vertical direction. There is an inscriptioa upon the face
of the rook in very ancient characters; and from the position
of the letters it is evident that the fracture took place snb-
sequent to the time of their engraving. The belief amongst
the natives is that the rook was split by the hard swearing of
some perjured individuals. They have indeed a proverbial
saying, that "pcTJurers can swear hard enough to split a
rock."
The sun had not risen when we found ourselves alongside
the Kalutara bridge, a sort of wooden-pile causeway, about
three-quarters of a mile in length, the roadway of which
D,9.l,z,-,^b>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
was not much more than six feet ahove water-mitrk at the
time; and here we had to wait awhile, until a drawbridge)
over the priocipal channel of the river, was raised, to allow
oar pfida-boat to pass; this being done, a quarter of an
hour's further rowing brought ua b^ 6 A. H. to the mouth
of the river, close to the Kalutara Besthouse.
The scenery all down the Kalu-ga^ga, from Batnapura to
Kalutara, is most varied, picturesque, and beautiful. The
Peak range is seen again and again, the Samanala and the
Bena Sauianala combining and grouping in different ways.
Other ranges seem here to close in upon and narrow the
stream, there to recede from and allow it to spread out in
lake-like bays. Long, stnugbt river vistas, bordered by dense
forests, were succeeded by sweeps and reaches with shelving
cultivated banks; and at every turn new beauties were
revealed to our admiring gaze.
Monkeys of several species sat chattering among the trees
or sprang from bough to bough, as we glided by; and
an occasional chaige of small shot among the leaves,
that may have alarmed but certainly could not hurt them,
gave us an opportunity of seeing the prodigious leaps which
some of the larger quadrumana can make, when under the
influence of fear.
There were places passed, to which the following lines
are applicable to the very letter :
"Sweet wwi the scene t apart t)ie cellars stoml,
A sunn; iilet open'il in the wood;
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PKAK.
, With vernal t'tnLs the wild briar thicket glows,
For here the iles^rt llouri.sh'il as tliu roM;
Prom 8n|>ling uecn with luci<l r»lLigc crown'i)
Uny lighl.4 And shadow* twinkled on tlie gruunil;
U]> tliu t:ill atcms luxuriant creeiicrs run
To hang their silrer blossoms in the sun ;
Deep velvet verdure elad the turf beneath
Where trodden flowers tlieir richest odours brcHthe ;
O'er all llio bees, with murmuring music, flew
FroBi bell to bell, to aip the treiwiired dew ;
While inseet mjrlnda, in the aular gleams,
Glanced to and fro, like intermingling beams;
So fresli, 90 pure, the woods, the sky, the air.
It seeni'd a place where uigeta night repair.
And tune their harps beneath those tranquil shades.
To morning songs ur niounljght suretuulea." *
Birdsof bright plumage were continually glancing m the
Eunbeaniij; in their HigUt like "flashing rays of rainbow light;"
this was particularly the case with the kingfinhers, many
epccies of which we saw dart into the stream from the over-
hanging branches where they watched their finny prey.
Hor were there wanting other sights and scenes. Small,
frail-looting canoes were being paddled about here and there
near the numerous landing places that led to adjacent villages.
Sawyers and carpenters were bu^y on both banks felling
and cutting timber, and pre[>aring it in floats to be taken to
Moratuwa or Kalutara. Vihdras and Duwdli-s peered out
• '• The World before ilie Flood,"
l,z,.,i.,>LiOOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
from clustering trees on knolls and crests of hills ; near each
of which aiew boats or canoea were sure to be seen moored.
Rafte of timber and bambus were floating down the stream in
charge of one or two men, who were nearly as much in the
water aa out, except when perched on one end of the float in a
small hut in which they could scarcely squeeze themselvee.
Large pdda boats similar to the one we were in, were being
poled up the river, slowly creeping alongside the banks, where
the force of the current was less than elsewhere, their crews
now helping themselves on with a haul at the canes and
creepers which fringed the water's edge, and anon availing
of a slant of wind, when they quickly stretched a wide-
spread sail on light elastic bambu mast«. Altogether, to
quote the words of my companion— "I can imagine nothing
more delightful to a lover of nature than our boating trip
down thiu river. . .Its banks are lined with clumps of the
tall bambus, nodding to their own image in the stream
below ; with lofty forest trees, many of them richly over-
grown with a foliage not their own — ferns, orchids, parasites
of many kinds, — and with others, up which climbers as-
cended in stout twisted cables, and then fell in cascades of
green foliage from branch to branch, and hung in heavy
masses to the surface of the river. Besides these, there
were, as one descended the river, more and more of the
kilul palms, the arrow-like arekas, and the bending stems
of the cocoanuts. All these with a background of hills,
and tlie whole repeated again by reflection in the surface of
the smooth gliding water. And so we came slowly down
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
ihe middle of the Btream, and shot hurriedly through the
rapids, till the inereaaing roar of the oeean surf told us
that we were Hearing Kalutara."
The pleasant town of Kalutara is twenty-six miles distant
from Colombo ; the healthiness ofita situation, facing the
sea-breeze from the southwest, has always recommended it
to Europeans as one of the ttanataria of the Island, and not
a few deem a residence in its neighbourhood preferable to a
visit to the colder region of Nuwara Eliya. The resthouse,
formerly the residence of the District Judge, is one of the
most commodioue in Ceylon. Views of picturesque scenery
ate to be had in all directions from the surrounding emi-
nences ; the most extended being that from a vih&ra, about
six miles off, on the top of the steep rocky hill, Vehera-gal*-
kanda, " the mountain of the temple rock," the residence of
a Buddhist priest, celebrated amongst the Sinhalese for his
extraordinary medical knowledge. The old fort on the
promontory commanding the mouth of the river, has its own
peculiar historic interest. It was originally the site of a
Buddhist -Vih&ra, destroyed by the Portuguese for the pur-
pose of converting the place into a fort. A mile or two from
the town, a very singular Banyan tree, in front of a Moorish
mosque, droops from an over-banging branch its aerial roots
like a thick veil right across the road. Cocoa-nut planta-
tions, gardens, roperies, distilleries, fisheries, busily occupy
the inhabitants; so many of whom are Moormen, that Madam
Ida Pfeiffer, led astray by the venerable bearded faces of
the numerous Israelitish^looking antuents whom she saw,
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Bays, ill her description of the town, that it« population
consiatB principally of Jena. A District Court and Minor
Courts of Justice and a Jail, provide for -the litigants and
the criminals of a numerous populaUon ; while schools and
places of worship, well attended by children and adults,
shew that the educational and spiritual wants of the people
are not neglected.
The low pile bridge, already referred to, was constructed
to supersede the old "tara," or ferry, across theKalugagga,
and forms a connecting link of the Galle and Colombo road,
the beauty of which, as it skirts the sea-coast, and passes
through groves of palms, and noble forest, or cultivated
bread and jack-fruit trees, calls forth the admiration of
every traveller. About a mile and a quarter from the bridge,
in a prominent position on the road side, is a Dharma
S&l&wa, or preaching hall, belonging to the Waskadawa
Buddhist community, presided over by SaranapiUa Un&os^
of the Amarapura sect, whose principal pupil is the learned
Subhfiti Un&ns€, known in the literary world as the editor
of a recent edi^on of the Abhidhdaappadipikjt, an ancient
Pdii dictionary, composed about a.o. 1153, by the th^ra
Moggel&na. A drive of nearly eight miles further brings
one to the town of Panadur^;* a thriving populous place.
* Thera ore three deriTsiiona given Tor tbis Dune; one 'pAoft' rock,
'dura' diaUuce, referring to the rock Gitni-gkia or "elk -rock," Men M
adisUncefrom the re^tbouaeorabouttwo miles out Rt tea: the aecoad ii
connected with a legend, which states that Dewol-dewiyd sailiitg tuihei
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
and the head quarters of a Police Magistracy. Here is the
Gal-kanda, an extensive viblira, presided over by Guna-
ratana Un£nse,a priest of porlty presence and much affability.
Being but sixteen milca from Colombo, P&nndur^ is a very
favorite spot for an occasional visit. Folk from the capital,
whose business will not allow of long absences, can with
eaae run down on the Saturday and return on the Monday
morning. The reethouse is admirably situated, facing the
mouth of a broad estuary, bounded by a sand bank, against
which the waves of the ocean fret themselves and break into
foamy surf; the resthouse keeper ia proverbial for the soli-
citude with which he studies the comfort of his visitors;
excellent bathing is always attainable ; fresh fish may be had
in abundance, morning, noon, and night; and a trip in a
canoe up the estuary to visit ihc curious cane-wicker fish-
kraale, or the rocks from whence the oysters are obtained,
is most interesting and enjoyable.
Crossing the estuary by the bridge, a further drive of
four miles leads to the town of Moratuwa. Here we enter
wilh xevcn sbipfi, and being irreclced, and escaping on seven atone r&rc«,
saw a lamp ibioing at a ddwile, and endeavoured lo effect a landing ; but
tbe goddess Pattini.tbepres'idiiigdeitjr of tbed^vtil^ objecting to Dewol-
dewij'u landing Dear her domains, caused tlie light of the tamp to recede
as the dewijd drew near; whereupon Dewol-dewiyu deeialud, remarking
" p4na duraji," the lamp is too far. The third is connected with the
time of the invasion of CeyluD bj Wijsja, and refers to some event con-
nected with the breaking of lamps, respecting which I have not been able
to obtain particular*.
Dig.liz.ao.LiOOgIC
ADAM'S PEAK.
the reginn of CinQftmon ; and from thence to Colombo the
road passes by or through almost continuous gnrdens of this
renowned laurel, — the cultivation of the cocoanut palm dis-
tinguishing the western, while that uF the fragrant cinnamon
bush marks the eastern side of the road. Moratuwa,* for
ft purely native town, is perhaps the handsomest in Ceylon.
The great bulk of its population of upwards of I2,000eoula
consists chiefly of carpenters of the fisher caste, who devote
tliemsclves to the manufacture of furniture, and casks and
barrels for the e:fport of cofiee and cocoanut oil ; but it also
numbers among its inhabitants some of the most prosperous
and wealthy of the Sinhalese community ; and these, emu<
louB of one another, have erected mansions on either aide
of the main load, in a style which shews at a glance the
opulence of their owners. Amongst the most eminent of
the inhabitants was the late Jeronis de Soyza, Mudaliyar of
the Governor's Gate, whose dwelling-house on the outskirts
of the town might be considered the model of a Sinhalese
mansion, with its garden and oriental grounds. To his
munificence the inhabitants are mainly indebted for the
nolile Anglican church which adorns the town, — a eacrcd
edifice that surpasses in its ecclesio- architectural beauty
all others in Ceylon. His Uberalityf was in like manner
* ' Mora,' a amall but plensant fruii ; ' atuwa,' s grantrj' or store.
'f' t'ur an tccouDt of ibe proccssiuu and fS[« in Colombo aiid Ktoratuws,
after OoverDor Sir George Anderson had conferred upon Mr. De Sojza
the rank of Muduliyar, £ee Ajipendix M.
i,z.ar„Xj00gle
ADAM'S PrAK.
manifci^tcJ, in the establishment of schoob, the erection of
anibalamas, the making of roads, and in every kind of im-
provement that conduced to the welfare of hia countrymen.
The Wcslejane and the Konian Calholics form a lai^e
and influential section of the population here, and poaeess
Bpacioua places of worship, and well attended schools.
Next to Moratuwa lies the village of Ratmalana, formerly
as its name imports, " a forest of red flowers," but now famous
for its extensive cinnamon cultivation; and for its panaala
or monastery, where a college of priests is assembled under
the presidency of Hikkaduwe Sumangnla, the Chief priest of
Adam's Peak, elected to that office in lS6(i, because, in the
opinion of his brethren— an opinion shared by all the literati
of Ceylon — "his reputation for piety and scholarship stands
super-eminent among the priesthood of the Malwatta es-
tablishments of the Island of Ceylon."" The pansala is
• There sre two iectti of Buddhist prieBts in Ceylon, the Siamese and
the Amarapura; ^e former bag two establiehinenls, the Malwatte, and the
Aagiriyn. Of these, the Utter establishment i» the more ancient, andnaa
originally located in a dell on Asg^nja, "the horne iw-k," ahilt in theout-
■kirts of tbe town of Kandy. The former was established by King Kirti Sri,
on the re-establish nent, or resuscitation of Buddhism whiuh took place in
his reign. It was placed under the charge of the SayghaKajii,\Vi;liwita,
Cbief-priestof Adam's Peak, at Mal-watta, "the flower garden,"— a place
bordering the Kandy lake, given by the king to be prepared as a residence
for the priests from Sam, upon llieir arrival in Ceylon; and the privilege
was conferred upon it of taking precedence over the Aagiriya esf ablisbnioul.
Its members were supposed to be more subservient to the royal will;
but the ductrines and practices of both are precisely the same. The
D,o.i,z,a.„XjOOglC
„ Google
ADAM'S PEAK.
pleaaaotlj eituated about half a mile to the east of the road,
surrounded by groves of fruit bearing and other trees. We
paid our respects to the learned Chief-prieat on our return
from the pilgrimage. He was agreeably surprised to learn
that we had succeeded in reaching the Samanala, as the
reports he had received about the weather, and the state of
the roads, had led him to believe that we would be forced to
return without accomplishing the object of our journey.
A few miles further on, on theweatera side of the road, is
Mount Lavinia, a rocky headland projecting into the sea, on
which is situated what Sir Emereon Tennent deecribes as
"the remains of what was once the marine palace of the
Governors of Ceylon; an edifice in every way worthy of the
great man by whom it was erected — Sir Edward Barnes."
AmarapuTR sect was ettablisbeJ about the jetr 1808, bj a priest named
Ambsgabapitija, vrho, with eight others, obtained the Upusinpad& ordera
from the SagghaRiijaof Amarapuraat Bunoih. The two sects are dis-
tinguished from eai;li other by a slight difference io dreas and personal
■ppeamnce. The Siamese pHcita lesTfi their right shoulders uncoTcred
bj their robes, and shsTC their eyebrows; those or Amanipara cover
both shoulders with their robes, and leave their ejebrows in their
natural slate. The Amarapura sect baa prospered principal!; in tbe
Uaritime prorinces of the Island, where, since their establishment, their
Dumber* have increased until the; arc about equal to those of the Siamese
frateroitj, whioh word is perhaps the belter distinguishing term, since
tbeir differences are not doctrinal but merely ritual. They hare a few
members in Sabaragamuwa and U'va ; but there, and in all the otlier
Kandian districts, the priesthood of the Siamese ordination form a pre-
pouderating majority.
lyGoogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
After being diamantluil by orders from the home govem-
ment, then undergoing a " paroxysm of economy," it under-
went a variety of changes, and wae bought and sold, again
and again, until a speculative purchaser ventured to rejmir
it throughout, for the purpose of converting it into a private
boarding-hous*;. It did not, however, remain lung in hia
hands; and being once more put up for sale, has now become
the property of a company, who let out its apartments to
invalids and others desirous of recruiting their health, or
of enjoying the sea-breczea more fully than is possible
elsewhere, for many miles along the coast. And for both
these purposes, aa well aa for pic-nic parties from Colombo, it
is most admirably adapted. A cool airy barrack, officers'
quarters, and the rifle butts of the European regiment
stationed in Ceylon, adjoin Mount Lavinia.
Mount Attidiya, a residence nearly opposite, but a little
distance inland, once as famed for the beauty of its grounds
as for the hospitality of its owner — a gentleman then high
up in the Ceylon Civil Service— is now an abandoned ruin.
At Galkissa," the village nest passed through," the tra-
veller baa the opportunity of seeing a temple which may
serve as an example of modern Buddhist buildings of this
class in Ceylon. It is situated on a gentle eminence close
bv the high road, surrounded by groves of iron-wood,
• Th« name is derived from the wonls Oal-kesga. "stone-key";
'ItoHsa,' being an olil anil obsolete term fiir key, There is b tef^nd ti)M
an imi>ortfliit key vm hidden here in ancient tiiuea.
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ADAM'S PEAK.
murutaa, champncs, and other trees, ofTerings of whose
flowers form so remarkable a feature io the worship of the
Siyhaleee. The modest paosala la which the prieets and
their attendants reside is built in the hollow, and the ascent
to the Wihara above it is by steps excavated in the hill.
The latter is protected by a low wall decorated with my-
thological eyuiboU, and the edifice itself is of the humblest
dimensions, with whitened walls and a projecting' tiled roof.
In an inner apartment dimly lighted by lamps, where the air
is heavy with the perfume of the yellow champac flowers,
are the pHamas or statues of the god. One huge recumbent
figure, twenty feet in length, represents Buddha, in that
state of bh'eeful repose which constitutes the elysium of his
devotees; a second shows him seated under the sacred bo-tree
in Uruwcia; and a third erect, and with the right hand raised
and the two fore-fingers extended (as is the custom of the
popes in conferring their benediction), exhibits him ia the act
of ejihorting his earliest disciples. One quadrangular apart-
ment which surrounds the enclosed adytus is lighted by
windows, so as to exhibit a series of paintings on the inner
wall, illustrative of the narratives contained in the jataAa*,
or legends of the successive births of Buddha; the whole
executed in the barbarous and conventional style which
from time immemorial has marked this peculiar school of
ecclesiastical art.
"As usual, within the outer enclosure there is a small
Hindu diwale (which in this instance is dedicated to the
worship of the Katamgam deviyo), and near to it grows
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ADAM'S PEAK.
one of the sacred bo-trecs, that, like every other in Ceylon,
is aaiil to have been raUed from a seed of the patriarchal
tree planted by Mahindo, at Anarajnpoora, more than two
thousand years ago. The whole establishment id on the
most unpreteoding scale; for nine months of the year the
priests visit the houses of the villagers in search of alms,
and during the other three, when the violence of the rain
prevents their perambulations, their food is brought to
them in the pansala; or else they reside with some of their
wealthier parishioners, who provide tliem once a year with
a set of yellow robes.""
From the populous village of Galkissa the traveller enters
the suburbs of the capital, and soon begins to find himself
among the residences of the European inhabitants of Co-
lombo. Chief among these is the mansion long known as
Bagatelle, where a generation ago the father of the present
senior member of the Ceylon Civi! Service dispensed with
lavish hand moat liberal hospitalities. It is now the property
of Mr. Charles De Soyza, only eon and inheritor of the
vast wealth of the Mudaliyarto whom reference was made
when treating of Moratuwa. Rebuilt and extended, it is
here that its opulent owner had the distinguished honor of
entertaining His Royal Highness the Dukeof Edinburgh on
the occasion of his visit to Ceylon in April of the present year
[I870j,t A drive of two miles along what is now called the
• Sir J. Kmersos Tbnmjst's Cevion, vnl. ii. pp. 144— U6.
t For Bu account ofiliis entertainment, see Ajipeniiix N.
1
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ADAM'S PEAK.
Kollupitiya* road, brings one on to tlie Galle Face, or Faas,
60 called by the Dutch from its being in front of the forti-
fications that faced the direction of Galle. Thia fine open
space — the general parade ground for the troops, and great
lung of Colombo, is nearly a mile in length, and half a mile
or more in breadth, and is traversed by three excellent roads,
— one in the centre, one by the sea-side, and one past the neat
Gothic church belonging to the Church Missionary Society^
the bridge leading to Slave Island, the Lake, and the
Garrison Burial Ground; — all converging together and
unitingin one that once led past the frowning Dutch batteries,
the deep broad moat, and the quaint old gate, that gave
access to the inner defences of the Fort of Colombo.
The road that once led past I write, — for while this work
has been in hand, the fortifications of Colombo, or that portion
of them whicb overlooked theGalle Face, have disappeared, —
have been razed and levelled with the ground; the moat
from whence the earth work of the batteries was originally
dug has received back into its bosom the soil rent from it
a century and a half ago; the pick and the mine and the
mamotyt have so far restored the site of moat and mound
to its pristine state, that no one now can say with Captain
Anderson :
" Upon that fiirtlier point of land,
See jaadez frowning furtresa stand.
* ' Kollu,' a kind of pulM used for feeding horsea ;
f A kind of sliort- bandied hoe.
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ADAM'S PEAK.
Whose mouldering but nrnjeBtio wslU
Ti.s rnrmer grandeur yet n^rulls
As when the conqucrora of the iile
First rearM the firm (.■oinmiiiiilinjr pile.
To keep their slippery footing !<uri;.
An infiint empire to necure ;
To overawe a saviipe fue
And their superior science sliow.
Now like a veterttn liecay'd
Who onee the sword of valiiiir sway'il.
You trace upon its evening hour,
The vestige of its noontide powerl"
There wad a certain eteru picturedqiieness about the
frowning old walls and massive butteries, with their vmbattled
crests and grim gaping embraeures, and ancient guns, all of
which modern science has rendered useless, but which of yore
begirt the town with a cincture of impregnable strength; and
one grew bo accustomed to their appearance, that now they
exist no longer, a feeling of regret at their destruction will
occasionally obtrude itself upon the mind, especially as the
work of demolition progresses, andday by day fuiniliar objects
are for ever lost to eight. The ancients of the place may
mourn departed glories, as did the sages among the return-
ing Israelites when they recollected the Jerusalem of their
younger days ; but the glory of the latter times, it was pre-
dicted, should exceed by far those of the former. It needs
no prophet to make known the advantages to Colombo that
must accrue from the changes which are being made. Like
a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, the city stript of its
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PEAK.
warlike garniture, becomes daily more and more beautiful
to view; and with the magnificent approach to it from
KoUupitiya across the Galle Face, with its public and
other buildings nestling as it were in the groves of Tulip
trees" that adorn and shade its broad and busy etreets, it
appears to the eye of the traveller one of the fairest and
most pleasantly situated, ns it certainly also is the healthiest
by far of all the cities of the East.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
^dniu's jOtali
" See frowning o'er tlie vulo bcluir.
Yon rifted mountain's cloudy biow!
On itit mniit elevnted crest,
Perched like ihe snaring pn^le's nest,
Huir blcndwi wiili the skiej blue.
And scarce witliin our rcnch of view,
Tliere liuddlm's lonely temple slanits
Revered by all the neighbouring laniU!
A pudi that skirts aloni; the base,
AVinds up the mountain to the place;
lie toil and danger then forgot.
And let us gain the liallow'd apiit,''*
CHAPTER X.
Facsimile Foot-prists. — Asdba'dhapuba. — Kdruseoala.—
Ai.c-viha'ra. — Na'tha-de'wa'le'. — Gansorlwa. — Ala-
galla. — Kottiubulwala-vhia'ka. — Dewanaoala. — Khet-
ta'ra'ha-viiia'ra. — Rajiboda. — Baddegajia. — Sitakande.
■ — Hot-spring of Mahafalasse.
Just as in Moscow the Russians have a facsimile of the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem, to which the
faithful of the Ruaso-Greek communiou make pilgrimages.
* "The Wanderer in Ceylon."
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ADAM'S peak:.
onJ honestly, if ignoraotlj, believe that the merit which they
acquire in such pilgrimagea is only but in avery alight degree
leas thau what they would have gained had they gone direct
to the hallowed fane in the eacrod city itaelf; so in Ceylon
there are numerous facsimiles of the Srf-pida, to which the
old and infirm, and those Buddhiets who cannot nndertake
the journey to the Saoianata, reverently repair, and make
their ofierings of flowers and perfumes; and although they
admit that the merit of such offerings is inferior to thnt of
those offered on the Sri-p^da itaelf, at the summit of the
Samanala, ench as it is they eagerly covet it, distinguishing
the quality of their pious merit-bringing gifts by the term
"udd^eika ptija," or substitutionary offerings.
Fa Hian, the Chinese pilgrim of the fifth century, refers
to the footprint on the Samanala, and also to one impressed
by Buddha on some place north of the city of AnuriJliapura;
this latter has not been identified, but was probably a fac-
simile, to which no great sanctity was attached.
At Knrunegala, the capital city of the island from A. D.
1319 to 1347, there is a facsimile of the Sri-pdda, on the
top of the enormous Ktugala, or Elephant's rock, so named
from its having become so rounded and worn by time, that
although 600 feet in height, it has acquired the form of a
couchant elephant. Here was situated an ancient temple,
to which access was had by means of steep paths and steps
hewn out of the solid stone. This is still the resort of
Buddhiats from many parts of the island, their chief object
of veneration bcingllie facsimile Sri-p^da ; and from thi^ point
..>. Google
ADAM'S PEAK.
they can see the towering alp of Ailrvm's Peak, allhoiigh
(liataQt about forty milea. Thla cojiy h said to have been
originally cut to gratify the pious desires of a daughter of
oncof the kings, who was unable to |ierform the pilgrimage
to the Peak and personally ninkc her offerings on the holy
foot-print. Lamenting her inability, the pnesta had com-
paeaion upon her, and resolved that a copy of the foot-print
should be cut on the summit of Etugala; this was done ; the
distress of the Princess was removed, and the place soon
became recognised as a bgitiniate place of pilgrimage- It
was from this place that the usurping king Vasthimi Kunia-
raya, was killed by being precipitated headlong by a band of
assiissins, when on his way to join an assembly of priests to
which be bad been invited. Unsuspicious of danger he
accepted the invitation and was thus treacherously slain.
This usurpation, tradition pays, led to the next monarch
forsaking the plnce and removing the capital to Gampola.
There is another facsimile at the Alu vihdra in Matale; of
the rocks of which Major Forbes gives the following account:
" Amongst the recesses of these crags the doctrines of Gau-
tama Buddha were first reduced to writing, and under their
huge masses many temples were formed at a very early
period. These temples were destroyed bv the British troops
in 180.'^, and only two out of eight have been since restored.
On one of the higlieat pinnacles is a print of Buddha's foot-
step, similar to that on Adam's Peak, from which it is
copied; and a small hollow is formed in the rock near it,
for the purpose of receiving the offerings of the pious. On
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ADAM'S PEAK.
a neighbouring crag are the remains of a ddgoba, and amidet
ita scattered fragmeota a stone cut into twenty-five compart-
menta; in the centre one of these tlie relic of Buddha had
been placed, and the remaiaing celts in the stone had
contained the offerings made when the relic was deposited.
Through the middle of the Aiuewihare rocks there is a
broad natural street of unequal height; to reach this you
must ascend a flight of rude steps, then pass through a cre-
vice, and again ascend unlil you come upon a flat rock,
which is pointed out as the spot where the King Walagani-
bahoo assembled the priests, who here compared their texts,
which were then, or soon afterwards, committed to writing,
and form the Banapota or Buddhist Bible. This took place
about ninety-two years B.C.; and for two hundred and
fourteen years previous to that time, if not from the date of
Gautama's death, his doctrines had descended by tradition
only.""
At the Natha dcwal^ in Kandy, is a third copy of the
footprint. This was formerly on the Senkadagala, a hill
behind the Kandy Kachcheri. The rock bearing the im-
press was a few years ago conveyed to the d^w&le where it
is now seen.
A fourth facsimile exists, (some say it is an original one),
on the top of a mountain on Gannoruwa, close to Peradenia;
and a fifth on the summit of a mountain at Allagala. This
II Ceylon," vol. i. p. 34G.
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ADAM'S PEAK.
is known to have been made by the zealous restorer of
Buddliisni, the Sangha Kdja Saraiiankara, who about 124
ycara ago brought over to Ceyloii Siamese priests of tho
Upaeampada order, and revived the religion of the country
after a long peiiod of dormant inactivity and declension.
A sixth copy was cut on thetopofUie Kotimbulwala
vihdra rock in the Atakalao Kural^ of the Sabaragamuwa
district. Thia was the work of a pious priest who resided
in the vihara about eighty years ago. It was originally a
mere outline ; but the late chief priest of the vih£ra had it
cut deeper, and made more of a facsimile than it had pre-
viously been.
At Dewanagnla in the Four Kural^s there are two
facsimiles, the origin of which I have not ascertained. There
is also one at Khettariima viliiira, about a quarter of a mile
inland from the 37th mile-stone on the Galle roa<], made by
Mahagoda Dhammadassi Terunanae, of the Malwatta c»tah-
lishments-
In the Southern Province, there are two copies; one at
Kaniboda, on a rock adjoining the high road to Galle, near
the Police Court at Balapitimodare ; and another at Badde-
gamn, about fourteen mites southeast from Galle. The
Kev. James Selkirk says of thia,* " I went with the in-
terpreter this evening to a small temple, alwut two miles
from Itaddagoina, where is a mark of the Sri-p&da, or blessed
• " RetolWliniis of Cvvi'>ii," 1844 ; p. 468.
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PEAK.
foot, similar to the one which is on the top of Adam's
Peak, and to which such vast crowds of worehippers are
drawn every year.* It appears that a priest in this neigh-
bourhood, eome years ago, went tu the Peak, and took
the measure of the 'foot,' and on his return got a itone-
mason to cut one out similar to it. Thia was erected on the
top of a hill in this neighbourhood, and enclosed within a
small building. Great numbers of people come at certain
seasons of the year to make offerings to it. T measured the
length of it, and found it to be seventy-two inches; the
breadth is thirty-six inches. The length of each of the
toea, which are all alike, is fifteen inches, and the breadth
of each seven inches and a half. When I asked the priest,
who resides at a pansala near the place, what sort of a body
the person must have had who had so enormous a foot, he
said, with much gravity, ' Don't you know that our Buddha
is eighteen cubits high? By the cubit is here meant two
feet three inches."
There is also another impression of a so-called foot-print
at Sitakanda in the Magam pattu ; but this is alleged to be
not from the foot of a Buddha, but of some other giant. Of
this I have not been able to obtain any definite information.
Id the neighbourhood of the plaee where the impression is
asserted to exist, there are, close together, a hot and a cold
* It has been computed thot during the season nbout 100,000 Buddhists
and others make the annual pilgrimage to the Srl-p&da on the summit
of Adam's Fe»k.
i.r,ijOOg\C
ADAM'S PF.AK.
spring, respecting which I am indebted to the Assistant
Government Af^ent at Hamhantota for the following infor-
mation. — " The Mah4pi;lo?sa hot spring ia fuundiD a deserted
hamlet, four miles from Kidiyfig»ma, and about eighteen from
Hambavitota, The water gushes forth in gre.it plenty in a
email tract of open ground in the heart of the jungle. It
appeared to mc to have a temperature as high as that of the
Hot Wells at Bath, consiJerably, if a conjecture may be
hazarded, above 100°. I had no thermometer with me at
the time of my visit. As it issues from the ground it is
perfectly clear and limpid; but in the pool, a few feet below
where it accumulates, it acquires a dark blue tinge.
When rice is boiled in it the grains are said to be dyed blue-
The pool ia much frequented by elephants, elk, and wild
bulfaloes. At the time of my visit three wild peacocks,
which abound in Magam Pattu, were hopping about briskly,
or, as the Sinhalese say, dancing, in front of the spring.
The water tastes as if it had some mineral salts in solution,
which is no doubt the case. In the spring itself is a quantity
of decayed leaves and twigs, although no large trees are
near at hand. It ia possible the leaves may have been
conveyed by the action of the water from some point higher
up. People acquainted with both places say, that the
water of the Mahapelcssa spring much resembles in taste
and appearance, that of the Kannea hot-wells near Trinco-
malie. For persons troubled with rheumatic, and skin, and
such like ailments, all of which are but too common in
Ceylon, bathing in the Mahapelessa spring would, no doubt.
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
be beneficial. In any caae, tbe spring is a natural pbeno-
menon of a kind rare in Ceylon (where traces of volcanic
agency are very scanty) and ia well worth the attention of
the curious. It is much to be wished that a careful
analysis of the water could be made; but, so far as I am
aware, this has not yet been done.
" About 400 yards from the hot spring, is another spring, of
deliciously cool water. Springs ofany sort are rare iaMagam
Fattu, which suffers much from drought at all times, I do
not doubt there was at one period a populous village near
these springs. Tlie place is now however deserted ; and
what was once a scene of thriving industry and plenty, is
a dense jungle abandoned to the elephants, the cheetah, and
other wild tenants of the forest"
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,/L-.OOglC
C,o.liz,a.„CjOOglC
,,,i.„CjOOglC
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
On the Origin of the Ski' Pa 'da.
" Tub voneration with which tins majestic mouataio [AUam's
Peak} boe been regarded for ages, took ite rise in all probability
amongst the aborigines of Ceylon, whom the sublimities of nature,
awaking the instinct of worship, impelled to do homage to the
mountuna and the sun. Under the iniluence of such feeliags the
aspect of this solitary alp, towering above the loftiest ranges of
the bills, and often shrouded in storms and thunder- clouds, was
calcnlated to convert awe into adoration.
"Id a later age the religious interest became concentrated on a
BiDgle spot to commemorate some individual identified with the
national faith, and thus the hollow in the lofty rock that crowns
the summit was said by the Brahmans to be the footstep of Siva,
by the Buddhists, of Buddha, by the Chiuese, of FoS, by the
Gnostics, of lel^, by the Mahometans, of Adam, whilst the For-
tugueae authorities were divided between the conflicting claims of
St. Thomas, and the Eunuch of Candace, Queen of Ethiopia.
" The phases of this local superstition can be traced with curious
accuracy through its successive transmitters. In the Buddhist
annals, the Bojourn of Buddha in Ceylon, and the impression of the
'tri-pada,' his sacred foot<inark, left on departing, are recorded
in tltat portion of the Mahawanso which was written by Maha-
naama prior to d, c. 301, and the story is repeated in the other
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ADAM'S PEAK.
sacred books of tho SioUaloHe. The Raja- Tar anpini atatea that
in the first century of the Cbristiim era, a king of Kashmir, about
(he year 24, resorted to Ceylon to adore the relic oa Adam's Feak.
The Chinei^e traveller. Fa Uiao, who visited Ceylon a. d. 413,
says that two foot marks of FoS were then veoerated in the Island,
one on the sacred mountain, and the second towards the north of
the island. Oo the continent of India both Fa Hisn and Hiouen
Thsang examined many other sri-padas ; and Wang Ta-youen .
adheres to the atory of their Buddhist origin, although later Chi-
nese writers, probably from intercourse with the Mahometans,
borroiv the idea that it was the foot-print of Pwan-koo, " the
first man," in their system of mythology. In the twelfUi century,
the patriot King Frakrama Bahu L " made a journey on foot to
worship the shrine on Samanhela, and caused a temple to be
erected on ita summit," and the mountain was visited by the
King Kirti Nissaoga, for the same devout purpose^ in a. d. 1201,
and by Frakrama III. a. d. 1267. Nor was the futh of the
Sighalese in its sanctity shaken even by the temporary apostasy
and persecution of the tyrant Raja Sipha I,, who, at the close of
the sixteenth century, abjured Buddhism, adopted the worship of
Brahma, and installed some Aandee fakira in the desecrated
shrine upon the Peak.
"Strange to say, the origin of the Mahomelan tradition, as to ils
being the foot8l«p of Adaro, is to be traced to a Christian source.
In framing their theological ayatem, the Gnostics, who, even
during the lifetime of the Apostles, corrupted Christianity by an
admixture of the mysticism of Plato; assigned a position of sin-
gular pre-eminence to Adam, who, as * leA, the primal man,' next
to the ' Noot' and 'Logot' viaa made to rank as the third
emanation from the Deity. Amongst the details of their worship
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S FEAK.
thej cultivated the Tenention for monumental relics ; and in the
precions naniucript of the fourth century, vhlch contains the
Coptic version of the discourse on " Faithful Wiadom," attributed
by Tertttllian to the great Gnostic hereBiarch Valentinus, there
occurs the earliest recorded mention of the sacred footprint of
Adam, The Savioor is there represented as informing the Virgin
Maiy that he hu appointed the spirit Kalapataraoth as guardian
over the footstep (skemmut) 'imprtMted by ike foot of lei, and
placed him in charge of the books of lefl, written by Enoch in
paradise.'
"The Gnostics in their subsequent dispersion under the persecn-
tioD of the emperors, appear to have communicated to the Arabs
this mys^cal veneration for Adam as the great protophut of the
human race; and in the religious code of Mahomet, Adam, as the
pure creation of the Lord's breath, takes precedence as the EwtF
ulenb^/a, 'the greatest of all patriarchs and prophets,' and the
Kid^'y-Ekber, 'the first of God's vicegerents upon earth.' The
Mahometans believe that on hie expulsion from Paradise, Adam
passed many yean in expiatory exile upon a mountain in India
befbre bis re-union witli Eve on Mount Arafath, which overhangs
Mecca. As the Koran, in the passages in which is recorded the
&U of Adam, makes no mention of the spot at which he took up
his abode on earth, it may be inferred that in the age of Mahomet,
bis followers had not adopted Ceylon as the locality of the sacred
footstep ; but when the Arab seamen, returning from India, brought
home accounts of the mysterious relic on the summit of Al'Vakoun,
as they termed Adam's Peak, it appears to have fixed in the minds
of their coontrymen the precise locally of Adam's penitence.
The most ancient Arabian records of travel that have come down
to ns mention the scene with solemnity ; but it was not till the
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ADAM'S PEAK.
tenth century that Ceylon bec«jne tlie eBtabliehcd resort of Mkko-
metaa pilgrims, aod Ibn Batuts, about the jear 1340, relates that
at Shiraz he visiteil the tomb of the Imam Abu -Abd- Allah, who
first taught the way to Serendib.
"At the present day, the Buddhista are the guardians of tin
Sri-puda, but around the object of common adoration ijie devotees
of all races meet, not in furioas contention like the Latins and
G-reeks at th« Holy Sepulchre in Jenisslem, but m pious aj^n-
ciation of the one solitary object on whidi they can unite in
peaceful worship."— Sir J. Emerson Tehneht's Ceylon, toL ii.
pp. 132—137.
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ADAM'S PEAK.
Ibn Bxtuta'b Travels ih Cetion."
Whkn we sailed, however, (from the Maldive Islaoda) (he wiod
changed upon us, and ne were near being lost; but arrived at
last at the ieiand of Ceylon, a place well known, and ia which
is situated the mountain ofSerendib. This appeared to us like
a pillar of smoke, when we were at a distance of nine days from
it. When we got near the land, we saw a harbour, into which we
endeavoured to put, but were threatened by the Beia, who waa in
the ship. The reason of this was, the harbour waa Id a dialrict
belonging to an infidel prince, who had no intercourse with the
captains of Mohammedan vessels, as oiher infidel princes bad. He
• ProfcMor Lec'i tr«nsl«(lon, from which Ibis ihapler is Isken, i« not from tha
origliial MS^ bntfrom tbr«« capias of an abridgcmeiit.or *h*t " Hohimined Iba
Fst'h AU>h El Biildn( lUles that ha eilracted from the epitome of the Kitib
HobunmAd Ibn Jizii El Kelbf, (upon whom ha the mercj of Ood.) from the Irsvets
of Iha tbeologiaa Abu Abd Allah El Ltvit! orTangiers, known by the surname of
Ibn Baliita." The dale of his arrival at Ceylon is not stated ; but it may be veiy
DeaHf ascertained from aeTcral circamitsDcea elsewhere mentioned. He reaided
for some time at Etelhi, where he wbb appointed a Judge, and In 1 342 was sent by
the Emperor of UinduBtan on an Embaasy to the Emperor of China. On hia way
be met with many adventnres and detentions, before reaching Kalidil, where hs
wailed three monthafor the ship that was to convey him to China. Then, after har-
ing embarked hia suite, and the preeenta with which he was enlnisted, while
i,z,,ab,Xj00gle
ADAM'S PKAK.
w.is Hkcwiso a very slupii] being. He had alao shipa with which
he oeoasioTiiklly Iniiifixit'tcrl his troops Against the Iitohanimedan?,
Bmili.'!) all llii^, wc were in danger or drowning, udIcks we could
ruler ihfi port : I aaid to the Hfin, Ilii-iX'fore, Allow me lo come on
sliote, ami I will ensure tliy safety, and that of tlioae about thee,
with the King. To thia he consented, and myself, with aomo of
my followers only, were brought on shore. The intidels then came
aliout ua and said : What are you ? I answered, I am a relation
of the King of ihc Maabnr districla, and am on a Toyage to
visit him: wliatever is in the ship, is a present for the King of
Maalmr. They (hen went to their king, and loUt him this. He
therefore sent (or mo, and 1 went to him. IIo is the king of the
cily of Baldilo," which is small, and aurrounded by two wooden
fences. The whole of its ahore abounds with cinnamon wood,
bakam, and the kalanj! aloe ; which, however, ia not equal to the
Kamuri, or the KiikuU, in aceot The mcrehaDts of Maabar and
the Maabar districts transport it without any other price than a
few arlielea of clothing, which are given as presents to the king.
perriinning hiB d^otions prerioua to embarkiDg himicK, « graat atorm «fDH, md
the i>hip waa driven to tea withuut him. Tlib ou«d inotbei long drtention. Bat
■t lut,ucertainingthsllha vessel hid reached China. aAer > tartlier del*7 he Hud*
lii» nay to the Moldiva Ulands. There be settled dowa, mirried four wivei, and
waa made a Judge. A child wu boru lo him, and he became ■ magnate 1r the
land. But hit proapcritj' became hia bane; for the Tiiier, dreading hia own Iwa
of iufluence, grew so hostile, tbat he ranulved to viiil the "Hsabar dintricta of
Hindoetan," whoae king waa married to a lisler of one of hia wirfa. Taking
all the abov? circumHlanrea into accouct, he could tctreely have reached Ceyion
before 134Ti the pn>babililj' indeed i* that it wai later; for the rapitat of the
Islnnd «a% at the time of bis visit, Kaukir, or Uanga-«ri-|iuia, tlie modern
Gampola, which dl}' was aot made the capital until 1347.
* rullnlam.
D,9.i,z,a:,CjOoglc
This may be attribute)) to the circutnatttnce, that it is brought
down by the mountain torrents, and left in great heapa upon the
shore. Between thia city and the Maabar districts, there is a
vojnge of one day and night, Tlie king of Ceylon, Ayari Sbaltari*
by name, has considerable forces by aea. When I was first ad-
mitted to his presence, he rose and received mo honourably, and
said : Tou are to be my guest for three days. Security shall be
forwarded to the people of the ship, because your relation, the
kingoftheMaabar, ismy friend. After thanking him, Iremainod
with him, and was troated with increasing respect.
One day, when I was admitted to his presence, ho had with
him a great number of pearls, which had been brought from the
* It is not quite clear who the individual here called Uie king of Ceyloa vis.
Perhaps Ibn Batilta aejjigned lohiiii tberankorkinftrruni the meaniDgor the name ;
' Arje,' signifying in Ihe Sanskrit, noble ; and ' chakra-TBrti,' uiiiveraal monarcli.
M^or Forbes, in the Epitome of the History of Ceylon appended to vol. ii. of bis
work, menliooa that in the niga of BhuvanekaUhn I (A, D. 1303—1814,) Knla-
iikaia the king of Ptndl, sent an army commanded by A'rya-Chakra-rartl
to invade Ceylon ; and that he took the capital TJpaho, nnd earned off the Dalada,
which he presented lo his sovereiKn. This relic was recovered by Prakramabihu
III. the succeeding king, who went in person to treat witb the king of Find! for
its realltuliun. IL is not stated wliether the Pandian hing retained posseadon of
PattslaDi or not. The MalabaTs or Tamils oC Cerlon were settled In considerable
numbers along the northwest coast, and the leading man, or chief, may have been
named Chakra-varti, which is a common enough name to this day amongst the
JalTnese ; or the P&ndian General ni>]' have remained at Pultalam as Ihe reiiresen-
Utive of the king of Pindi. In the reign of a subsequent monarch, Bhuwaiieka-
bibn IV. (a. Ik 1347—1361,) the capital of Ceylon was removed to Gangi-airi-
pura or Ganipola,whlch may have been the Kaokir. referred to by Ibn Batiila
further on ; but a* the worda mean only " the royal river dty," they may have
been applied to other cities on the banks of a river as well as Gimpola.
i,z.ab,L,oogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
poarl- fishery, am] tlii-se liia companions were sortiog. He asked
me, whether I liiwl ever seen pearl-diving, in aaj eountry which
I had vi»iti'<l. I K;iid, yes, I had, in the island of FinnB. lie
naid ; Do not bo shy ; awk for what you wish, I answered : My
only deMire in coming to this islaad was, to visit the blessed foot
of our forefather Adam ; whom these pco|>lc call Bgb4, while
they style Eve, M&ma. Tliia, replied he, is easy enough. Wo
will send some one with you, who shall conduct you tbilher.
The ship (said 1) which brought we here, shall return to the
Maabar ; and when I return, you shall send me there in one of
your ships. He answered. It shall be so. When I told this to
the commander of the ship, be refused to accede to it ; and said,
I will wait for you, should you be absent a whole year. This I
told to the King, who said: He may stay at my charge until you
return. He then gave mc a palanquin, which his serrauts carried
upon their shoulders. He also sent wiih me four Jogees, who
were in the habit of visiting the foot'mark every year ; with these
went four Brahmins, and ten of the King's companions, with
fifteen men carrying provisions. As to water, there is plenty of it
to be found on the road. We then proceeded on our journey : and
on the first day crossed a river in a boat made of reeda, and
entered the city of ftlanar Mandali,' which is handsome, and
situated at the extremity of the territory of the infidel king, who
had entertained and went us out. We then proceeded to the port
of Salaw&l,'!' which is a small town. The roads, however, over
* Pmhalily AnnemnilwK. Sir J. E. Tensest uva MinDcri Mundil. B
Virr ia in opponitc dirpclion lu Ihs route to Cbllaw, vhilu Annemadooc i.
midn-By btlween PulHilsni and tlial lowu. -f Cliilaw.
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
vbich we travelled, were rough and abounding with water. In
thoec there were many elephants : but tbej never t«ucbed either
pilgrims or strangers, in consequence of the bleBsing obtained by
the bheikh Abu Abd Allah Ibn Khaiif, the first who opened this
road of pilgrimage to the foot. The ioddels would not formerly
allow the Mohammedans to make this pilgrimage, but ii^ured
them ; nor would they either sell, or give them any thing to eat.
But when it happened that the elephaata killed all the companions
of ihiB Sheikh, ooeof them sparing and carrying him ou his back
from among the mountains to an inhabited district, the infidels
ever after thought highly of the Mohammedans, admitted them
into their housee, aud fed them.* And to this very day they speak
of the Sheikh in the most extravagant terms of respect, aud call
him "the greatest Sheikh." After this we arrived at the city of
Kankir, which is the seat of the Emperor o( Ceylon. It is built
in a valley between two hills, upon an cHtuary called the estuary
It Ibn BatuM ii fully borne oat by Robert Knox, Kbo wys,
speaking oftlie charity ottbe SiyhaJcH, in hiscbapter "coDcsmiDg their religious
doctriDCt, opinions and practices," part ij), ch. 3. "Nor are they charitable onl/
to the poor of Ibeir own oalion ; but aa I said to others, and particularly to the
Uooriah beggars, who are Uahometani by religion ; these have a lonple in Sandy.
A certain former king gave this temple this privilege— that every freeholder should
eontribnlea ponnam (fanam, l}rf.) toitg and these Uoon go to evety house in the
land to receive it [except in Eblosljige]; and, if the bouse be shut, they have
power lo break il open, and In lake of goods to the value of it. They come very
eoulidently when they beg, and say Ihey come [o fulfil the people's charity ; and
the people do liberally relieve them for charity't sake,...Tbeae Uoora pilgrims have
many piecea of land given lo them, by well dinposed persons, oat of charity, where
they build bouses and live ; and this land becomes theirs from generalion lo
generation, for over."
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
of rubies, anJ iu which rubies are fouuil." Wiihoul the cit; istho
moMjiic of the Sheikh Olhniiin of Sliiraz, nliich bolli the Emperor
and the people of the city visit, ami for which they have groat
respect.
The Emperor is an iutidul, and is known by the name of Kin^.
He has a white elephant, upon which he riilea on foast dajs,
having first place<l on his head some very largo rubies. This is
I the only white elephant 1 had ever seen. The ruby and carbuncle
j are found only in thia country. These are not allowed to be ex-
i ported, on account oftho great estimation in which they are heldj
nor are tliey elsewhere dug up. But the ruby is found all over
Ceylon. It is considered as property, and is sold by the inhabit-
j onts. When they dig for the ruby, they find a white stone abound-
I ing with fis:4ure9. Within thia the rulij is placed. They cut it
out, and give it to the polishers, who polish it until the ruby is
separated from the atone. Of thia there is the red, the yellow,
and the cerulcau.f They call it the Manikam. It is a ciutom
among ihein, tlmt every ruby amounting in value to biz of the
golden dinars current in those parH, shall go to the Emperor,
who gives its value and takes it. What falls shortof this goes to
his attendants. All the women in the island of Ceylon have
*Thia dswriplloD in some rcBpei^ts ansiTcrs to Gampola. and In othvri to Ril'
napara. They Ore both on the lianka ota river, with bilta on either aide. Nev
bnth ij an uicieut nio)^iie, Itatnapnn is rerlstolj' near " ihe eicuBrv of rubies,"
or diKlri<-t where such i^ma an Tound ; hut then, on the other hand. I am not
aware thai it ever was tin' cii|>ital. whi^-h linrnpoUirrtainl)' •ms. Mar not this ha
tThe tnpaz and (he Mp|>liiie.
i.LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
traces of colourei) rubies, wbicb they put upon their hands and
IpgH aa chains, in the place of bracelets and ancle-ricgs. I once
saw upon the head of the white elephant seven rubies, each of
which was larger than a ben's egg. I also saw in the posaessioD
of the king AyarS Shakart!, a saucer made of raby, as large as the
palm of the hand, in which ho kept oil of aloes. I was much
surprised at it, when the King said to me. We hare them much
larger than this,*
* There sremi to hav« been at one time, a contdderible DOmber of Ibese Urg«
ruliiet, orbuncks, or (mettiyiil n, in Ceylon. Cdehihs, describing tbe adventures ot
Sopaler, the Ant IrHveller who gave an account of the iilind from personal kiiow-
led^e, says. "There are tvo kinga ruling at uppoiIU eoda of Iba iaUnd, one of
whani piascMa the hyacialh, ... as Urge as a pine Cone, the colour of fire, and
fiathing IVom a diiiUnc?, eapedallj' when catching the beama ot tbe sun — a matcb-
leas sight." Marco Tulo says, "the king of Ceylon is rapufed to have the grandeat
rubj that yitK ever wen, a span in length, the thickne&sof a nun's aini) brilliant
beyond description, and nithuul a single flaw. Itbasihe appearance of a gtoning
fire, and its vorth cannot be estimated in money, The Grand Khan KuUai, Mnt
ambasudoTs to off^r for it the value of a city ; but the king Tould not part with
it fbrati lbs Ireasum of tbe world, as it iraa a jevrl banded dom by bis aocettora
ftom tbe throne." Jordan deSeverac, abont the year 1323, repeats tbe story, of
the mby being " so large tbat it could not b« grasped in the clo!ed Land" Wfaal
became uf it is not knonn. In tbe fourteenth centuiy bowe^'er, the Chineaa
annalists make mention of an officer who nas sent to Ceylon by tbe emperor, to
parchase ft "carbuncle" of unusual lustre. "This served as Ihe ball on the em-
peror's cap, aad was transmitted to succcrcding eroperora on their accession as a
precious beirloam, and worn on Ibc birthday and at the grand courts held on the
flrst day of the year. It was upwards of an ounce in vdght, and cost 100,000
strings of cash, Each time a grand levee was held, during thedarknenofthe night,
tbered lustre filled the pabce,and it was for this reason designated ' The Red Palace-
Uluminalor.' " Perbape the most extraordinary statement respecting a Ceylon ruby
is that given by Valentyo, the Dutch historian, who Myi one of the two Engtiahmen
i,z,,ab,Xj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
We then proceetltil from Kiinkar, and came to a care knona bj
the name of Islu Mahmu<1, then to Ihe estuary of Biizuta,* which
in their language signifies monkeys, animals which are in great
Diimbcrs in the mountains of thct^e parts. Thenc monkeys are
black, and hare long tails: the bcar<l of the malee is like that of
a man. I was tokl by the Sheikh Othmau an<I his son, two pious
and credible persons, that the monkeyd have a leader, whom they
follow as if ho wore their king. About his head is tit;d a turban
composed of the leaves of trees ; and he reclines upon a stafT. At
his right and left hand are four n)onkry!>, with rods in their hands,
all of which stand at his head whenever the leading monkey Bits.
Hia wives and children are daily brought in on these occasions,
who sit down before him ; then comes a number of monkeys, which
sit and form a sort of nseembly about him. One of the four
monkeys then addresses ihcm, and they disperse. After this each
of them comes with a nut, a lemon, or some of the mountain fruit,
whiiih he throws down before the leader. He then eats, together
with his wives, children, and the four princi)>al monkeys ; they
then all disperse. One of the Jogeea also told me, that he once
saw the four monkeys standing in the presence of the Leader,
IT ho effected their esc»po from Ksmfy at Siliw»k»,»flertwenty-lwo years' e«ptiTity,
related "that be had seen > ruby that had been found by a peasant, which «u or
Buch immeniie size, that for Borne time be bed in hia «inipljci(y uaeJ it Tor a whet-
alans, wjlhout knowing what il was I" But Robert Edoi, who wa« a captive in
Kandy abont the laine lime, makes no mention of nich a gem ; and it is very
unlikely that bad it been in exiilrnn, be would not have heard of il, or hare failed
la int
; of his
apt! lit) in the
eounliy.
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
aad beating another monkej with rods ; after this thej plucked
off all hia btur.* I was also told by reepectftble peraoDs, that if
one of thef<e monkejs happens to attack, and be too strong for a
foung woman, he will ravish her.
We next proceeded to the estuary of reeds, where rubies are
also found. The next place we arrived at is known by " The
house of the old woinaD,"t which is the farthest inhabited part of
the islaod of Ce;lon. Our nest stage was the cave of B^bd T6hir
who was one of the pious: the next, the cave of Sibak, an infidel
king, who retired to this place for the purposes of devotion.
Here we saw the fierce leech, which they call the zalaw. It
remains on trees, or in the grass near water. When any one
comes near to it, it springs upon him, and the part of the body
attacked will bleed profiisely. People generally provide tliem-
selves with a lemon for this occasion, which they squeeze over
him, and then be drops off. The phice upon which the leech has
fastened they cut out with a wooden knife made for that purpose.
It is told of n pilgrim who passed by this place, that a leech
fasleued upon him, so that the skin swelled; and, as he did not
squeeze the lemon on him, the blood flowed out and he died.
We next came to a place called the seven caves, and after this
to the ridge of Alexander, in which is a cave and a well of water:
At this place is the entrance to the mountain. This mounlain of
Serendfb is one of the largest in the world : we saw it from the
sea at the distance of nine days. When we ascended it, we saw
■This is evidently ■ conrUMil iccuunt of the Veddilu and their ciutonu.
Ibo Datul« VM now in tlieir coonlrj-. SabutganiDiri, thnngli which h« wu
joutneying, being, u ita name import*, " the Veddah Tillage."
t " PaliUddsl^" i-U. p. 154.
D,9.i,z,-,^.-,>.L-.oogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
the clouds passing between us and iu fool. On it is & great
number of trees, the leaves of vhich never fall. There ara also
doweraof various colours, vith the red roee,* about the aise of the
palm of the baoJ, upon the leaves of which they think they can
rend the name of God and of his [Vophet. There are two roads
on the mountain leading to the foot (of Adam) ; the one is known
by "the way of Balia," the other, by "the way of H^mi," by
which they mean Adam and Eve. The way called Ibat of M&mi
la easy : to it tlie traveller cotao, upon their first TisitiDg the plaee ;
but every one who has travelled only upon this, is oonaidered aa
if he hod not made the pilgrim^e at all. The way named B&bi
is rough, and diflicult of ascent. At the foot of the mountain
wh^e the entrance is, there is ii minaret named after Alexander, '
and a fountain of water. The ancients have cut somethii^ lika
steps, upon which one may ascend, and b«v« fixed in iron pias, ts
which chains are appended ; and upon those those who ascend
lake hold. Of these chains there are ten in number, the last of
which is termed "the chain ot witness," because, when one has
arrived at this, and looks down, the flrightful notion seizes him,
that he shall fall. Af^r the tenth chain is the cave of EluEr,
in which there is a large spaee ; and at the eotranee a w«U of
water, fiill of fish, which is ala« called after his name. Of those,
kowerer, ao one takes any. Near this, and oa each side of tba
path, is a datern cnt in the rock. In this care of Khisr titn
pilgrina leave their provinotu, and whatever else ttwy have, amd
then ascend about two mllea to the top of the mountain, to the
place of (Adam's) foot. The holy fout (mark) is in a stone, so
* RhododeDdroda.
D,9.i,z,,a.„L,OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Uiftt iia place is depresBed. The length of the impresaion i«
eleven spans. The Chinese cune hare kt some former time, mai
tut out tfom L^a stone the place of the great toe, together with
the stone about it, and placed it in a temple in the city of Zaiidn :
and pitgriinages are made to it from the most dislant parts of
China.* In the rock, too, in which the impression of the foot is,
there are nine excavations which have been cnt ont : into these
the infidel pilgrims pat gold, rubies, and other jewels: Mid hence
jron will see the Fakeere, who have come as pilgrims to the well
of Khizr, racing to get first to the excavations, in order to obtain
whatmajbe in them. We, however, found nothing but a Utile
gold with some rubies, which we gave to our guide.
It is customary for the pilgrims to remain in the cave of KhJzr
for three days; and during this time to visit the foot both
morning and evening. This we did; and when the three days
were expired we returned by the path of M&n)li,t and came down
to the cave of Shiiiham, who is Slietli, the sou of Adam.} AfWr
* Davit in bli work oa ChioB ind the Cblncvo. ujs thit tlia inhabitanta of tbe
ftoirmylanditippost. tbsl at the hue of Adam'a Pnk is a tonple In irUch tbe real
bodj- of Baddhi repDMaoD lutlde, and Ihal DMF ilare his teeth and other r^a.
tSIr J. Emnwn Tennsnt somewhat mgnelj apoOuof Ibo Batdta^ucenl "from
Gampolito Adam 't Peak." Thfe would implr that he asonded by Ere'i rente,
whereaa it la plainly ihewn that he made the uaait via Ratoapura ; and he himself
n;tba''r«tan]edb7 thepathofHim^"
X Tide page 43. Bat other HohnmntadJUi vriten hold differrDt opinlona.
Tbiu Uaaudi, a d. 948, make* mantfon of Homt Rahwan (FJ Rahonn) on
which Adam d»ceoded whvn eip«l1ed from Paradiae, adding, that a race of Hio.
dui, in tbe laUnd of Cajilon, deaceodad from Adam, dertvs their origin fkvm tha
children of Cain, and lb* aaakgy between the tradiliom of tbe Arab* and
D,9.i,z,a.„Cj00gle
ADAM'S TEAK.
this we ftrrived at the fish port, then at the village of KarkuD,
tben at the village of DiMinuK, tlien at tlic village of At Kalanja,
where the tomb of Abu Abd Allah Ibn Khaflf ia situated. All
tbe»e villages and tilluJ laoda are u|>on the mountain. At iia
fuot, and near the path, is a cypii'ss,* which ia large and never
drops the leaf. But as to its leaves, there is do getting to them
hy any means ; and these people's heads are turned wiiti eorae
strange sod false notions rospeciiiig them. I eaw a number of
Jogees about the tree, waiting for tlie falling of one; for they
suppose that any person eating one of them, will grow young again,
however old he may be. Beneath this mountain is the great estuary
at which the rubies are obtained; its water appears wonderfully blue
to the eye-t
BoddhiiU miy probahlj be trsc«d to that period of eirlj hlitoiy when both
peapls Kere Siniuieana i maintiiaing, according lo the anthority of tb« Mefntih-
(l-olum, tbU the world hui no iKKinoing, Ilist nula traaiinigrBted from one bod^
to (Dotbrr, and that the eiirtb U lonatantl}- declining. — Bird's AimiverMi^ Dii-
curse, jDum. Bombii}' A^ Socy. No. 6. The Rev. Spence Hsrdy, ia bia MidiuI
of Buddhiara, p. SIS, commentirrg upon thia, in eaanectioD with the Sri-ptfHt, aaye,
'It ia probable that Rtja Siphi, A. D. 1 58 1 would deMroy the Sr{-pMa tbsn is
exIateDce iloog with the other objecu of Baddhiitji'.al veneratloa (hat fall banutb
hii band." But he seema, in tbii iiutaiice, to bave overlooked the fact, that the
foot-priot WM venerated bj the Aandiyaa aa that o( their Supreme deity SitI,
and therefore it was not at all likely, when B^ja Siqha gave the SamiDala Inla
their eustudy, tbac ha hud preriously des«;raled or destroyed (be r»lic which tbay
venerated and worshipped quite ai mavb aa did (be Buddhisla.
* Puuibly a Bo-lrce, or perkiap* the fancied San.-^vj, the tree of life, Teapecting
which, see p. 35.
t Probably the K^lani-gapga, In wh«ae head waters and tribulaiy aticanu,
rubles and aapphiresand other precioue alaaee are atill found.
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
From this place we proceeded, and in two days wrived at the
city of Dloaur," which is large, aod iohabiled by mNvihaiits. In
this is an idol, known by the same name, placed ia a large temple;
and in which there are about a tboosand Brahmins and Jogees,
and five hundred young women, daughters of the nobility of India,
who sing and dance alt night before the image. Tlie officers of the
city revenue attend upon the image. The idol ia of gold, and as
large as a man. Ia the place of eyes it has two large rubiesi
which, as I was told, ahine in the night-time like two lighted
candles.
* Donden head, or D«wand«re, the Iilacd'a end, ilw ciUed Dewf Kewera, "th*
SuniaiD of CefloD, and tbe aonthem extremity oT (he Island, i> covered with tha
niinaof aletnpte, which «ai once oneof Urn most celebnladlu Cij'lon. The head-
land iticir boa been tha retort of devotee* and pilgTiina,fVoai the most remote afcee;—
Ptolemy deacribea it u DagMU. ' aacied to the moon,' aod the Bnddhiau constructed
then one uT (heir earlieat dagobu. the realoration of which waa the care ofaaccesBlve
■Dvereigna. But tha moat important temple was a abrine which, In very early time,
had been erected bj the Hindu in hoaonr ofViahnn. It waa In tha height of ita
■plendoui. when, in 1A87, (be place was devaatal'd in the coorae oF th* marandlog
expedition by which De 3oiua d'Arroncbaa aougbt to create a divenden, during the
siege uf Colombo by Raja SiQhalL The historlanaof the periodiuia, that at that
time I^ondera was the most renowned place of pilgrimage ta Ceylon ; Adam'i Peak
ecareely excepted. The temple, they say, was so vast, that fhim the aea, it had the
appearance of a city. The pagoda waa niaei on vaulted arches, richly decorated
and roofbd with plalea of gilded copper. It waa encompassed by a quadrangnlar
elobler, opening under verandahs, opon ■ terrace and gardens with odorlfcnna
shnibsand trees, wboteflowera were gathered by the priests for procewioiis. Da
Sonzaentered thegateswitboatn»lstance; and his soldiers tore down the statue*
which were more than a thousand in number. The temple and Its baildlngs were
overthrown, ita arcbe* and its colonnades were demolished, end its gates and tower
levelled with the ground. The plunder MOa Immense, in ivoiy, gemn, jewels, sandal-
wood, and omauienti of gold. As the loat indignity that could be oflered to the
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
From thif place we travelled to K^lt,* which ii a large town;
then to Kolambu (Colombo), which ia the fiaest and largest c'lij in
Sereodib, Afier three dajt we arrived at the city of Batt&la, from
which we had been eeot hy its king, with his servacta, to vlait
(Adam's) foot. This we entered, and were received hoaourabljr by
the Itiug, who furnished ua with provisions.
•acred pbee, coiri ir«n ilmogbterwl In th« courU, mud th« can of the idol, with
Othtrcoiabiutibla niat(riaU.b«iiig &r«d,tbe ■hriiw wu ndaced la aBhca. A Uoot
doorwajr exqnUlcly etrrtd, and > unall building, KboM eitrionUur; HrengUi
nriiledtbarialcDcearthe deatroj^anitn ill tbU now nmain standing; but tba
grauDd for a coiuiderabls tlUtaoca b tlnvrn witb ruin*, oooipicuout among whlcb
are nambers of flnely cut colunua oT granite. Tbe digoba ohlch itood on tha
crown of th* bill, i> • mound uf ehapeleu dfbru." — Sir J. Esiituoa TiN^fMMT'a
C«>-1on, vol iL pp. 113—1 14.
' Fuint-de-Galle.
D,9.i,.,-,,i.-,>.L-.ooglc
ADAM'S FEAK.
Note.— While the preceding sheet wm pMsiiig through the
press, the writer was fiiTonred with the Avowing infbnDfttioD,
obligingly obtained and forwarded by H. 3. O. RnaseU, Eeq^ the
GoTerDment Agent of the Central Province. It wilt be foond to
throw some additional light apon the subject of the Hindu worship
of the Foot-print of Riva open the satnmit of Adam's Peak ; Hba
origin of which is involved in considerable obscnrilj. It ihoold
be read in connection with the subject discoMftd in chapter I^
pages 27—40.
SITANOLtPATHAM— ^suO©Litu/r;*ii.
In Cejion there are places dedicated to Slvi such at Trinco*
malee or Thadchanakajlajsam {fiiL^esaaiiSeja fLc) Thirukkich-
charam (^3s(?4<r<?iri£>) &c. There is a Puranam, (qjr.Tasrui) iu
Sanskrit (which is the mother language of Tamul) relating to
Thadchanakaylasam or Triucomalee, called Thadchaoa-ka^laya-
nianmeium (fi^fsasaSeijrrffLDiTsirL^iuiii,')
The following is found recorded in the 6tb and 7th chapters of
that book.
"In the middle of the mountain called Siviaolipatham, three
rivers or kankat rise out of Siviln's foot {utrfiih.)
From mj (Sivio's) foot, three rivers issue out, and the names
are Mavillie-kankai (iaiTsSeSQ&iiesia) Hanikka-knnkai {uirret^k^
Ossieaa) and Karary-kanku (<siTG'euifiQ<sis)Si>«). M&villie-kankai
flows towards the North, reaches SiviId's place at Trincomalee, and
&1Ib into the sea south of it.
M&nikka-kaukai flows towards the East and passes hj Eather-
kamum {s^sriruuh) a place dedicated to Supermania-swamy, son of
Siv^ and then falls into the Eastern sea.
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
KAVftiy-kankfti flows towards tlie West, and passes into the place
of Siv^ catleil Tlieiukkachcharum (situated at Mantotte in Mann^).
These three kankais are highly meritorious streams "
The names of these three rivei-«, thn direcliona they lake in
their course, their connection with the above-named three famous
places dedictated to Sivin's worship; iho name "Uivinolipatham"
by which this peak is usually known, and the fact of these four
places and the three rirera being recognised by Sivaites as places
peculiarly adopted for the worship of Siv4 at the present as well
as in the ancient timen, shew beyond doubt that the mountain in the
Central Province of the Island of Cuylon which is called Kiviinoli-
patham in Tamul, and Adam's Peak in English, is the very moun-
tain epoken of in the Sanskrit work Thedchana-kaylaya-tnanmeium
written several c
P. K. T, Kanaoebatina, Mods.
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Sannas of King Kirtissi
Our Great snd Supreme Omniscient Sovereign BudOha, ihe
Teacher of the thi-ee worlds, who ia diatiaguisbed b^ the beauties
of thirty-two most noble marks, and eighty secondary eigoa, and
circnlar beams of light, and rowa of gloriea, who is pleasing to
the eyes of dl beinga, and who is skilful ia the distribution of
the noble and glorious ambrosia of his doctrluea, who is well con-
ducted, and is of a felicitous advent, having completed all the
thirty preliminary coursea of pdramtlds, such aa donationa, observ-
ances and the like, during a period of four atankhyas and a hundred
thousands of AaZ/HM, ranquished the m&rSyd with all his hosts,
attained into the state of omniscient Buddha.sbip, and who in the
eighth year ascended the centre of tho firmament, and came here by
emitting forth clualcrs of his condensed beams of six colours, and
carefully stamped the print of hia glorious foot, endued with a
hundred and eight auspicious marks, such as the noble sign of a circle
and others, upon the summit of the Samantakdta mountain, which
represents a crown of blue sapphire gems, worn upon the head of
the lady of the glorious Island of Lank&, bcautiBed with various
rivers and cataracts, filled with clear water of cool springs, adorned
with groves of multitudes of noble tree's, loaded with flowers, and
enriched with much sweet fragrance of well blossomed filaments.
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ADAM'S PKAK.
Wlifti <»ir Mo-t llitil. aiiJ Snpr.mo Mi.nnrcli Kirlissri lUjftsidh*,
— whusp fame, glory, ami mujesty pervade ail ilirociiona, like the
luoori, the jatiniLn flowers, ami rows of whito hama birds, and
arc similar h> tlic rays of the sun that di^iicl tlie darkness of the
multitu(l(-s of eDcmics, and who represeuts the central gom that
adorns ihc pcnrl necklace of mauj hundreds of kings ftom tho
prime Monarch Wijaj-a Rija, of the solar race, that uc-cupied the
(krone of tho f^lorious Island of Latiku, tho incomparable ^mde
for the three kinds of ri'lics, such as pdribkogika like the glorious
footprint, $drlriha and uddet'ika, — hnd, like the king of the gods
alighted upon ihc midst of the firmament, reigning in the great
city called Senkhanda Saita Srlwardkaaapura, which is the desire
of the eyes of muliiiudcs, and abounds witli all the glorious marks
of a city ; — engaged iu the most noble pleasure of protecting the
religion of the Omniscicut Suddha, liy causing the decayed and
ruined temples of the glorious Island of Lauku to be cleared of the
thonis with which they were covered, and to be repaired ; and
by causing the erection of great temples, monuments, bo-trees, and
houses of images anew, by enacting rules for celebnting constant
offerings and services in the holy places, such as those in Anu-
n'ldhapura, Mahiyangaoa, Kaly^nipura, and others; aad having
presented them with gold, silver, pearls, gems, and such other
things ; and by worshipping and honoring them j and by offering
as presents such living and non-living things as gold, silrer,
pearls, gems, clothes, jewels, elephant?, horses, estates, fields, men-
scrvanta, and female'Scrvants, in honor of the glorious tooth relic,
resembling a golden honey-making bee, which constantly dwelt
in the pink lotus month of the Omniscient Supreme Buddha, pos-
sessing an odoriferous aweet fragrance ; whose holy fuct are enve-
lojicd in the shining clear light of the gems that embellish the
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAMS PEAK.
crowns of the great Brahnutb, the occupant of a throne of lotnsf^s,
and of Asurae aod men ; and by caueiog the celebration of offeringH
and aervicee in its honor ; and bj enhancing the prosperity of the
state and religion: — His Majesty having heai-d that for along time
conBtant offerings and Borvicea bad not been celebrated on the
peak of the Samantakuta monntain, where was situated the print-
niM-k of the holy foot of the Supreme Buddha, who is like a rojal
lion that breaks open the brains of the wicked religionists, the
elephants ; — it having come in the time of the divine Sovereign
Rejasigha of S(t4w&k& into the possession of the Aamjijaa who
daub over their bodies with ashes, as protypical of their being
burnt and reduced into ashes by the most cruel and very dreadful
hell-fire; — was pleased to grant as an offering to it, the village called
Kuttapiliya, die Bowing extent of which is one hundred and
sixty-five amunams of paddy, situated in Naw&dun Koral^ of the
District of Sabaragamuwa, including the houses, gardens, trees,
vegetation, dry lands, and fields in this village, in order that
offerings and services may be celebrated and well established in
this place, until the time of the extinction of the religion, unmo-
lested by the monarchs that will, hereafter, ascend the throne of
the glorious Island of Lanki ; and that it may be a living for those
who supply the services in that place: — Granted with the object of
gaining the happiness of twarga and nirvdna on this Wednesday,
the twelfth day of the increasing moon of the month of yikini,
being the twenty-third day of the sun's entcriug the sign of Cancer,
(Aug. 4,) in this year named prajapali, which is the two thousand
two hundred and ninety-fourth of the year of the glorioiis Buddha,
(a. d. 1751); given in charge of the Lord SaranonkaraofWcliwita,
resident at the Temple of Up^uiatbar&ma, who is adorned with the
magnificent qualities of Stla (observance) and A'chara (good
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ADAM'S PEAK.
conJurOi ■!>»■ tl>c olTcrings niar Ix* cHebrat^ii ami kept up hj the
HucccD^ion or hilt pupilugc. This is the on.icimcnt. Mid this eoact-
meiit i« thus recorJcil.
SigricJ. for tbid heiag a true Copj, by SHrn;iBnkara Uananse
of Weliwila, who had it la his charge.
(Signed.) Weliwita.
Translated by C. Anvis.
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PEAK.
Buddha's three Visits to Cetlon.*
Tbi3 gloriolu Island of Lonks, was the residence of Yaksbaa
during the Don-BuddbUlJc periods of the world, and men dwelt
there onlj in the Buddhistic periods. By some of the Buddhas, at
the rely first attaiDmeut to perfection of wisdom, the yaksbaa were
subdued, and tlie Island became the abode of men. There were
other Buddhas who personally visited it, subdued the j'akshaa,
made it the abode of men, and established their religion there.
And this Island of Lanka is like the Buddhas' own treasury of
the throe gems, as it is certain that the southern branches of the
sacred trees, and the doctrines, the relics, and the religion of
infinite and innumerable Buddhas, are established here.
2. The residence therefore of false religionists in this Island
of Laoka is certainly as unstable as that of the former yakshas
was unstable. Although, occasionally, a king of a false religion
majr usurp the sovereignty of the Island of Lanka, and reigu over
it, yet it is the authoritative mandate of the Buddhas, that the
dynasty of such kings should never be permanent
3. A3 this Island therefore is suitable only to the kings of the
true religion, the permanence of the "hereditary succession of
their dynasty is sure. For such reasons as these, the kings
reigning over Lanka should be assiduous in upholding the i-eligion
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ADAM'S PEAK.
vilh tlinl |:;rciit love ami vctK-nit Ion wliich is iiAtur&l towsrds
ItuilJha, ami ought to pri'scrve the heritHgp of their dynasty by
keeping the influence of their juii^'iiiclion ami that of (ho religion.
4. Ix'ftving anido the perio.ln of oilier BuilUlias of former times,
tliis Ii-lHTi.i wan called O'jiulwipa at the time of the Kakuumda
Ituddiin, who in this Kalpa attained to ilic poifeciion of wisdom.
Anuradiinpura was then cnHoil Abhiiyiipura ; the king thereof waa
named Ahhaya. Tlie ]ir<-wnt grove Maha-mewiiiia had tho
niime of Ktaha-tirlha-waiia ; the city was on the ea:<t of this grovo.
Tlie nnmc of Piyatkuhi, or the Mihintal& rock, was D^wakuta.
5. At that time a pestilential disease of fever struck such cities
n^ Abhayapura, over all thin Islaiitt, abounding with large popu-
lation and great wealth and riches ; and when a great affliction of
llie poople prevailed, such as was in the city of Winili at the time
of our Butlilha, ponple began to die. And the yakshas, t>eing
unable, on account of the influence of Buddha, to enter the Inluid,
st«od circumambulating round it, scattered over the sea, erecting
theniselven up and observing the smell of the human carcases.
6. At that time Kakusanda Buddha, knowing the exceeding
unhappy state of the inhabitants of this Island, O'jadwtpa, and
being impelled by great compassion towards them, repaired thither
in an instant through the air, accompanied by a retinue of about
40,000 holy priests, and descended upon Dcwakuta (Mihintala),
and stood there like the moon attended by stars; he illuminated
the t«n directions with his beams of six colours, and determined
with his supernatural influence, " Let all the men of this Island of
O'jadwipa see me, and as soon as they see me lot all their diseases
vanish, and being sound in health, let them all come in an instant
and stand round me."
7. Anil at an instant, simultaneously with the thought of that
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PEAK.
determitiBtion, all the ioLabitantH of the leluid saw Buddha like
those who see the moon in the eky. And the epidemic of fever
Taniabed, snd thej all, like those wLo had received ambrosial water,
every man from the place where he had been lying, collected
themselves round the rock, as those who collect themselves into a
hall in the midst of a town.
8. At this moment the kinga, eub-kinge and great ministers
worshipped and invited him into the grove Maha-t!rtha-wana
(Maha-raewuna), and conducted him thither in great pomp, and
completed for him a beautiful temporary court, and erected a mag-
nificent throne for Buddha with forty thousand other seats, and
presented the grove to Bnddha with great ceremony.
9. In that instant the great earth gave a shock and sprang
up, and all the trees thronghont the grove stood embellished with
supernatural flowers from their roots even to their topmost twigs.
And the sentient beings, who were delighted at this miracle, with
the roost profound veneration, made the great priesthood, with Bud-
dha at their head, take the repast of the alms of Chatomadhura, and
presented to Buddha perfumes and flowers and other things, in
proportion to the wealth which each man possessed, standing at
a reverential distance.
10. At that moment Buddha preached his doctrine, and rescued
forty thousand souls from transmigration ; he spent the day in that
place, and in the afternoon, repaired to the site of the great sacred
tree, and rested there for a moment under the blissful inSuence of
dyana, when he rose and thought, "I will follow the practice
of the preceding Buddhas," and then stretched his right hand
towards the direction of the sacred Bo-tree, and determined with
his supernatural influence, "Let the sanctified priestess Ruchinanda,
the chief over those priestesses of my religion who performed
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ADAM'S PEAK.
minicles, apponr here coDvej'ing tlic suuthem branch of the great
sacred Bo-tree."
11. At that inHtant also the (>auctifled pneetesit perceiving the
delermi nation which Ruililha had exercised, caused the king Kb4-
niftwati of the city of Khcmdwaii, to nwke a streak of yellow
orpiment round the southern branch of the sacred Bo-tree, »nd
so got it by self-cutting, and placed it in the sacred hand which the
Buddha had out-stretched.
12. Then Buddha looked at the face of king Abhaya, and said,
" great monarch, follow the practices of former blessed and
prosperous kingt of this Island like thyself," and caused that
sovereign to plant the sacred tree. Thence, on its northern direc-
tion, he sat down in the s'te of Luwamahap&y^ which at that
time was called Sii'i^a-Malaka, preached his doctrine, and reecsed
twenty thousand souls from transmigration. lie proceeded thence
and sat on the site of Thupitrikms, and rose from the blissful
influence otd^dna, and preached his doctrine, and rescued in that
place ten thousand persons from transmigration. And he delivered
\i\9 dharmakara (waterBtrainingveRsel), saying, "Build ye a monu-
ment here and worship the same, and make offerings to it, ood be
rescued A-om transmigration." And he left ia this Island the
sanctified priestess Kuchinanda, together with live hundred priest-
eases, and the high and holy prient Mabad^wa, with teu thousand
priests. Thence he pri>ceededtoI}fwakuta(Mihintala),and stand-
ing upon the site of the Batamahosala mouumeut advised all the
inhabitants of the Island, and returned to Jambudwipa in the sight
of all the living beings,
13. From that lime forth during the whole of that Buddhate,
every succeeding king who was bom here, continued to worship
the throe gems, and went to the city of Nirwano.
i.LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
14. Kow at the time of the second Buddhft, Koiiagiima, this
Islaud wa« called WurudwipA; iht- nflmc of tbo Maha-mewiiaa grove
was Mahii-snoind grove. The city on the south of the grore was
named WadJhani.iaaka. It waa enriched with all sorts of wealth
by lis king Sumiiidha. And D^wakuta was called Snmanakuta.
15. At that thne this noble Island of Lanka, which was inha-
bited hj four noble tribes of men, and full of females like goddesses,
of cows and buffiiloes, and of all sorls of wealth, having had no
rain for Rome inttsrval of time, was overspread with a great famine
like the famine called BcminitiyA Saja at the lime of onr Bnd<)ba,
and there was a great dlHtrcHs from want of footl.
16. As the end of all the discourses of Buddha is aimed at
(one or the other of) the three marks j he observed the time and
Niw the distress by famine to which men had come ; and, concluding
that " sentient beings could he established in faith when tbej had
a sorrow," came here through the air attended by thir^ thousand
sanctified priests, and stood on tlie very site of the foot-marks of
former Buddhas, on the summit of Sumanakuta (Mihintala), and
looked at the ten directions,* and said, "Let rain fall in this Island
just at this very moment, and let all the tanks and dams be filled."
17. At that instant, simultaneously with the thought of our
Ix»rd, liundreds of blue condensed clouds of rain began lo present
tbeingelves to the eight, as if the reflections of mountains appeared
in the miiTor of the sky. Hundreds and thousands of pillars of
rainy clouds began to shew themselves, resembling a pressure of
pillars of blue sapptiire stones spreading in the bosom of the sky,
and the clouds began to roar in tlie sky, as if the gods bad begun
to play music as an oSering to Buddha.
* The four cardinal, anil the (hot intervening, and ihe zenith and nadir points.
i,z,,ab,L,oogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
IK. Tliriiifninia (if raiulKuvs begun lo o|i]>car ns so itiiiny divine
nnlK's, wliieli ilu' prnls lind Imilt us an off^thi^ to Bu.Mlia. And
iii>'ria<l:< of ligliiiiiii<:s began to xhcw thcin:4<.-U-('8 iu (lifTcruut
djreciiiins, rescmbiing rowit of banners wLiiih tbc gada bad
piTi'ifd. TboiisanJs of torrents of wul«r procecUod, bursting die
l.ltLp oundcrii'ed clouds of rain like bcnps of strings of pearl b which
godd oflir to Duddlm. Thousucid^ of pincurks began to erect ibeir
lai!?, a^ if thoy held feather urabrdlas over their heads, for the
pui-pose of iirotecliiig themselves from the wetting of tbe laio,
19. At that instant tlironghout the wholooflhiBlalandvevj' thick
find heavy showers of rftin fell, and filled tbe tanks, dams, rivers, and
canals ; and torrent -stream 8 of fr&ih water fl'XiiIs began to run in
dilKrcnt ilireclions, as if they had been reiKlened by rage, and were
moving about lo find out where tbeir enemy, tbe beat, was dwelling.
20. Tiiud BiiJilba having extinguished the beat by an unusual
sbmver, caused the rain to ceaite, and then, in the sight of all
living beings, be Mood on the summit of the rock like a statue of
gob], and entered the state of Samapatti of aqueous kasina, and
emitting streams of watei' fiom bis own body, also administered a
healing to the (Kipulation. And all the living inhabitanta of tbe
Island, who were delighted at tbe perfoiTaauce of ihia miracle,
collected themselves together rouud Buddha, and worshipped him,
immcrging themi^elveB under the beams of bis toe-nails, and carried
him iu their arms unto the Maha-anoma grove.
21. On that very day Buddha received the grove, with a shock
of the great earth, and made bis repast, and at the conclusion of it,
dclivci-cd his doctrines and rescued thirty thousand souls out of
transmigration : and in the afleruoon, as was mentioned before, ho
determined in his heart, and caused by bis superuatural iuflueoce,
the southern branch of his sacred fig-tree to be self-cut as aforesaid,
D,9.i,z.a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
through the instrumentality of the inonarcli Sobhnna in tho city of
Sobhana, and brought in an instant by fire hundred priestei^ses, with
the sanctified pricsteSBKanakadatta at their head, and having caused
the king Samiiidha to plant the sacred tree, and taking seat on the
site of the LiSw&inah&paya, which at that time vas called Niiga-
m&laks, he delivered his doclriues, and liaving given lo twenty
thousand persona tho fruits of the paths of Nirwuna, proceeded
thence and sat on the sit^ of Thiip^rania, and expounded the
docti'ineN, and liberated ten thousand souls from transmigration,
and left in this Island bis waist-band as a relic, togclher with five
hundred priestesses, with the high and holy priestess Kauakadatta
at their head, and one thousand priests, n-ith the great higli priest
Sudlianna at their head. Thenue he came and xtood on tho site
of the great stone monumeat called Sudaasanamalnka, advised all
the living beings, and returned from this Inland into Jambudwipa.
22. From that time forth in that Buddhatc all tlie princes that
were bom liero, together with nil tlie people, continued to wor.-hip
the three gems and filled the city of Nirwana,
33. Moreover, in the time of Kusyapa, who became Buddha
in the third place, this Island was designated as Mandadwipa, the
grove Maba-mewuna had the name of Maha Sagara; the city on the
west of it was called Wisalapura, in which a monarch of the
name of Jayanta reigned ; Sumanakula was culled Subhokuta. At
that time the inhabitants of this lahmd, with their kings, sub-kings,
and groat ministers, 'were divided into two parties, and were jealous
of one another, and carried on a civil war. They engaged arniies
composed of four elements and arrayed in arms, and began to strike
one another, saying "we will kill them and make oceans ofblood."
24. Then Buddha having seen many persons perish in that
civil war, impelled by great commisserution, reiwiirid thither
TT^^oogle
ADAMS PEAK.
llirou^rji the air, accoin|iiiiii{'d 1>y twTcily tlumsnuil saiiclifit'il Jis-
eii'los, (iL'Na'rideil upon Subliakulu, niid ci'cnk'd a thick ilarkiici^s,
niid (k'tcritiiiicJ iu his honrt with hiH dujxTnntuml iiifliicnce, " Let
no two pi'i'.'iiHis see each other," uuJ put thi'tii into a traiici' with
thi' chLi'kiLc^j, and thcti di:;]H'lled the darkricHs.
23. And the people resumed the battle. Then He caused the
whole Island (o i>moko, and get.'iiig that the nigc of the people did
not subside, ho entered into the ptute of Samaputli of the igoL-oua
Ka^ina, and emitted strcunir! of fire ont of his body, which was
twenty cubits high, and tt-rrilied them by making the whole Idhmd
tike a hou^e set in one bluzc of lire.
26. Then the I>coplu seeing the mountains of lire moving nliout iu
liie iiir, and the sparks of lire ince:^suiiily ilirown at every house, siiid,
'■ U men I what consternation is this r* It ii? like the day of the de-
slruclion of the world ; we are fighting against each other for the sBko
of a kingdom, and that kijigilom is now burning; our wives und
ehildreu are burning ; our wealth is buniiiig ; fields and gardens are
burning ; and we ourselves shall be burned presently ; and what wars
shall we carry on ?" And they trembling for fear of death, dropped
down the weiipons which they hail in their hands, and were moved
with affection towards each other, and the armies came to peooe.
27. Thus Buddha, like one taking up a thorn by means of a
tliora, extinguished the lire of their nigo by his miraculous fii-e,
and then quenelied both the tires, and maJe himjclf visible to ait
the living beings.'
z.dbvG0Qgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
38. At that mometit nil men having seen Buddhs, stood up
with cloaed hands upou their hewls, aod enquired of him, " Lord,
art thou the god of fire, or art thou the deity of the sun ? Thy face is
like a full moon, tby body is like a mass of ambrosia ; but on the
contrary, the fire thnt issued out of thy body is exceeding fierce.
Cnn a fire spring out of water ? Lord, whfit sort of personage art
thou ?" And when tliey karned that he was Buddha, the supreme
over the universe, they exulted with joy.
29. Afterwards Buddfaa on that duy caused the great earth to
shake, and received tlio same giove, ami at the conclusion of his
repast he awakened the minds of the fuithful by the warmth of
his preaching, as heat expands the blossoms of flowers. And he
gave to twenty thousands of souls the fruits of the paths (to Nir-
waua). And in the afternoon, he having proceeded to the site of the
great and glorious sacrod tree, and having, as before, determined in
his hetirt, witli his supernatural influence caused tlie southern
branch of the sacred Nigrodha tree lo be self-cut by king Brahma-
dutta of Benares, and brought in on instant by five hundred
priestesses, at whose head Was tlie sanctified priesteas ^udharma,
and planted by the monarch Jayanta; and then by tho discourse
which he delivered, sitting on the site of the L^Swdniah^p&ya, called
at that Buddhate Asoka-malaka, he rescued four thousand souls
from tmnsniigration, and proceeded to the site of Tbupttrama, and
preachedhisdoclrinesandgHve toa thousand souls thef\-uita of the
paths (to Nirivfiua); rind left in this Inland his own bathing robe,
aud the sanctified priestess Sudharma, with five hundred priest-
essea, aud the great sauclificd priest Sarwananda, wiih n tlionsund
other priesta ; and then having stood on the site of the third great
stone monument Sonmnas!>a-mHlakl^ he advised gods and men,
together with all the inhabitaaU of ihe Mundadwipa, aud rose up
Difi.tiz.n.-.^.LiOO'^IC
ADAM'S PKAK.
into the lrf.^om of llie sky and leti
ia<K>n ntti'd.li'd b/ stai
.10. Thus also iu I
pxiM<>.l for twoiily til
ciiy of XirwAiiB.
Tlnii! Hbould be kn<
first three BuJdh.ia il:
BiKMiiiile of tlie K^apa BuJilbft, which
iaivl yi'Hr.-t, the living la-ings bom here
worship the three gems, nnd filled tbo
iwn briefly the hi-^tory of the viaits of the
lit were bom in t1ii» Ktilpn.
Described in Pujawaliya.
grcBt litiddlia Giiulnnift, who l)ceamo Buddha
ill the fourth period of tliis Kalpu, i i»Ited this I^liuid uf Lsnka on
the d-iy of full ickkiii of ihe month of Durulu (January), the ninth
of his Biiddh&.'ihip. and Httiod iu tliQ air uvcr the midflt of s great
army of Yakslms in the full blos-somed grove of Mahan&ga-w&na,
three yoduns in length a&d one iu breadth, situated on the bank
of the river Jliibitwuliika (Mahaweli), where, when they had com-
menced ■ battle eguinst one tinothcr on account of some dinputc, —
they were shouting with boasts like the roaring of thunders, and
looking hero and there with various hostile weapona in their hands,
poseeasing hearts like flames of fire, shaking the shrunk copper
coloured hair of the head, raising up the pairs of contracted cruel
brows like (be bow of PlutJ), revolving the red eyes like inflamed
Imlls of fire, having cheeks blistered with strokes of the estreraities
of tusks like crescent moons, tremulously shaking tongues thrown
out of their hollow mouths, with disorderly teeth closed by the
outward turned red lips, and revolving circular plates set at their
ears, — he shewed himself in the air like a golden rock enveloped
with many thousands of rainbows, lightnings and evening clouds,
and caused a roaring of the aky and earth louder than their clamour,
and created a fourfold thi<:k darkness, and terrified the yakaha^s,
"D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOg'lC
ADAM'S PEAK.
like Fisachas who had ofTended Waiearuwana. Again tio dispelled
tUe dai'koess, and mode himself visible to tbem in the womb of the
sky, like the diac of the rising aun, and struck terror among the
army of yakshaa by volumes of smoke emitted from hia body,
and then again be stood in their eight like the face of the moon,
clear of the five obstruct ioua, issuing ambrosial bcama.
32. At this raoniCDt the army of yakahas, who bad seen these
miracU'S, saw Buddha and prayed him, saying, " O Lord, who art
great and possessed of such influence as this, remove these calami-
ties from us, and give us safety." Then Buddha addressed himself
to the yakshas, who had supplicated him for safety, and said, " O
yakdhas, if ye all wiab for safety, bestow on me aa much space on
the ground aa yi'M suffice for me to sit," and having obtained as
much space aa would suffice him to sit, ho removed the consterna-
tion among the y^shas, and sat in the midst of (heir army, upon
the skin carpet spread on the piece of ground given by them ; the
place where Buddha sat being the site of the Mahiyangana monu-
ment ; and from the four edges of the skin carpet be emitted
four stroama of fire, which spreading on all the ten direclions,
struck terror among the yakahaa, and dispersed them in different
directions. Buddha then collected them on the sea-shore, and
shewed tbem as if the isle of Yokgiri had been caueed to be
brought near by bis supernatural influence ; he then presented
that isle of Yokgiri to them, and settled the great yaksha army in
it, but he remained there on the sea-shore.
33. At that instant the chief of the gods, Sumana, resident at
tho peak of Samanala, (Adam's Peak), together with all the aerial,
domiciliary, and other gods dwelling on trees, mountains and other
places, arrived there ; and when they st«od there making offer-
ings of lights, incense, perfumes, flowers, and such other things;
D,9.i,z,-,^.-,>.L-.oogle
AUAMS TEAK.
IJiiilrlha, "lio "11,* -iiiiiij,' ill liiiit jiliii-i-. ilci lured hi.- snund iluctriDC*
lo iill iIk' (.'."U iLiL.t nuiLit^scs, |ircsi.U-a over by tlio cLitf god
.Suiiiiiii.^ :iii.i «-l:,l.|j^ll.■d nmiuT.Mis K.'liw (ten nnllioHs) of tlie
iiiiilrihidi' cjf ilic t^ttU ill the ciijovmciit of the fruits of iLe patbx,^
arni iiilmiilid uu Ai-uiikyii i>f ^i.iis iiilu the iniliakiry Sila.
3 1. The chief gild Siiiiiaim, wh" wi thiit day atMiDod unio the
h.ilv I'nth of Sciwan, hcMiiight for a relic suilahle for llim^M:l^ to
woi'shi|. BEiU make olTeni.frs lo. Then llic meritorious Supreme
ItiKhlim ruiilieJ his lieud mid gave a liui.Uful of hair relies to the
ehief god Sumaim to worship and make offerings lo, and circutnam-
bulated tliree times rimnd the Island of Laiika, like a meteor tliat
moved mjiidly in the darkness, and gave it liis proieetion, and
returned to Janiliudwijia on that very day.
35. Tlicn the chief g(Mi. great Sumuna, placed in a golden shrine
tlic handful of hair relic which he liad obtained, and collected a
heap of gi-ms on the ^i>ot where Ituddha hail sat for subduing
yak:^lias, and on the top of that heap of gtms he interred the
shrine with the hair relic, and built thereupon a diigolia of blue
sapphh-e gems, and made immense offerings to it.
The first visit of Buddha to the Island of Lanka.
S6. Moreover in the fifth year of our BuUdlia, who is a refuge
to the refugeless, and in the fifteenth day of the waning moon of
the month of Bhaga (March). two Nagakings, Chuldilara aud Malid-
dara, maternal uncle and ncpliew, commenced a war on account of
a "era throne, taking with them ecparate armies of eighty kelasof
hlgas dwelling in water and in land, lieing twenty kelas of
Kagas from K?lani, t.igetlior with tliirty kelas from Wadunnagala,
against thirty kelas of Maninaga isle ; aud the two armies boasting
violently, like two oceans stirred up by the vehemence of the wind
., LiOOg Ic
ADAM'S PEAK.
and ruBhing upon the Und, arranged liae by line like the rows of the
waved moving thereon, taking various weapons, such as sworils,
shields, darta, circular swords, clubs, bows, spears, lances, javelina,
crowbars, maces, and arrows, and waving them like continuous flash-
ings of lightniugB, rendering the whole battle-field a universal
shout, anil contiuually running forward with bravery of heart,
intoxicated with the pride of each outvieiug the other, and pressing
hard each upon the other.
37. Then our Buddha saw by inspiration the affliction suffered
by the army of Nagaa who were thus boastingly assembled in the
batrle field of the civil war; and impelled by compassion towards
them, he started in the morning of tliat day fW>m J^tawana-
^rama, and came tlirough the air under the shade of that very
Kiripalu tree, which had been standing near the gate of the
temple of J^tawana, and which the king of the gods, Samirdhi
Sumana, who bod been residing on that self^same Kiripalu tree,
rooted up and held over bis head, and descended at the isle of
Maninuga, and presented bimself in the midst of tbe two Naga
armies, who had the sharpest battle, and seated himself in the air
under theshade of the blue-sapphire-banner-Hke Kiripalu tree. He
then created a darkness for tbe purpose of frightening tbe Niga8,and
afterwards threw a light upon ihem like that of the rising sun. The
Nagas being thus frightened by the darkness, he shewed them many
wonders, and preached his doctrines, and reconciled the two armies.
38. Then all the Naga people, having thrown their weapons
out of their hands, brought, in company with the Naga virgins,
various kinds of splendid offerings and presents, and bestowed Ihem
upon him : and they prayed BiMdba to descend on the ground ;
and he, sitting upon the gem throne which the Nagas had bestowed
upon him, made a repast of (he divine food which the Nagas gave
D,9.i,z,-,^.-,>.L-.oogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
Iiiin, and prenclicil Ins ilocuiiii'!' tu cighly krUa of Nagns, and eetab-
liilied llicin in (lie iniriatory sUa. Anil in lliat N;iga companj, the
Xuga king Maiii:ik, the mnlcrnal uncle of llie Naga king Mnlio-
dara. su i-pl irate. t Bivl.Ilia to visit Ki^mi.
39. Afterwards BuJdlia, Imving by liis silence conscatcd to the
inviiiiiinn, nindc tliq Kirjpalu tree, and the gem throne, pari-
bhc>glka monunieiitsi,* that they might worship and make ofieringa
to thciii, in order tliat Iheir advundng merits might increase; and
he Rul on the gpm throne, leaning against the Kiripalu tree,
40. Thua having quelled the di:':>cnsion3 of the Nigsu, he left as
piirihhogika monuments both the gem throne which ho bad received,
and tlio Kiripabi tree, which the god had brought fi'om J^tftwuia
with him, hohling it as a shade oyer bis head, in order that the eighty
kelusofNiigan, and tiieir females inhabiting the three N^a abodes,
which have the three N^ga kings, Chuloilara, Mabodarn, and Ma-
niakkha, as their chiefs, may worship and muke offerings to tbem, in
whatever way they choose. And be established protection to the
glorious Island of Lanka, and returned to Jctswana Vibira in the
city of Sewct in Dambadiva.
41. Thus, the gem throne and the Kiripalu tree, which our
Buddha received when he came to Maninaga isle, on bis second
visit to Lanka, were placed in the oceanic Naga abode, and on
the sea shore, as pitribhogika monuments.
This is the account of the second visit of our Buddfaa to the
Island of Lanka.
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
42. MoreoTer our great Buddha, the teacher of the three
vorlJs, who hRs a glorious &ce like a lotue, residing in the Vihura
of J^tawana, thus thought about bis third visit to tlie Iislaod of
Lanka; namely, "when I am dead (my) tooth relic, the jaw
" bone relic, the forehead relic, and about a drona* of other relics,
"which tbe inhabitants of the ci^ of Rambagam will receive
"at my demise; the hair relics and many other relics, will bo
" settled in the glorious Islaud of Lanka ; and many hundreds
"and thousands of monasteries will bo established tliere. And
"as a great many people, such as Kshastrias, Brahmans, Walsyas,
" Shuddras, and many others, who will delight in tho three gems
" will dwell there, I ought therefore to go to the Island of Lanka,
" and visit the sites where ttie aixteen great places will have to
"be situated, and indulge myself in the enjoyment of Sam&patti,
"and then return here."
43. So in the eighth year of his Buddhaship he, at the invitation
of the great priest Sun¶nta together with five hnudred sancti-
fied th^ras, mounted upon five hundred gulden palanquins which the
god S^kraiahad created and presented to them, came to the territory
of Sun¶nt, and received the hall named Cbandana-mandala-
m&laka, built by some merchants in the monastery of Muhulu ;
and there he preached his doctrines to sentient leiiigs, and estab-
lished them in the enjoyment of tho fruits of the patlis, and
dwelt there several days, and went to the market town of Supparaka
at the invitation of the priest Purna, and preached the doctrines to
the people there. While he was returning to the city of Sewet,
Lc came to the bank of the river Nermoda, and there he, at the
^rt3Ut)glc
ADAMS 1'1:aK.
reijtii'.-t of the Xagii king NirniiuJi, who dwelt in the river, par-
took of l}ie tlivine t'lHid prescnti-d by liiin, and gave him some
jii'iK'tical ftdmoiii lions, and e.-:tid>]i:'lieil a preat multitude of N^igaa
in till! iiiiiiiitory obsiTvunce of rclifjioii. And at ilic reque^it oftlie
N.iga king Ni/nnodd, Kc made an im|ii'Liit of liia glorious right
foot, eniloweU with a hundred and eight auapicioua signs, on a
beautiful etrand like a heap of pearl dual, on the bank of tliat river,
oti which the rippling waves strike and break themsclveH, and he
provided the Nagus with the roeaiH of acquiring merits.
44. When the spreading waves strike over the heap of sand
on which the glorious foot was imprinted on the shore of that
river in the Yi'moka country, the glorious foot-mark is covered by
the water, auU when the waves retire, the imprintof the foot with
all its audpieiuus signs i^-appears, like a seal impressed upon the
surface of a lunip of extremely white beea-wnx, without the slightest
diminutiou of any of the blissful marks, satisfying the eyea of
every otic who sees it. And it imparts abundant happiness to the
world up to this day. This is a paribhogika memorial.
4.J. Anil from that place he proceeded to the rock of Rachcha-
baddha, and at the request ofa certain pricstcalled Sacbchabaddha,
he imprinted on the top of the thick blue rock of that name his
glorious foot, endowed with a hundred and eight auspicious signs,
such as Siriwoaa, Swastika, and so fortli, as if a foot smeared with
ointment had been preased upon a lump of wet clay, without the
defect ofa single jot of the parts of thoso auspicious marks, so as
to be clear to the bodily eye of every one that sees thom. This
also is a memorial of the foot of my Buddha,
46. Thence Buddha, proceeding from the anid Saehehabaddha
mountaiit, recollected the invitation which the Niig.1 king Ma-
niakkha, — who enjoys the Naga pR>s|>crity in that Naga region
D,9.i,z,.^.,>LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
which bad arisen contiguous to the new stream of water named the
Kelani river, perhaps from its resemblance to an auspicious body of
water emptying itself into the ocean, baring fallen at the foot of
the rock after the entire washing and pm-ification of the noble moun-
tain Samanlakuta (Adam's Peak) of the Island of Lanka, when the
water of the auspicious consecration was poured on the top of ita
bead for purification, previous to its sacred investment with the
mark of the glorious foot, — had made on a former occasion, when
he had gone to Maninitga isle, for the purpose of assisting his
nephew Mahddara, the prince of the Nilgas, in a wv which he was
carrying on against the Nig& Prince Cbulcidara, having seea
Buddha, who had mercifully come there, — that be should visit
K$lani ; — and on the day of full moon of the mouth of Wesak
(May) be began to proceed, attended by five hundred sanctified
priests, including the eighty dignitaries.
47. In the place where Buddha was residing, there was, close
to his bed chamber, a noble Naga named Sumana, enjoying great
happiness, constantly attended by Hixteen thousand N&ga virgins ;
and he, having seen the personal gracefulness of Buddha,
greatly admired him; and he had bb mother as an object of
veneration, and rendered bor such services as worshipping and
honouring her, and shampooing hei- feet.
48. When BudJha was about to depart, he invited this noble
Nilga who stood by, and said "Follow us with thy retinue." And
this noble Niga immediately obeyed these words, and said "Yea,
my Lord," and took his train of about sixty millions of N&gas, and
proceeded, holding over his head a full blossomed champack tree,
BO that the rays of the sun might not strike against the glorious
persoti of Buddha.
49. Afterwards the meritorious Buddha, having arrived at the
D,9.i,z,.^.,>LiOOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
Nuga city of llio Nuga kiog Maniakklia nt the Kclaiii river in tha
Islatnl of Lanka, sot upon the throne compleletl with all sorts of
gems in the golden court, miraculously brought into existence by
Maniakkhn, and remained with hi:> attendant priests on the eite of
the Kclani monument, and made refvctioa of the diriiie food pre-
sented to him by tho noble Nagn, and delivered to him some
practical admonitions ; and, at the request of tliat noble Ndga, he
made an imprecision of his glorious foot under that river of K^lani,
in order that the Ndga king might make ofFerings lo him, nnil
ho initiated many thousands of other Nigas into the threefold
refuge, arul remained sitting there increasing their merits.
50. Then the great god Sumana, resident at tlio dirine man-
einii on the mimmit of the peak Samanala (Adam's Peak), who had
heard of these circumstances, came with his numerous retioue
of gods to the site of the Kclani monument, having prepared and
brought things for offerings to him, and saw Buddha; and took
drums and other musical instruments, and offered him immense
divine fragrant flowers, lamps, incense, and other things, and
worshipited him, by applying to the ground five places of the body,
and prayed Buddha (o come to the Samanala mountain, while
the Nagas remained worshipping him.
51. Then the great god Sumana, resident of the Samanala
mountain, addressed him in sis such slanzaa as these, standing
before Buddha, with closed hands upon hishead,addrG3Bing him thus,
praying: —
52. " great Buddha, the lord of the whole universe, it wa«
"with thy compassion to sentient beings that thou hadst cnlorcd
" the impassable ocean of Sdnsiira, and moved about during an im-
" mense period of time, suffering pains fi-om the moment of thy
" obtaining, at the foot of the Dipankara Buddha, the sanction to
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
"become Buddha, and completed the fulUbirtyjKiranitTaf. lam in-
" eluded also among the number of all the aentient beings, such as
" Gods, Brahmas, Asuras, Men, Nf^as, Supernas, Takshas, R&k-
"shas, Siddhae, Widdhjadharae, and others whoenjoy the beneficial
" rewards from that compassion of thine. Have mercy there-
" fore upon mp, and in that viaible mountainous forest, uplifted
"and graceful in all glory, beauteous in green foliage, tender
" leaves, waterfalls, and rainbows, pressed bj the striking of wind,
" delightful with clusters of lotuses and flashings of lightnings,
"resounding with the noise of gentle breezes and of Hie roaring
" clouds, resembling the black peak of a rainy cloud over the eastern
" horizon, sprinkled by the fall of the extremely white ambrosial
" showers of rain, situated in the midst of that visible wildemesa
"like a peacock's neck, being anobject eligible for theceremoniea at
"the ofierings made to Buddha, being an abode for gods and
"goddesses engaged in divine spcvts, giving pleasure to multi-
" tndes of gods performing dancee that property correspond to the
" aire of the music variously produced by the simultaneous playing
■' of the five kinds of sonorous instruments of dtata, witala, witat^ta,
"ghana and suaira,* constantly kept up by describing variotu
" kinds of objects, such as trees, creepers, rivers, quadrupeds, and
" birds, and singing the aira agreeable to these on the summit of
" that peaked mountain Somanta&AtA, appearing like a noble
" Airiiwana elephant,! whose whole body is entirely blanched with
" the white colour of the falling of dews, and who stretches forth.
* "A'tati," ■ lun-tam btaten irlth tb« hands onl; I 'wiut*,' > t«in-tl
with «tlek> onl]' ; ' wlutita,' one I>mI«o with the hud on on* lidc, «i
sn th« other; 'ghana,' balls ; 'aunra,' tniinpcta.
f Tbe D>me of the elaphant ridden by tba gud Sf krala.
byCoogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
" like rowd of prolio'fpi, a mulritude of rivers that fsU in different
" directions, graceful with rows of waves rieiiig up at the points of
" rotkc, pplenJiil wiih a mulliluiie of round and rising rocks like
"frontal gloltcM, niiil of rooi-Mlems of various eliajKiS like a mul-
" lirudc of tiHk^ diyiiitieil with ealaraeiH, like thegenllj' dropping
"exudation of juice; nnd wiltisIabH of gnat stones, like teniplee; —
"impress there ihis (hy tender, dcjicalo nnd glorious fool, and
" improve the proMj-eroua condition of the period of five tbousand
53. The lord of the biped race, who gives commands conducive
to the happineits of the whole univerBc, accepted the prayer
offered by the noble god Sumana in stanzas like theae, aad when
he waa proceeding from the city of K^lani, having ascended
the air, attended by five hundred HanctiRed priests, including the
eighty dignified diDciples, like the great Brohmah Sahampati,
attended by the train of Brafamas, the noble god Sumana covered
himself on one shoulder with a vesture of various Justres, dressed
himself with divine ornaments of undiminished splendour, and
habited with long broad and white divine silk garments, and
himself looking like a pillar of cloud emitting torrents of rain
water, enveloped with rainbows and flashings of lightnings, stood
on the right hand side of the omniscient Baddba, bending himself
with the utmost marks of veneration, and giving him his hand,
proceeded,
.'i4. Then in troot of him proceeded in attendance many
hundreds and thousands of female deities, exhibiting various feala
of dancing, forming themselves into diSerent concerts, shewing
their gestures comformably to the nine sentiinenta of dancing,
descriptive of the six acts of the feet, sixty-four of the hands, eight
of the eyes, and fire of the head, and standing in the midst of a
l,z,^..,>LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
great assembly of performers, producing aira coireaponding to the
v&rioua tuues, — in the same way proceeded many bundreds and
thousands of divine auldicrs in attendance, habited io their untforme,
overtaking one another, eimultaneousl; raising various loud sounds
of the five kinds of musical instruments, as if they were giving a
violent shock upon the whole terrestrial element, — in the same way
proceeded many hundreds and thousands of goddesses and com-
panies of gods in attendance, carrying articles for offerings, such as
umbrellas, fans, banners, bundles of feathers, palm-leaved fkns,
spreading fans, gold and silver pitchers, pots full of scented water,
nosegays, garlands, and silver torches and other things.
55. In the some way proceeded Sckkros, Brahmas, great
Iswaras, Nagas, Yakshas, Raksbas, Siddhas, Widdhy ad haras, and
others, collecting tbeinsetveB together and attended by their retinues
constantly spreading like canopies in the hollow of the firmament
nosegays of fragrant flowers, and young branches of osuka trees,
tender leaves of tlie honey mango trees, iion-wood trees, banyan
trees, and creepers of spoiled betel, and throwing, like rain, gold and
silver flowers, pearls, gems, and camphor, and scattering about for
offerings an immense quantity of such precious articles as godlike
ornaments, divine crowns, and their upper vestures; whirling round
their heads numberless diviue garments like swarms of white cranes
moving about the summit of a golden rock, snapping their fingers,
producing sounds by the clapping of their hands, giving shouts of
acclamations of joy, and filling all the points of the compass with
the noise of excessive singing, intoxicated by the sports of sadhu.
Thus the bands of gods proceeded through the air, logeiher with
the company of the disciples, Buddha being at their head, as if
the rocks of Mcru and Yngundara had landed on the shore of the
great ocean, and bent their course towards the peak of Samanala.
iiI^TTGobgle
AOAM'S PEAK.
5C. Anil in IIjis wnv, wbilc the puiiml nilviiior of nil the sentient
Ix-iii^'A, llie Huvct'('i-;n of the worlil, (lie liir<l of ilic liif>e<l races, had
BwPciKicil the Hcrial pnlh, an.! wriii pri.pefding, tlip orb of the pun
mtiile Ihi' r1u£tor4 uf hi.t U-iiniit a" siiD as the light of the moon,
ami Mooil in llic !-ky like a white nmlirella lieM over his head for
tlio purpose of presenting tho heal, then gentle drops of raia
bfgtin to fall slowly like a »iirinkling of wiilcr upon an <ar of
flowers that had been elevuled to tho clouilud sky. And gentle
lireozi's mined with perfumes begun to blow from various directions,
to eooi the whole uiiivor?e like one orb of odour,
57. ThuH Buddha suffiriug the pomps of the immense offerings
which the gods i>t'rformcd, by pivaeiiting various miracles in tho
whole firmament, filled the entire univer.'^o with the clusters of
Buddhu'a dense beams of six colours, namely blue, yellow, scarlet,
white, red and variegated, arrived at the summit of the peak
Samanlaku(a, nnd stood with his focfi towards the west, attended
by five hundred disciples, like the orb of the rising sun enveloped
in a collection of the lustre of Buddha's beams which lied come
over the top of the eastern rock, and which had looked towards the
way of the interval of the western ocean ; and Buddha, at the
prayer of the great Sumana, the noble king of the gods, clearly
impresi'ed upon the summit of tho Samantakuta mountain, his soft
and ruddy pink coloured lefl foot, with all its beauties, which in
length is about three inches less than two carpenter's cubits,*
endowed with a hundred and eight auspicious signs.
53. So he properly gratified the noble god Maba Sumana,
together with innumerable sentient beings such as Brahmas and gods,
* Tiro tetl three inches it uid to be the measure or ■ Si^lialeM orpeoter's
taUt : bat some isMrt that antienlly th« meanire wn two feet nine inches.
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ADAM'S PEAK.
and set his glorious foot as a seal that ia impressed, purpoi'tiiig that
the Island of Lanka was his own treasury, full of the three goms.
At that moment, at the festival of the noble peaked mountain Sama-
nala, the rocks, trees, rivers, cataracts, pools, brooks, earth, sea, and
akj, like an army attendant upon it, clothed thcra'aelvLS with the un-
folded garments of various hues of the six coloured rays of Bud*
dha's beams, anointed with the ointment of the pouring of flowers
of divine fragrance, adorned themselves with the jewelry of the
showers of divine geme, decorated themselves with garlands of
fiowers of fully expanded and unwonted blossoms, playine on the
five kinds of muaical instruments like the roaring of the eca, singing
agreeably to the measurement of the hum of the bees, clapping
their hands as with the clash of rain clouds, shouting with applause
like the roaring of the earth ; and in the continual sprinkling of
unusual rains they disported themselves among the waters.
69. Then the Omnisdent Buddha, attended by the train of the
great priests, departed from that place, and rested during the beat
of the day in the cave of Bhagawa-lene on the side of that peak of
Samanala, making it also a p&ribhiSgika memorial, and proceeding
from that place went to the district of Buhuua, and entered
with his train into the state of samapatti, on the site where the
monument of Diglianakha was to be erected, and rested there for
a moment.
60. Having rested in this way for a moment's time in the state
of samapatti, together with his five hundred attendant sanctified
priests, at the site of Digbanakha, and having placed in that spot
the deity MahJU^na as guardian, and thence like a Gurulu-raja
attended by a multitude of Garundos, ascended the aerial path and
come to tlie city of Annr&dbspura, he sat, by shaking the earth, on
the site where the great glorious sacred bo-tree was to be placed
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ill llu- midst of flio f;iove Mulia Mi'>,'liiiwiiiia, nnJ on the site where
ItutiiHiiii'iti niotmmi-nt wn.s to be crei'tt-il, ami appointed there a
ilciiy of llio name of Wi-iiila um ^iiardinn, an<l he proeeeiled theuce
ami rfwteil, by shAkiii>r the earth as t>rlore, in the slato of NirdJha
sftiiiiliintii, at tlie site where ilie Thupuriima monument was to be
I uill at U having appoiii toil in lliat place, as guardian, a god of the
II ime of Prathuwimdla, he proeeeded thence and rested for a
moment in tht state of saitu^tatti at the nite of Miriflaweli Vihara
aitLnded by five hundred sanctilied prieKt)), including the eight/
dignihcl disuple* then he rose from the state of sam^patti there,
an I preitcht.d his loctrines to an innumerable multitude of gada
who lifld colkcted themselves together in that plaee, and led them
into the four rewards of tlie four paths, and commanded the god
IndriL Co guitrd that place, and thus awakened the minds of the people.
61. From that place he proceeded and rested ft moment with
his retinue at the site where Lowamahupaya was to be erected, at
the ^itc where the house of Lahatiat was to be erected, at the site
where the pool Dantadhara was to l>e constructed, and at the site
where Ruwanwelipaya was to lie built ; and he preached his doctrines
to the assembled gods in these places, aud distributed the four re*
wards of the four supreme paths ; from tliat plnce he proceeded and
sat upon that most delightful spot of ground on thu summit of the
rock of Mihintala where MahaHclasiiya was to l>e erected ; and he
brought to his subjection those Gods, Brahmas, Nagas, Garundae,
Siddhas, Widdhyudliaras, Rakshaa, Gandharwas, and others who
were gathered near him, and he made them drink of the ambrosia
of his doctrines, and straightened the path of the duration of Sau-
sara, and displayed to tliem the happy way which speedily leads
to the city of Nirwilna.
62. lie went thence, logetbcr with five hundred sanctified
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priests, and entered the state of samipatti at. the place where the
venerable d&goba of Kataragoma was to be built, and in that place
also he caused the earth to shake, and for the future protection of
that place he located the noble god Ghosha, and departed thence and
entered the state of Ninidha samdpatti as before, at the site where
Tis8A Maha Wihira was to be erected, and caused the earth to
shake as before, and ho placed there for guarding it a god called
Manibhuraka. He left tliat place and coming to Naga-Maha-Yihara,
entered the state of sam&pattl as 1)efore, and caused the earth to
shake, and he placed there for its protection a god named Mihinda,
and proceeded thence and entered the state of Nir6dha samdpatti
with the 6ve hundred sanctified priests at a very delightful spot
of ground, near SiSruwila on the southern bank of the river Maha-
weli, and caused the great earth to shake, and rose from hia seat.
63. Then when the N^ar&ja Sumana had plucked some flowers
from the champac tree which he had in his hands, and had gone to
that place and offered them to Buddha and stood by him, he ordered
that Nagarlija Sumana should reside there as the guardian god of
that place, and then he gave his own protecting influence to the
glorious Island of Lanka, and returned to Jambudwipa,
64. This is the third visit of our Buddha to the Island of
Lsnko. Thus all the fourteen places, at which he spent some time
in moving about, by way of standing, or sitting, and so forth, in
the three visits which the exalted sovereign of the wholesome
doctrines paid to the Island of Lanka, are p&ribhogika memorials.
,i..,^^.->LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
TlIE LK<iEND 1
"The fullowj'iig romntilic legend, cotitioetcd with Kcllania, is to
be found io Siylinlcse historiefi ; tLe iktiuiI is aboul 200 B.C. i
The beautiful Queen of Titt^a, King of Kdlania, having been i
Beduecd by his brother Ultiya, and their intercourse detected, ha I
fled to Gampola j flora tlience he soon after senl an emissary ]
disguised aa a priest. This person was instructed to mix in the I
crowd of priests, who, along wtilt their chief, daily attended at
tlie palace to receive their alms; at which time it was expected I
the messenger might lind an opportunity of safely delivering a i
letter with which he was entrusted tn the Queen, who always
assisted at the <listributiun of alms. The disguised messenger
entered the palace along with a multitude of priests, and, having
caught the eye of the Queen, dropped the letter (an ola) : the sound
of its fall was heari) by the King, who immediately turned round and
seized it. The King, having perused the guilty commupication,
in the height of his fury decided that the Iligh-priest must bo
cognizant of the intrigue ; for not only had the messenger come
as a priest in his train, but the letter appeared to the King to have
been written by the High-priest. He was forthwith thrown into
a CHuhlrou of boiling oil ; at the same time, the Queen was bound
and cast into the river, and the meHaongcr was hewn in pieces.
The real writer was afterwards asecrlained, and it was then
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remembered that Uttiy& had been a pupil of the unfortunate
High-priest, and had acquired exactly the same method of writing."
The above circumstances are thus referred to in the Selft-lihini
Sand^se:—
Tkcn in the nmneiDD beautiful,— jd memeij built.
By men with merit blent, of deed of tragic gnilt, —
Wkbin the ball whose pajntings the storj vivid tell
Of prieiit alaia nithlewl/ b; kingly passioni fell ; —
Where Tissa io the nuldran of bdling nil had prone
The Rabat inn[>cent on biind suvpiciun thraim; —
There, on that sacred spot, to Buddhista ever dear,
The Sage's aedent image, bireat friend, revere I
" Not long after theee events, the sea began to encroach rapidly
on the west coast of Ceylon, and the King became persuaded that
this calamity was a judgment against him for the cruel and unjuat
sentence he had executed on the High-priest In hopes, of pre-
venting the onward prc^i^ee of the waves, uid to appease the
wrath of those gods who control the waters, Tissa determined to
sacrifice his virgin daughter Sudh&dewi ; and, having secured
her in a covered golden canoe, on which was inscribed "a royal
maiden," he caused it to be launched into the ocean. The flood
continued to increase ; and the monu\;b, mounted on his elephant,
had proceeded to view the desbuctive efiects of the raging waters :
while thus engaged, the earth opened, and the King disappeared
amidst flames which burst from the sinking wreck of his richest
provinces. Before the waves ceased to encroach upon Ihe land,
six hundred and for^ villages (four hundred and seventy of which
were principally inhabited by divers for pearls) had been over-
whelmed, and the distance between KcUania and the Bea-<»aBt had
been reduced from twenty-five to foiu' miles.
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ADAM'S PEAK.
The vc.'tM.'l in wliii:]i tbc young Princess van imniolBted, having
bcrii driflcd to the soutli-wcst, wan discovered wid brought lo
Iftnd by some fiabcrniou in the Mii),'iiin district, which was at that
time a Ee|)ai'atc kingdom, ujidcr tlic cuulrul of Kowantistia Raja.
He, having heiii'd v( the myatcrioiis apjieAraDce of the golden
canue, prot-it-iicJ lo the coast at Tolalu ¥i.-nj ; and, &fU>T readiog
the inKL'Hpiion, rclca^'d the Piijici-HS, whose name he changed to
Wibari Dcwi, and whom he afterwards married.
Wihari Uowi Ixjcnmc tlie mother of Doofoogaimoonoo, a prince
who restored the SiT^balese power, and expelled the Malabars, to
whom both Kellania Tis^a and Kawanti^ssa had been tributaries.
Many Buddhistx l»elicve that her merits and good fortune are so
great, that, in a future transmigration, bhe will become the mother
of Mylrce,* Iho expected Buddha."— Forbeb' Eleven Years in
Ceylon, vol. i. pages IS4— 156.
nipUttid in its iutrmul
If of the exfi«cteil Mylr^ who i> rep™
D,o.i,z,a.„CjOOg'lC
ADAM'S PEAK.
The DiLAD.v-MiLAr.AWA ; a\d the Histoht of the Toorn.
"The principal objects in Kanily worthy of any notice, are the
palace, and the different temples of Boodhoo and the gods. The
palace did occupy a considerable apnce of ground. Its front,
about 200 yards long, made ralher an imposing appearance : it
looked towards the principal temples, and rose above a handsome
moat, the walls of which were pierced with triangular cavities for
purposes of illumination. At one extremity, it was terminated bj
an hexagonal building, of two stories, called Pateripooa, in which
the king, on groat occasions, appeared to the people, assembled
in the square beloW. At the other extremity, it was bounded by
the women's apartments, on the front of which the sun, moon,
and stars, (not out of gallantry, but as insignia of royalty,) were
earvcd in atone, and in which, at (he public festivals, the king and
bis ladies stationed themselves to witness the processions. The in-
termediate space was occupied chiefly by the great entrance to the
palace, and by the teoiple (tlie Dalada Malegawa) a little iu the rear.
The entrance was by a drawbridge over the moat, through a
mapsive archway, on one hand, up a flight of huge steps, and
through another archway to the hall of audience ; and, on the
other hand, up another flight of steps to the temple and the
hexagonal building . . . The hall of audience, where the king usually
trunsacted business and kept his court, is a long room, in which
T^jtitTogle
ADAM'S TEAK.
nliil is now lo be tfcn, cxccptiiij; ihc rarvcil wooden
[.lUar:* liy wliir:li tlic r<H)f is HiipporM . , . The principal temples in
Kiitirlv nii<1 its iiiiino(liiitt>iieit:lilionrhi>ot], nrclli^DalatlaMalegawa,
ili.^ :\T;il«'u(lO, iiii.l tho Asgiric Wilmrcs,— nml the Natn, Maha-
Vii^hmi,- Katritgam, Diul Patiiu- IX-wnk-s. Ttie Dakda Mnlcgawa,
«■:.? ihe iloincstio temple of tlie king, ami is tlie most vcneratod of
nriy Jri llie couiilry, ns it contains the relic, the tuotli of Boodboo, lo
which t!ic whole island wns dcdic.ite, mid which is considered by
good Iloiidhisis as the most precioiia iJiiiig in the world. The
tenijile U small, of two Htorics, built in ihe Cliineje Style of archi-
Icctuie. The sanclum is an inner room, abmit twelve feet square,
on the upper story, witbout windows, and to which a ray of natural
light never penetrate.*. Yoii enter It by folding doors, with
pnliplicd bra«B pnnticls, before and behind which is a curtain, Tlie
splendour of the place is very striking; the roof and walls are
lined with gold brocade; and nothing scarcely is to be seen bnt
gold, gems, and sweet-smelling flowers. On a platform or stage,
about three feet and a bnlf high, and which occupies about half
the room, there is a profusion of flowers tas-tefully arranged before
the olijeetf: of worship to which they are offered, viz. two or three
small figures of Boodhoo,— one of crystal, and the other of silver-
gilt, and four or five domes or caskets, called karaaduas, containing
relics, and simibtr in furm to the common Dngobah, of which a
figure baa been given already. All but one of the karanduas are
small, not exceeding a foot in height, and wrapped in many folds
* In jiagt 103 I Rtateil Ihat Ihe pricFtri of the MaltguKi. are proprietora a
Kite nf the B^r^ndl krJKlti at Sflitraki) ; this I have rinrp learnt ii a tnli
that pmiierty belongs la ihe Maha Vishnu l>4itili id Kandy.
D,ai,zMi,Google
ADAM'S PEAK.
of luiuHn. One 19 of mach greater size, and uncovered, And, with
ita decorations, makes a most brilliant appearance. It is five feet
four and a half inches high, and nine feet tea iuches in circum-
ference at its base. It ia of silver, from three-tenths to four-tenths
of an inch thick, and gilt extemallj'. It consists of three different
pieces, capable of being separated from each other. Its workmaoship
is neal, but plain, and it ia studded with very few gems, the finest
of which is a valuable cat's-eye on its top, which is rarely seen.
The ornaments atlaclied to it are extremely rich, and consist of gold
ciiaiiis, and a great variety of gems, suspeuilod from it. The most
remarkable of these is a bird hanging by a gold chain, aod formed
entirely of diaroon da, rubies, blue sapphires, emeralds, and cat's-eyes,
set in gold, wliicli is hid by the profusion of stoues. Viewed at a
little distance, by candle-light, the gems about the karandua seem to
be of immense value ; but when closely inspected, they prove in
general to be of bad quality, and some of the largest merely crystal,
coloured by a foil. This great karandua is the receptacle of the
Dalada, 'the Tooth,' as it is considered, of Boodhoo. Through the
kindness of the Governor, I had an opportunity (enjoyed by fow
Europeans) of seeing this celebrated relic, when it was recovered,
towards the conclusion of the rebellion, and brought back to be
replaced in the Dalada Malcgawa, from which it had been clandes-
tinely taken. It was of a dirty yellow colour, excepting towurda its
truncated base, where it was brownish. Judging from its appear-
ance at ihe distance of two or three feet, (for none but the chief
pric^its were privileged to touch it,) it was artificial, and of ivory,
discoloured by age. Nc%'er a relic was more preciously enshrined ;
wrapped in pure sheet-gold, it was placed in a case just large enough
to receive it, of gold, covered externally with emeralds, diamonds,
and rubif.", tastefully arranged. This beautiful aud very vuluablc
TTOdoglc
ADAM'S I'KAK.
bijou wns pill into n very Kiimll p^Kl kiirniiilun, richly unismeuleil
witli riil>ifs, ilia 111 OH lis, aiiU cinft'uldB ; iliis wos endowed in a larger
one ulsu of golJ, and vtry |irtltil_v <leei>ralcil with rubie»: this
sfcond, suiTouiidcil willi tiiiai'l, was pliiwd in a lliird, which wu
wni|i[>ed in niu.-llii ; uiid lUis in a fourlh, wliich wag simiUrly
wrapjied ; both ihcse were of gold, beautifully wrought, and richly
Htuilded with jewels: InBtly, the fourth kiiratiduH, about ■ fout and
a liulf high, was deposited in the gtvat karandua. Here, It may be
remarked, that when the relic wuis taken, the effect of lis capture
was astonishing, atid almost Iieyoud the comprehension of the
eiilighleiied : — 'Now (tlie pi^ople siiid) llie English are indeed
masters of the country ; for they who pcsaess the relic havea right
to govern four kingdoms ; Ihiii, for 20(X) years, is the first time
the lelic was ever taken from us.' And the first Ad ikar observed,
'TImt whatever the Eugllsh might think of the consequence of
having taken Kappitipola, Pllimi; THbwe, and Mudugalle,* in bia
opinion, and in the opinion of the people in general, the taking of
the relic was of infinitely more moment.'"— Davy's Account of the
Interior of Ceylon, pp. 365 — 3ti9.
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ADAM'S PEAK.
The fullowtDg ia a bi'ief account of th« history of the Tooth,
of the iuc^timable value of which, and of the numberless uiracles
wrought by it, Budilhiat literature ie full. Of theae last, one ex-
ample may be giveu, quoted from aa aotieat P&li githi ia the
Attaaagalu-vaoaa, a work writlea in the latter part of the tbir-
Ceeutb century
Held in the I'ltiis hand if Lanka'a king,
Like rijs-hanM, binl of xnldrn wing,
Instlnvt wiib life, the Danta brightly gteam'd
Then Buddha's furm usuni'd. when rrDm it beam'd
Effulgent flublags, which on all aides thrown
IVith Bplendnur uniurpBBs'd ilsclf made kuuwa.
Awt^jtnick the king the miraula beheld,
Convinwd, delighled, and by joy impell'd, —
SiKh joy as SlU a ChakkavHtti's* br«a«t
When of ■ Cbakka-ratanat poaMil,—
He to th' unrivBll'd relic oSerings (here
Made of rii:b gems, and priceleas jewels rare.
Afl*r the funeral rites of Gautama Buddha had been performed at
KuBinaro, B.C. 543, his " left canine tooth" was carried to Dantapura,
the capital of Kalinga, where it was preserved for BOO yeara.
The king of Kalinga being engaged in a doubtful conflict, directed
that, in the event of defeat, the sacrod relic should be conveyed to
Coylon. The event he feared occurred, and the relic was con-
veyed to Ceylon a.d. 31 1, by a princess of Kalinga, who concealed
it in tlie folds of her hair. It was received by king Mahaaen and
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ADAM'S PKAK.
the pi'icr^ts with the grcnte!'t possiUo lionors; and rcmaiucd at the
caintal until nboiit tlit? year 1315, wh(?iL, durlDg &n invasion of the
Malnbars, it was cajitureJ at Yapalioo, aud carried back to
Southern Iiiilia. Pre k ram a bah u III., the i^uccecding king, went
in person to Ma<tura to negotiiitc fur ha surrender, and returned
iviih it lo Cojlon, whtn it wns di'iiositoJ hj him in FoUaDoaruwa.
In the troublous times which followed, the tooth was carried from
one place to anolhfT, and preserved or hidden at Kandy, at Delgamoa
io Sahara gnmuwa,* and at C'olta, where it was captured bj the
Poitufruese iu l.lfiO, and conveyed by them to Goa. The king of
Pegu, hearing of its capture, offered au immense ransotn for it,
which Uon Coii3tnn(ine, the Viceroy of Goa, would have accepted,
but for the determined opposition of the ArchbiHhop, who in a
solemn assemhly, convened for the purpose, reduced the tooth lo
powder in a mortar, and then burned its remains in a brasier, the
contents of which he then cast into the river. In 1564 however,
Bratna the king of Pegu having sent amba!<9adorB to Ceylon for
ihe purpose of obtaining a princess of the blood royal as a bride,
these, when about to undertake a pilgrimage to Adam's Peak, were
secretly informed by tlic chamberlain of the Siyhalese monarch,
llial he was siill in possession of the genuine tooth of Buddha,
and that what had been destroyed by Don Conatantiue was k
counterfeit. The king and his cbamljcrlain, both of whom were
in the power of the rorluguesc, had, in fact, manufactured a
facsimile out of stag's horn, and thought by this meiuis to effect
" 1 >elgO[nun'a
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ADAM'S PEAK.
ffaeir parposc of palming off n daughter of the latter on the king of
Prgu, the Sinhalese king being childless, and to effect aa alliaace,
by which bis proBperity might be restored. The KmbassadorB, be-
lieving in the genuineness of the tooth, negotiated for its removal,
with the bride, to Pegu. In this they were not at first successful,
but the ]ady was sent to Pegu, and married to the king. When
however the discovery was made that she was the daughter of the
chamberlain oflheking of Cotta, and not of the king, although of
royal blood, the ambassadors informed Brama of the existence of
the loolh, and the willingness of Don Juan to part with it. Valuing
the tooth above every thing else, Brama forgave the deception as
to the parcntflgc of his wife, and eagerly made overtures to Don
Juan for the possesHion of the relic. It was accordiogly sent to
him, and received with every demonstration of honor, and the most
profound adoration ; the king, Don Juan, receiving in return, an
immense amount of treasure. But now, another tooth turned up>
For the king of Kandy, learning what had happcoed, and influenced
by envy, despatched an envoy to Pegu, who being received with
distinction by king Brama, informed him of the deceptions prac-
tised by Don Juan ; but added "that the king of Eandy, anxious
to ally himself with the sovereign of Pegu, had commissioned him to
ofier in marriage a princess who was in reality his own offspring,
and not supposilitioiis; besides which he gave him to understand,
that the Kandyan monarch was the possessor and depositary of the
genuine tooth of Buddha, neither the one which Don Constantino
had seized at Jayawardana, nor yet that which was held by the
king of Pegu, being the true one, — a fact which ho was prepared'
to substantiate by documents and ancient otas. Braraa listened to
his statement, and pondered it in his mind ; but seeing that tlie
princess had already received the oaths of fidelity as queen, and
ih..;^.>.L.UO glC
ADAMS PEAK.
tlmt llie tooth liml been \vclc<imi'<] widi ro much Roleninity, and
■le|H)Hitod ill a wilmrc, fpi^ciiilly built for it, h<> resolved lo liush up
the afliiir; to avoid coiifc^fingliimsi-irn dupe, (for kings must no
more admit ttifinfelveH to lie in orror in their dealings with us,
tliiin wp in oiir deiilinES with them). Arcordingly, he gave as his
rejil)", iliai he was sensible of the honour designed for bim by the
proffered allianee with the royal family of KanJy, and likewise by
thti offer of llie moth ; that he returned his thanks to the king, and
aa a mark of consideration would send back by liia ambassadore ■
ship ladtn willi presents,"*
Thia latter loutli is no doubt, the one now preserved in the Muli-
(;awa at Kanily, which Sir J. E. Tenmnt describes as "a clumsy
substitute manufuftiirod by Wikrania IJuhu in 15G6, to replace the
original daliiiia. The dimensions and form of the present dalada
are fatal lo any belief in its' identity with the one originally wor-
shipped, which was prolwibly human, wlienas the object now
shewn is a piece of dincoloured ivory, about two inches in length,
and less than one in diameter, resembling the tooth of a crocodile
rather than that of a man." This description shews tliat the fabri-
cators were in all probability unacquainted with the appearance of
the original, which had been preserved as the palladium of empire
by the king and priests at Cotta ; hut that accepting the tradition
of Buddha's stature of thirty or forty feet as a fact, they made a
looih big enough for a being of such an enoi'mons height.
D,9.i,z.ar„XjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
ACCODKT OP TOE AsCKNT OF ADAM'S PeaK, BT LlEBT. MaLCOLU,
OF TUB 1st Cetlon Rifle Segihen't.
"On the moniing of 26th April, 1815, I Icfl Batugeilera with a
small escort of a sergeant and four Malays, (of the First Ceylon
Regiment,) for the purpose of ascending Adam's Pe^ ; for I had
been so repeatedly disappointed in expectation of guides, which the
Headman of Batugedera, Dolip Nillam^, had promised, that I
determined to Iftke my chance of obtaining them at Gillemall4 on
my way. I merely took with me a few blankets, a quadrant, and
measuring chain, and three days' provisions for my party. The
route winded with the KaluGanga, or Eattura rirer, which, about
two miles from Batugedera, receives the Mugell£-Oya, about two
chains in breadth at the confluence. On the left bank, there are
ruins of a Eandyan fort, erected during the late war to command
the ford.
"From the Mngell4 river to the rest-house of Oillemall^, the
distance is about three miles and a half. At this place I procured
two guides, after some delay, and leaving the Gillomall^ rest-liouEC,
we immediately crossed the Malmelloe river, and about half a mile
further on, the Maskell^ river.
"From the banks or the latter, we entered a forest of mogniii-
cent trees, straight as pines, and from fifty to seveuty feet in height ;
and about four f. m. we arrived at Palabadoolla, ten miles and
r^^TTCJoOglC
ADAM'S PKAK.
I Hal
Here there is a conf^iJerable
limisu fur pilgrims on their waj
■» and of nil caalos
n their way to, aiid
t<']|i|)li- of Dii.Mli;!, iiikI u liir^'e
I.) llic Triik.
"AWui liv.i huii.ln'd pilgrim*, oflwlh
mid renditions were Iutc nsxomhli.'d, boitk
(ilhiTH on their rclum from, ihc Feuk. The danee was contiuued
without iiiltTmi^sion, to the souud of Tam-a-tams and other inetru-
nicnts of Singhalese niusie, until the pilgrimx, who were aboat to
ft<cend tlie mouitlnin, be<ran to preimre tlit'ir lighta; and at about
eight r, M. they prneeedcd onwanln in dirilinct parties.
"'llie IIi>ad Priest, from whom I i-eceived every possible atten-
tion, tried all the persuasive rhetoric he coull muster, to prevent
mo from proceeding further t'jwards the Peak ; assuring me, that
'no white man ever did and never could ascend the mountain.'
1 soon convinced the l>enevolcnt Oonansti that I was not a white
man tote dissuaded from the attempt throngh any dread of ulterior
danger ; and therefore, liaving been well refreshed, and our chnles
ready, we took Icnve of the priest, and left Palabadoolta about
eleven at night.
" After paasii)g throe small forts that had been thrown up during
the war, we began to ascend the first mountain, and reached the
Bummit in four hours. From the next, the Enlu-Ganga descends
rapidly ; and, about five a. u., we breaklasted upon the rocks
bordering its stream, and then continued our route up tbe mountain,
Adam's Peak still towering far above our heads ;
"Nil mortalium nrduum est— Ciclum ipium petimus,"
and, afVer surmounting two other distinct ascents, e(]ually sleep,
but of less height, we came to the foot of the Peak itseW The
face of the hill here appeared quite perpendicular, and the pilgrims,
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
in ailrance of my putj, were seen climbing up the precipice by
the ftssiatance of the iron cliains which are fired in the rock for
that purpose. Wc halted a few minutes to take breath, snd af(«r
great exertiona, we reached the top between eight and nine A. h.
oftho27lh April.
"The view from this great elevation fi^ aurpasited my moat
sanguine expectation, it was bo magnificently ostentAve. On one
Eido displaying a vast extent ef mountain, champaign, and forext
scenery, the latter so variegated in foliage and so irr^ular in form,
that I could only compare it to an ocean of woods, whose waves
had suddenly bccomo fixed in aa unalterable position ; on the
Others, the tops of the hills rising above dense fog!<, and resembling
innumerable islands covered with wood and scattered over the sea
that apparently filled the space below, fiatugedera was seen on
one side, as if almost under our feet, and on the other, in the
dbtance, the Eandyan mountains, interspersed with clouds. — But,
alas ! whilst in the full enjoyment of this splendid scene, a thick
fog arose from the bottom of the mountain, and drew a curtain over
its sublimity.
"The area ofthe summit of the peak is 72 feet long and 5i broad,
and is enclosed by a pai-apet wall five feet high ; this baa paiUy
fallen down on the east side, which is covered with scarlet Rhodo-
dendrons C Rhododendron arboreum), and the remainder is sadly
out of repair. In the middle of this arei is a lai^ rock of Kabooo
or iron-stone, upon which is a mark of Adam's left foot, called Sri
Pada by the Singhalese ; but it requires a great deal of help from
imagination to trace it out. This sacied footstep is covered over
with a small building fonncd of the most durable wood, 12 feet
long, 9 broad, and 4^ to the liles, with which it is surmounted.
Upon the iuiiiiJe it is enclosed by a frame of copper fitted to its
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S 1'I:aK.
sluij*, and ornamenled with numerous jewels set in four rows, bat
not of ilie liC'Sl or most precious gems the bliuiJ has been known
to produce, for to me they looked very like glasi-.
"We were nut, 1 regret to say, provided with an 'Union J«k,'
hilt we fired three volliod, to the great astonit^hmcnt of UteBuddbista,
iw a memorial to them that a British armed party had reached the
summit, npite of the prediction of the priest of l*alabadool]a. The
priest liaving warned nn of approaching rain, we kad some fitith
in that warning, as the result of his experience, and made the beat
of our way down the mountain, which we fouod far more laborious
to descend than it had l>ecn to climh.
"The rain, which fell in torrents, increased the difficulties of the
ahominiible roads, over rocks and fragments of iron-stone, to
Palabailoolla, which we reached about 4 p, u., and returned to my
quarters at Batugedera the next morning,
" Sound lungs and hard feet are indispensable to the performance
of such a trip, for in many places we had to climb barefoot over
tbo iron-stone. As topalaakina, they are quite out of the question.
There may be some risk in asccudiug Adam's Peak in heavy runs,
but surely not in fine weather.
"The summit of the mountain was only clear about a quarter of
an hour, whieh did not even allow me time to satisfy my curiosity,
or to take any bearings, whieh latter circumstance I particularly
regret." — Bexnet's Ceylon and its Capabilities, pp. 380—383.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
The following it from the pen of an Officer who ascended
Adam's Peah shortly after TMut, Malcolm,
"While we were in Safir^am, we resolved to put id execution a
project which we had talked of at Colombo, and before our return
to visit Adam's Peak. This plan we have accomplished. Leaving
Baddegeddera on the moniing of the 6th, we gained the summit on
the next daf at half past two in the aflernoon. Our first march
from Baddegeddera was S\ miles of tolerable road through a fine
and interesting country, along the left banks of the Caltura river,
to tlie royal village and extensive lawns of Gillemalley. From
this place, the King received hia store of jaggery. There are
about 250 inhabitants, who are well looking and of a creditable
appearance. Their houses are numerous »id comfortable, Fi-om
Gillemalley, at three o'clock, we set out for Falabatula, situated on
the top of the AUehcntenne mountain, at the distance of 4^ miles
in a northeast direction. The ascent is about 2^ miles in length.
Here is a small religious establishment, where the priests live who
have the care of the Holy Impression of the Foot on the Peak, and
there is good shelter for travellers. We slept at this place, and soon
after daylight next morning, renewed our journey, accompanied
by one of the priests as a guide. The road leai^s for a mile and
a half over a very rugged and abrupt ascent to the northeast, up
the Kcela Hclla, at the bottom of which, about a quarter of a mile
from Palabatula, we crossed the Caltura river, aud all the way up
to the top of the hill we heard it on our right hand running
below. The next ascent is the Ilourtilla Hilla, of three quarters
of a mile, still more rugged and dilHcult tlian the former, the road
at some places having an angle of full 50 degrees. We then
ascended the Gonatilla lliUn, about half a mile, still more steep, and
.D,9.l,z,-,^b>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
the air bi'nmK.' ciolor ami clearer. Tlio next stage la to Doabetmc,
nitlier more tliitii a mile, Mid thin is tlio summit of the mouatain,
the road up whii-h Is one cotitinual rise nf four miles without any
intervening de^'eeiit, although the hill has four names, and each
division \h markeil hj a wliiicwa.'jiioil stone on the right xiJe of
the rond. There is hero a small Amhelam (a Cinliulcso resthouse)
and the niins of a building ercctc I by Eyhcylapolle (Uio late
Dessave of Siiffregam). The AdikaH, and Dussaves, wore accus-
tomed lo lie cMTied as fiir as thin piint, when they visited the Peak,
ivliicb oi)PiJs to the view bearing E. by N. The road now extends
in aniirtheaft direction four miles over the hills of Durmarajoh,
Fedrotollii^'itlla, Afalc Mulla Kandura, and AndeaMalleHelU,and is
excessively ^teep and difUeult. From the latter the Peak itself rises
n'Hjut a mite or three quarters in perpendicular height from this
pluce. Tlio way in fair climbing; the direction at first N. E ., then
P. E., again N. E , and lastly N. W., when the perpendicular ascent
19 encountered: this is only to Iw surmounted by the help of
several massy iron chains, which are strongly fastened at top, let
down the precipice, and again secured below. These chains are
donations to the Temple, and the name of the donor is engraved on
one of the links made solid for that purpose. The height of the
precipice is about 200 feet, and many holes are worn in the face of
the rock by the feet of the numerous pilgrims who have aaccndod
it with the assistance of the chain<(. At half-past two in the after-
noon we reached the summit. It is an area of a)>out one fifth of
an aci-c, surrounded by a sionc wall four feel and a half high, of
four une<iu!il sides, with two entrances, one on the south and
another on the east, ami an opening to the west in form of an
embrasure. In (be middle is a I'ock aliout nine feet high, on which
is the fancied impression of the Holy Font. It has in fact a most
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
eliRpolcss appearance, bearbg little resemblnncc to a human foot,
and what is most unfortunate for the tradUioa of lia being the last
footstep of Buddha, when he strode from Ceylon to Ava, the toes,
if they can be discerned, are turned towards the west. The clouds
which arose as we were ascending prevented our having any view,
and we occupied ourselves till four o'clock in tftking a plan of the
sitminit ; we then found it was much too late to think of reluming
to Palabatuia, and resolved to remain during the night on the
Peak. I can hardly attempt to describe the extraordinary grandeur
and variety of the scone that opened upon us at sunset. Above our
heads, the air was perfectly serene and clear : below, a thick bed
of clouds enveloped the mountain on all aides, and 'completely in-
tercepted our view; but every now and then, the beams of the
sun broke through the mass of clouds, and threw a brilliant light
over the surrounding mountains ; then suddenly the opening was
closed, and all was again hid from our sight. These beautiful
glimp«es were often quite momentary, and frequently repeated,
sometimes even twice in a minute, nor did the operation entirely
cease until it was quite dark. We spent a wretched night in a
moat comfortless hut about thirty feet below the summit. There
was a piercing wind, and the cold was hr greater than I hod ever
felt since I left England, Unluckily we had no thermometer
with ns, but 1 think the quicksilver would not have risen above
40°. I'he rising of the sua presented a magnificent scene, but
quite different from that of the evening. The whole sur*
rounding country except Ouva was covered with clouds, above
which only the tops of a few mountains were visible— Hunas-
garree, Kandy, bore northeast, and a mountain that we decided to
be Idalgasina southeast. The whole country of Ouva vras exposed
to view, and lay stretched out in appearance just beneath our feet.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.*^-.OOglC
ADAMS PEAK.
Q that side was pcrpc|ilible, and bore soulheast, which muit
ID the neif;hl>ourh(Ni<l of PaltuO[HU)e ; and it was perhaps
or great natural jialt[iun that wc oheerved. At seven
ii'tiiiig we bcfrnn to dcr'ccnd the ntountain, and reached
a at mwii."— From thi> Apiwmlix to Cajitain Akdersok's
L-r in Ccj'l""-"
" Sitawaka, tlio old court of the aneient Kings and Bajaa, with
ils great gatos, walls and EtopH, in i-ituated at the branch of a
particular rivulet flowing from the nearest promontOTy, and loses
itself, after half an hour's sitiling, in the great river of Colombo,
which comes from RuanclU; all that is brought here from Colombo
is warranted good, and is thei'cfore for the house of the Dissawa;
the stones of the old ruins which are hnapcd up in great numbers
are sufficient for building a fortiticatioo in which to store Neli and
Arecanuts, which come from the adjacent Eories. The situation is
by nature very strong, and well protected. For the Colombo
Dissawe, a better place cannot be preferred, ae be is in the centre
of all the Colombo lands, as well as those of the Three and Four
Korles to the north; the Safiragam lands to the south; sud Colombo
itself on the west: all of them lying at almost equal dietaoces (torn
each other; for from Sttawaka to Arandora it is six hours' journey,
to Saffragam eight hours, and to Colombo ten hours by land, but
may be done in six hours by water." — Valentyk.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
The Ferahaba.
"Tbe word Perabarameonii literally a procession, and though the
epithet may be applied to any proceasioti, it is used emphatically
of a festival held annually in the city of Kandy, [and at Ratuapnra}
which commeuced this year [1839] on the day of the new moon
in August.
We have tried in vain to obtain an account of its origin from the
natives j they say that its history is lost in the darknessa of antiquity,
A kapur^ of Udanuwara refers it to the time of Gajibfihu, who
reigned a.d. 113, and aaya that this king was a native or some
foreign country, where these processions were in common use.
This account cannot be correct, as Gaj4bahu was the son of a
native prince ; but on referring to the history of this monarch, there
are circumstances related which may asuat us in our researches,
G^abahu resided at Anur^dhapura. One night, when walking
through the city in disguise, he saw a widow weeping, whoso sons
had been taken captive by the Solli king, in on invasion of Ceyloa
from the continent, during the previous reign. The king made a
mark upon the door of the house, and returned to his palace.
Next morning he called his nobles, and asked what injustice had
been committed io the city. They replied that the whole city was
as free fh>m injustice as a house wherein a festival is celebrated,
when the king, in anger, sent for the woman whose dwelling he
D,9.i,.,-,,i.-,>.L-.ooglc
ADAM'S PEAK.
linil marked, anil n-skcil licr wliy hIil* was crying upon Ujo prcvioun
evening. She said tbat in tlie rcigii of the kmg's latber, the
|Rii].le of SolU liad tnkin 12,000 rnptivpe from Ojlon, among
M'himi u-ero two of her sons, and tliiit it wu)^ on this account fihe
wept. I'lHiii hearing this, the king colloeted an army, aud pro-
eti ding to Yi'i|<;'i|ialuna, (Jafliui) he informed his people that as the
Siilli King hod Inkcu captive his siibjeels, he muHt go and bring
them back to their own homes, With Necla, a giant, he arrived
at the sen shore, when- he dismissed hi» army, anil ttlking an iron
tod he rtrnck the sen, which divided, and he and the giant went
over to the contJQcnl. The Solli king was in great fear, and to
increase his terror NeeU look one of the royal elephants, and
da-^hed it egiiinut another with such force, tbat both khe antmals
dioiL In the some maaacr, the giatit derastated tlte country. Tlie
Solli king, when he heard of these things frcm bis aoMei^ asked
Gajiibahu why he had eotne with an mny to destroy bis realm;
to which ke replied, that ke bad brought no army besKfefl bis giant,
and proceeded, "In the days of yowr father, when my fiither
reigned, he went oyer to CeyloH aad sciied 12,000 persoas, and
brought them hither e^ive, and I hare cono t« demand tben."
The Solli king answered forthwith, " Thongii yon go to dewyn-
l^kaya, and receive tlie aAsiutance of the aeoors, yoa will net be
able to OTCFcame me." Gi^ubiihu wae greatly enraged at this
refnital to dicliTer u|» tke captives, and declared that he wotild not
only take his own subjects, but )2,00O other eofttires as well, sod
he threatened to bom the rc^al city to ashes in caso of refoeal. To
shew his great strength, and that the Areats were not idle word^
he nqwexeik water ont of a handful of dry sand, and afterwards oat
of tbe iros roi^ which frightened the Solli king to such a degreej
that he delivered op Qie 24,000 pcrssns demandbd, the gulden
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
haUmba of Pattinee, the skcred utensils of four d^walas, and "the
i-efection diah" of Buddha; and with these Gaj&b&hu returned to
Cejlon. The 12,000 Sigfaaleae wore seat to their respective
homes, and the 12,000 captives were allowed to reride in Aloot-
kurak<Srla, a district to thu northward of Culombo, the inh^itants
of which to this day retain manj marks of their continental origia.
The saci'ed Teesels here referred to had been taken awa; in the
reign of Walagamb&hu, B.C. 90, and there can be little doubt
that it was to commemorate their return the Perahara was originally
established, as the carrying of the halamba and other relics seems
to be the most essential part of the procession, and to the dividing
of the waters also a reference will af^rwards be made. It is not
elear from the narrative whether the hidamba had been previously
in Ceylon, though from other traditioos we have heard we should
suppose they had; but this will make little difTererence in the
intention of Uie festival, as it may still be betd to celebrate their
arrival. It is upon these relics that the heathen natives swear in
the courts of justice. The origin of the Perahara is therefore to
to be dated as far back as the second century of the Christian lera.
The account given of the Perabu-a by Knox, as it was celebrated
in the reign of B^a Singha II. 1670, is as follows: —
' The greatest solemnity is performed in the city of Cande ; but
at the same time the like festival or Ferabar is observed in divers
other cities and towns of the land. The Perahor at Eandy is
ordered atler this manner.
'The priest bringeth forth a painted stick, abont which strings
of flowers are hanged, and so it is wrapped in branched sitk, some
port covered and some not; before which the people bow down Mid
worship; each one presenting him with an offering according to
his free will. These free-will offerings being received from the
D,o.i,2,,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PKAK.
people, the pri<;st takes his painted stick on his ebaolder, hmving ■
cluth tied about bin mouth to keep bis brettb from defiling this
pure piece of wood, and gets up upoo an elephant all covered with
white cloth, upon which be rides with all the triumph that king
and kiugdom can afford, through all tb« slreets of the citj. But
before him go, first some 40 or 50 elephants, with brus bella
bangiag on each side of them, which tinkle as the^ go.
'Next follow men dressed up like gyanta, which go dancing
along agreeable to a tradition they have, that anciently there were
huge men, that could carry vast burthens, and pull up trees by the
roots, &c. After tbetn go a multitude of drummers, and tnim-
pc'tters and pipera, which make such a great and load noise, that
nothing else besiilea them can be beard. Then followetb a com-
pany of men dancing along, and after these women of such eaatee
or trades as are necessary for the service of the pagoda, as potters
and washer-women ; each caale goelh in companies by themselves,
three and three in a row, holding one another by the band; and
between each company go drummers, pipers and dancers.
'After these comes an elephant with two priests on hts back:
one whereof is the priest before spoken of, carrying tlie painted
stick on bis shoulder, who represents Alloul^neur-dio, that is, the
god and maker of heaven and earth. The other sits behind him,
holding a round thing like aa umbrella over his head, to keep off
sun or rain. Then wiihiu a yard after bitn, on each hand of him,
follow two other elephants mounted with two other prieste, with a
priest sitting behind each, holding urabrellas aa the former, one of
them represents Cotterogan dio, and tbo other Potting dia These
three gods that reside here in company are accounted of all other
the greatei>t and cbiefcst, each one having bis residence in a separate
P^uda.
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
■Behind go dieir cook -women, with things like whisks in their
hands, to scare away flies from them ; but very flne aa they can
make themselves.
'Next after the goda and their attendance, go some thousands of
Udies and gentlewomen, euch as are of the best sort of the inhabi-
tants of the land, arrayed in the brayest manner that their ability
can afford, and so go hand in hand three in a row : At which
time all the beauties in Zelone iu their bravery do go to attend
upon their gods in iJieir progresB about the city. Now are the
streets also all made clean, and on both sides all along the streeta
poles are stuck up with flags and pennong hanging at the top of
them, (uid adorned with boughs and branches of cocoanut trees
hanging like fringes, and lighted lamps all along on both aides of
the streets, both day and nigbL
'Last of all, go the commanders sent from the king to see these
ceremonies decently 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 to the
full moon.
'Formerly the king himaelf in person used to ride on horseback
with all his train before him in this aolemui^, 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 ofieringa unto them: during which time
there are dancers, playing and shewing many petty tricks of
activity before him. To aee the which, and also to shew them>
selves in their bravery, occaalons more people tor eeort thither,
than otherwise their seal and devotion would prompt them to do.
'Two or three days before the full moon, each of these gods
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Lulh ■ patlenkine ciirrieil nrter tbem to add qdIo tbeir honour, in
the wLicU there are euveral pieces of (ht-ir ■uperatitlous relicts, and
A silver pot, wbicli jiii't at the hour of full moon they ride out unto
a river, and dip full of wat«r, which ia carried back with tbem
into the temple, where it is kept till the year after and then flang
awny. And »o tlic ceremony is ended for that year.
'This festival of the godii taking their progrcsi through tho
eily, in tlie year 16C4 the king would not permit to be performed!
and that aame year tho rebellion happened, but never lince hath hs
liindered il.
'At ihi^ time tliey have asiiperKtition, which Ustelh6or 7 days,
tiio fiioliiih to write: it coniiiittit in dancing, singing, and juggling.
The rea^iou of which ii, lest the eyee of the people, or the power
of the jiiccoB, or infcrna] spirits, might any ways prove prejudicial
or noisome to tho aforeaaid gods in their progress abroad. During
the celebration of this great festival, there are no drams allowed
to he bonleu to any particular gods at any private lacrifice.*
Knox is right in his dcscriplions, but wrong, as might naturally
be expected, in some of his explanatory remarks. The attendance
of the gianis, commemorative of the rcdotiliUible Neela, is another
evidonoo that It i» to the reign of GHJAbithu we are to look for the
origin of tho festival.
In the Ceylon Almanac for 1834 h a "Description of the four
principal Kandian feslivais, compiled IVom materinU fVirnishcd by
a native chief." From this document we leorn, that until the reign
of king Kirtisrce (a.d. 1747-1780) tlie Perahara vm celebrated
delusively in honour of the four deities, Natha, Vishnu, Katrogam,
and Faltiuee, and altogether unconnected with Buddhism. The
sacred Dahtd^ relic of finddha was first carried in prnceMion,
together with the ioMgnia of the four gndn, in 177o. The
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
circumEtBoceit which gave rUe to Hits innovktion were as follow .■^-
The Siamese priesU who were imited bere by king Kirtieree, for the
purpose of restoring the ITpaosampRdHwa, tbe highest order of
Buddhist ordination, one day hearing the noiee of jiagaU^ &c^
enquired the cause, and were informed that preparatioBs were being
made for celebrating a festival in honor of the gods. They took
umbrage si this, and observed that they had b«en made to believe
that BuddbiMA was the estaUiehed religion of the kingdom, and
tliey bad never cxpffcted to see Htnduistn trrumphant in Kand^.
To af^ase them the king sent to assure them that this festival of
the Perofaarawaa chiefly intended toglorify the niemorf of Buddha,
and to CMivtnce them of it, the khig gave directiona that the great
relic ahoulil b« carried foremost in the procession, dedicating his
own bowdah for ita reception.
There ean be little doubt tint the Perahara received the counte-
nance of the native princes, rather from a political than a retigioos
motive, though these eircunwtances wonld vary with the dieposttion
of the reigning kii^. It was one (^ the few occMtOTi» upoa which
the monarch presented himseU to the public gaze. The most
impowg edifice coniiected with the pkco was the Pattrippo, an
OGla^n of two stories, the i/p^r atorj having a balcony that ovei'-
leoked Ae [mntupal square of the royiJ eity, on one side of which
waa a It^e, aad on the otlier varieas religiem and consecrated
placea. The pvocesaioa waa collected in the square, that the king
might see it fron the baleon^i and when tha curlaia which
shrouded his majesty nt hia eatrance was withdrawn, and the
asseiAbly did lowly reverence, amidst the clamor of the drums and
pipes, the sight of the psoetrate thousands, the elephants richly
eapariscuiei^ the royt^ guard in prend array, the countless baanera
floating in the breeie, and tlie odlgars and other chiefs at the head
i,z,.^b>LiOOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
of iheir res|M?ctive clans, nil arranRcd in due order and degree,
must have produced mi i-ITect thnt ia not oflcn e<]ualled even io the
restive Hceues of Tar mi^^litier kiiiffdoms. Od somo occaeions the
king joined in the prnce^aiun, but in this there waa no uniformity
of observance, bin majcBty being at one rime on foot, and at another
we arc told, in a golden chariot drawn hy eight hornet.
The Perahara afibrded an excellent opportunity to the king lo
r^faratne into the state of tho provinces, the conduct of the
governors, and the obedience of the people. The reiVsctoTy were
punished, the loyal revalued, and new regulations were now
promulgated, that ihoy might be carried to the more distant
districts of the island. To the inhabitants generally it moat have
been a time of grateful festivity, especially during the reigns of
the more popular kings, as it was a spectacle of splendor, and the
various chiefs were able to exhibit their consequence in the
presence of the assembled kingdom.
The Perabara begins on the day of the new moon in the monUi
of JF.sala, which this year answers to our August. The commence-
ment is regulated by the nekata, or situation of the moon; and at
the appointed moment, which must be either in the evening or
morning, never at mid-day, the kapurila of the Vishnu d^w&la cuts
down a young jack tree which has been previously chosen, and ia
consecrated for the purpose by mysterious rttee. The day before,
the kapurila must bathe in pure water, anoint bis head with the
juice of the lime, and clothe himself in clean garments. In ancient
times flowers were naed, as mentioned by Knox, and these were
the flowers of the »h»la, (catbantocarpus flstulata), but either
because this tree doea not now boar flowers in the proper season,
or because another tree is more conveniently found, the jack has
been subs^tuted in its place, which, however, for the time, reoeivee
D,9.i,.,-,,i.-,>.L-.ooglc
ADAM'S PEAK.
tlie DKine of nhsla, Whon Knox wrote, the procession wu in
June; when Davy wrote, in Jul/; it is now in Augasl; and like
all other eastern festivals, from the imperfection of the native
astronomy, it traverBes through all the months of Ihe j'ear. The
ptunted stick of Kuox, adorned with flowers, appean to becomme-
moratlTe of the wonder-working rod of Gfljlib6hu, and (he jack is
undonbtedly an innovation. When the tree has heen cut down, it
is divided into four sections, one of which is couvejed to each of the
d4v&las, under a white canopy, and accompanied by music. The
flccttOQ is cleaned at the d4w&la, and put into a hole, after which
offeriDgs of cakes are presented, called ganab^dana. Theganaare
an order of inferior deities attendant upon the gods, and bddana is
the Elu form of bbiSjana, food.
The consecrated wood is adorned with leaves, flowers, and fVuit,
and during the first five days the procession simply passes round it,
the kaporitas bearing the sacred vessels and implements. After
this time they are brought beyond the precincts of the d^w^la,
and paraded through the principal streets of Kandy. On the night
of the full moon the procession is joined by a relic of Buddha,
propei-ly accompanied, which is afterwards carried to the Adahana
Maluwa, a consecrated place near which are the tombs of the
ancient kings and other individuals of the royal race. The Maluwa
is encircled by stones, within which, it is said, the kings bod no
jurisdiction; it was a kind of sanctuary, llie relic receives the
adoration of the crowd until the morning, when it is returned to
the temple.
Towards the end of the festival the procession approaches the
river, at tlie ancient ferry not ftr from the Peradenia bridge, and
whilst the multitude remains upon the bank, the kapurllas enter a
boat that has been splendidly decorated for the occasion. The
i,z,.^b>LiOOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
bo&t IB rowed to some diF^tnnce, wlieu the kapurala takes a golden
Bword, and strikes the wator. At the same iiir>t»iit a brasen ressel
is dipped ioto the river, and whilst the water is yet disparted, a
portion is taken up, which id kept uDlil the vessel can be filled in the
same manner at the next fi'stival. The water which bad been taken
the previous year is at the same time poured back iat« the river.
Tliere is a close analogy between this striking of the river and
the striking of the sea by Gajab^hu, though what is meant hy the
dividing of th^ waters we cannot tell. It is probable that there
was Bomething extraordinary connected with the passage of tlia
king, which tradition aflerwarda magnified into this miracle.
Were we disposed to be fanciful, we might notice the resemhlaoce,
wliich the striking of the sea by a rod, the Bquoezing of water
from the dry sand, the errand of the king to demand captives, and
some other circumstances, bears to certain facts in the laraelitish
exodus, but we have seen so many similar constructiona levelled to
the ground nt a itiuglo Ijlow, that we forbear to pursue the parallel.
The geuoral arrangement of the Perahara is the same sow as in
former times, but in the grandeur of tho spectacle there can bo
no comparison. There are still elephants richly adorned; flags,
pennons, and banners ; several bands of drums, lom-loms, and
pipes; the palanqueens of the gods; the sacred utensils; and the
chiefs of the dSw&Ias, 8cc., with their separate retinues. The streets
are lighted by vessels of oil, placed upon poles, and carried by
men, after the manner of the meshals of the Arab tribes. There
are Beveral who have a light at each end of the pole, which tbey
whirl round at intervals with aome velocity. The din of tbe
tom-toms cannot be better described (ban in the words of Knox;
' they make such a great and loud noise, that nothing else besides
them can be heard.' 'i'he chieA walk alone, tbe crowd being kept
D,9.i,.,-,,i.-,>.L-.ooglc
ADAM'S PEAK.
off by their altenilants ; the etifibess of their gait aa thcj ara
wrapped round with manifold lay era of cloth, being in perfect
contrast to their usual ease, iuJeed we may t&j gracefulness, of
manner. The long whips were cracked before the adigar until the
present year, but no one has been appointed to this office since the
death of the old man whose presence we now miss, and no other
individual is entitled to the honour. Tlie whole procession may
extend about a quarter of a mile, but this is only towards its con-
clusion, as it gradually increiiBes in the number of its attendant
elephants, 4c. from the commencement. The natives who attend
OB spcctatJ^rs are now few, eren in comparison with recent yearr>
and it would xeem that in a little while its interest will vanish away,
with many a better remembrance of the olden time. The procession
was one day prevented from taking ils accustomed round, as a man
had hung hiriisclf in one of the streets through which it must have
passed. The natives arc very unwilling to enter inlo conversation
respecting the detail of this ceremony, and say that there are
many mysteries connected with it which they cannot reveal.
The history of the Perahara is another evidenci how tenaciously
the people adhere to the Braminical superstitions, and would tend
to prove, that even when liuddiiism was predominant upon the
continent of India, it must have had very little hold upon the mass
of the population ; and this may account for its almost total de-
struction after it had once the ability to erect the splendid temples
that yet remain, monuments at once of its majesty and its weakness.
Buddhism is too philosophical, loo cold and cheerless, to be a
popular creed, and it is only its present alliance with ita deadly
antagonist of former times that now preserves it in the place it
occupies as the national religion of Ceylon."— From the "B"kiekij,"
vol. iii. p. 41—50. 1839.
Din tiz.n by Google
ADAM'S TEAK.
Documents relatinu to the election ob afpointuent to tuk
Office of Uiuh Priest of Adak's 1'eak.
Ratnapura, IStb January, IS26.
.TLe Board of CommiasioDerH, Kandj. ,
Genti.e»eh,
I HAVE the lioDor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of I
16tli December last, wherein I am directed to select a fit peraon to J
receive the appointment of High Priest of Adam's Peak. |
Having in conacqucuce called upon the two Disrares, and the
Bosnaike Nilleme, to report on the claims of those who might be |
candidates for the OfGce, their selection fell on Qallay Madankare I
Unanse, who though neither a candidate residing at preset in the i
District, thef conceived should be the person to be appointed, IhnB
his having l>een admitted into Priesthood in the District, been the j
pupil of Waibuille Naike Unanse, the High Priest of the Peak, {
and more especially on account of his piety and great learning, i
which aresaid to hare procured for him a very extended reputatioo, j
All the Upasampada Priests of the Malwatte establishment 1
beneficed in the District were then assembled, and the individual I
proposed being uoanimously approved by them, I signified to I
Gallay Unanse, who reeides in the Matura District, my intuition 1
of submitting his name for the Office, under the restricttoDS stated
in your letter, and the additional one of constant residence in the
D,9.i,.,.^',XiODgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
DiasHTonj. He has acceded to the proposal, and I have, io roiiM-
quence, to recommend that the appointment may be conferred upon
him.
I have ftlso to recommend that be sliould at the same time be
appointed Chief Priest of the Saffragam Diesaronj', an ofBce which
has not for some time t>een conferred upon any one, though the
want of it has been much felt. It vas intended to have renewed
it in 1822, as will be seen from the annexed copy of a letter from
the late Resident^ but the Priest named declined accepting the
situation owing to some diswnsioDs among the priesthood. Mr.
Sawers' letter, to which Sir John Doyly rcfei-s, is not on record in
tills Department.
I have, &C.,
(Signed) Geo. Ttjrnour,
Agent of Govt.
Ratnapura, 27th February, 1827.
The Board of Commissioners, Eandy.
Gentleubn,
I HA.TE the honor to return the petition of the High Priest of
the Malwatte Wih^re, in which he lays claim to the village Pfl>
madulle. It is accompanied by a oounter-statement from the
Chief Priest of Saffi-agam and the Peak.
From the information I am able to collect, tbe dalm of the
Halwatte High Prieat doea not appear to be well founded.
When B^a Singha (whose capital was Slttawakka, and who died
in Sacca 1514) abjured Buddhism, and became a convert to the
Brahminical fiiith, he bestowed (be charge and the emoluments of
'D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAMS PEAK.
the Prak on some Andes Fackeers. The institutions of Buddha,
didcouDteoanced and deprcsiied, eoon lost the reqniaites for coo*
fcrring the ordination of l'|uisampada, and that order of priesthood
in time became extinct
SulMeiguent kiugamade some efTorta to re-eslablish theM insti-
tution^ by inviting over learned pricats ti-oin (he Eaatem continent
but the object was never efiectually and permanenttjr attained till
the reign of Kirtiitsry,
The Upasampada ordination was ttien also extinct. The priest-
hood chit'tly con!>isted of the Syloat order (not now in existence)
who observed most of the rules of devotion and abatinenee,
without being able to perfunn any of the functions considered the
most important of a priest. The head of the Priesthood was a
Samanairoo, named Welwita, known b^ the title of Saraoanken)
To the zeal and exertions of this individual the natives now
owe the footing of peroianency on which their religious eBtabliament
is placed. He induced Wejai It^ah to depulo Wilbaagedere
Mudeyanse on an embassy to Siam for the purpose of bringing
over priests capable of conferring the Upasampada ordination, and
of leaving behind them the means of perpetuating it
Wejai Rajah died before the mission reached Siam, and the
Mudeyanse returned to Ceylon. He wassent backbykingEirtissr;,
and succeeded in bringing over the Siam priests.
On the restoration of Upaeampada, Weliwita was placed at the
head of the church, with the title, not of Nayaka Uoaose, but of
SanghaRajah(KingofPriest8) and with unusu^ powers, to preserve
the new institution from innovation.
It was at this period that the Andee Fackeers were deprived of
the Peak, which at that time had no land revenue attached lo it.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
That office, together with Kootlapittcje (till then a royal vilhkge)
WDB conferred hy tlio king on Sangha Raja and the grant recorded
on a copper Sannas.
The Aiideea attempted to avert this alienation, hy making presents
to the King, amongotherarlicleaof a pair of elephant tueke, which
he req^ived firom the An Jees, and made an offering of, to the Peak.
According to the enclosed Statement of the SaSVagtua Chief
Priest, the Peak, with the village Koottapitleye, was bestowed by
Sangha Riyah on MaaliboddeUnanseof this Province; together with
the Wihare and village of P^ Imadulla, which Saogha Rajab ia asid
to have received by the dedication of Kapugankande Syloat
Namma. I am inclined (o think thia was some private arrangement
ofSangbaK^ah. For by the account Wilbaagedere Mudeyanse has
left of bis emhaasy, and of these i-eligious proceedings, it appears
that the superintendence of the Peak, together with the office of
High Priest of the Low Country (Safiragam and the Maritime
Districts), were confided to Wnihelly Nayake Unanse by the king,
at the same time that the Sannas itaelf was granted to Sangha
Rajah. This point however, is not material to the present reference.
From that period till the succession of Rajaadi R^a Singha
(in Saccs 1703) four High PriesU had held the Chief-prieatship
of the Low Country together with the Peak, residing at P^lmaduUa.
The last of these was Korrattotte Nayake Unanse, who now
reaidea in Matura District. Morraattotte Naike Unanse waa the
High Prieat of Malwatto, and had been the tutor of hia king.
Oa the pretence that the Saffragam Prieats were leagaed with the
Datch, Morraattotte induced the king to deprive Korrattotte of the
Peak. The Sannaa waa taken to Kandy by Ratnapura Nilleme^
and placed, it is said, by the king's order, by Dodangwelle Adikar,
the Dissave of Saffragam, in Sanguka, in Malwatte Wihare.
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
from that time, antil last jear, the Peak, with Koottapitteye,
haa been held b^ llie Malwatte High Priesta. The Low Coanti^
bag been tvithout any rogular Cliief Priest, and PflmaduUa baa
been the residence of the Pupils of Waihellj.
The only advantage the Malwatte High PrieBla deriTed from
Pflinadulla, consisted in having eight loads of the offerings made at
the Peak, transported for them to Kandj. This exacticm also is
not of old standing, KB the removal of (be offi;ringa at the Peak to
KanJy was an irregularity which gntduaUy attained to the extent
it was ultimately carried.
I have been minute in my inquiry, as my Information must
chiefly bederived from interested sources. I eeeno ground whatever
for the claim preferred. P^lmadulla is certainly not a dependency
oftbc Peak,n>.-itherdoesit appeartometoappertain to the Chief-
prieetsbip of the Low Oountry ; ilirther than from the accidental
circumstance of three aucceeding High Priests inheriting Pfl-
madulla, as pupils of each preceding incumbent. But the Malwatte
High Priests hold neither tif these appointments, and can have no
claim on either ground.
If the present arrangement is intended to be made permanent,
it would be well to remove all ground for future litigation. With
this view, I recommend that king Kirtissry's Sannas should be
beelowed upon the High Priest, who now holds the Chiefship of the
Peak by the appointment of the present Government The docu-
ment was, I am told, in the possession of Paraknmbura Uaanse of
Kandy, who some time ago placed it in the charge of Deheigwne
Dewie Nileme. The tusks also presented by king Kirtissry
(which have Sree-pada carved on tfaem) werG removed to Kandy
when onr troops first entered the country, by Eobaikadoowe Nayaka
Usaiisa, they are said to be new at Goddalladetieya Wihare in Ouda
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC.
ADAM'S PEAK.
Neura. I have to euf^gest that the; Bhould ftlso be sent for, and
restored to the Peak shrine.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) Geo. Turnodr,
Agent of Govt.
Extract from letter of Aset, Agent of Ratnapura, July 27th, 1838.
" It vill be eeen from the correspondence that about Sacca 1514,
king I^jaaiuha, who had abjured Budhism, and became a convert
to Brahaminifitic faith, bestowed the charge of the Peak to some
Aadce Fakeers ; that it waa nubsequontly conferred hy king Kir-
tisry to Wcliwita Saranaukera Ganiii, otherwise Sangaraja, to-
gether with the village of Kuttapitiya, upon a copper sannaa; that
however the superintendence of tbe Peak, together with the office
of High Priest of the Low Country (Safiragam and ibe Maritime
distrlcls) waa confided to Wehalla Naika Unoanse, and from that
period to the accesaton of Rajady Bajasinha (Sacca 1703), four
High Priests had held theChief-pHestship of the Low country and
the Peak, rending at Pelmadulta. The laat of those, Karatota,
was in a. d. 1827, living at Matura, having been deprived of the
Peak by the King, on the iosligatioa of Moratola, the High Priest
of Malwattn, on which occasion the Sannaa waa removed to Eandy,
by order of the King, and kept in Saogika (or common.) From
that time, up to 1826, about 40 years, the Peak was held by the
Priests of Malwatta, but they appear to have derived but small
advantage from its emoluments.
As early as 1825 the claim set up by the High Priest of
D,9.i,z,.^b>.L-.obglc
ADAM'S PEAK.
Mnlwnlte to llip Peak wan set nniJo, ui<l in the letter from the Bntrd
of Commixaioners dated 16th Dec. of that jear, it was convened that
the Governor hod decided, that the ap|>ointnieiit of High Priest of
the Peuk should be conferred on a Priest of Saffrogam, it being
nmde a comiition of that appointmeot that the greater part of the
revenue ariHiiig from tlic offi'ringH should be applied to the repair
and upkeep of Krst- house r, &c.
On the Loth Februai7 1836, Mr. Tumour eommunicated to
GovernnieDt the Belectioo by him, Kccording to instnictioDs, of Galle
Medankara Uunaii**, to succecJ the late High Priest of Malwatle
as Priest of the Peak, and by the letter of the Board of the Hth
April 1826, was conveyed, that as a special favour to the then
Maha Naikft Unnanse of Malwatte, the Government hod coRferred
on him one-fourth of the offerings of the Peak, which reverted to
the High Priest of the Peak on the death of the said Maha Naiks
UnnaiiBc-
On the demise of Galle Naika Unnanse, 1836, his euecessor, Swnan-
gala Unnanne, who died on the 21st May 1818, was elected by the
priests of this district before the then Assistant Agent, Mr. Wells,
under in BtructioDS of Government (so© letter No, 448 of 13th
May, 1836,) which prescribed the same course as had been adopted
by Mr. Turnoar."
Paracnmbere was the nest High Priest ; then Galagaraa Attadassi
Temnansi, who waa deposed on 26th May, 1866.
Ilikkaduwe SumangaleTeruaansi of the Tibare called TilakarMoa
in Hikkadawe, was then elected;— "a priest in every respect eligible
for this high and important office, and one whose reputation for
piety and scholarship stands supereminent among the priesthood of
the Malwatte establishment of the Island of Ccjlon."— Act of the
PricHtd, on the 10th June, 1866.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
DeSCRIFIIOX op the ATTAK&OAtO FOBEST, BT JaiIE3
D'Alwis, Esq.
" When, stme yeitra ago, I visited thia part of the conntry,* my
eyes rested oa & uoeDe which I could not soon or easily forget.
Its greatest altraction waa tJie stately forest. Whilst Z stood
amazed at the prodigious height to which the trees had grown,
straight from the ground, the eye liogered with delight on the
'glared Bhades,' thick willi tbeir dense greeo foliage, aud ladea
' with their pendent fruile and Bdwen.'
The Figs and the Palms which grew up together reminded ma
of the Cocoaout and the Bread fruit which rose, as it were, in love's
embrace, in the southwest coast of Ceyloa. The Talipot, the Na,
the Sapan, the Hedawaka, tiie Ketakala, the De), the Milila, tho
Godapora, (not to mention other timber trees), were all here seen
side-by-side with the Katu-imbul, the Gor&ka, the Veralu, the Ktyu,
the Erobadu, etc, etc. There were also cUmbiDg piMat» in endless
variety. The Pot^, the Kirindj, the Kiritilla, aud the Kiri-auguoa,
entwined ihcinselTes round the trunks as they clambei-od up in
search of light, llie ferns and the orchids, which thrived luxuri-
ously in the hollows of old trees, waving their brilliant foliage,
* Attanigilu, oD the roail to tbe HcwBgAm Koralf.
TTtrODglC
ADAM'S PKAIC.
spcmi'<t as if ihey were tlic cultivation of some nymph of tlie forest
Nothing could exceeii the heuuty of tho flowing tresses of the Heda-
ya, of which two p]K;cJes were met within the colli Mid mosey cle A*
of tree* that never snw the light of the fuii. Under ihe shade grew
the Vaiia Ri'ija. Revelling in the rich and luxurious vegetable
mould, which lay several feet thick, this dwarf 'Kingof the Forest*
spread out its leaves, 'the mojt exi^uisitcly formed m the veget»ble
kiiigilom, and whose colour rCi'ombleM dark velvet approachiog to
hiack, and reticulaied over all the surface with veins of ruddy
gold.' It is difficult to realize the beauty of the distant landscapa
along the streams and marshes of the forest. The graceful Bambu
was surrounded by the magniflcent Asoka, The pale azure of
the Sal, which deeply contrasted with the burnished green of Iha
delicately tinted foliage of the Siambalit on the hillocks, and both
with the deep emerald brushwood below, — waved over the
Gloriosa Sui>erba (Niagalii), whose malchless flowers festooned
the adjacent heaps of verdure ; whilst the Muruta overshadowed
the Bandurfi, that grew luxuriantly beneath the pink-clad branches
of the former. Nothing, ogam, could surpass either the splendour
of tho flowers, or the beauty of the leaves. Some of the latter hy
themselves exhibited the hues of the former. The scarlet shoots
of the Na, for instance, vied in beauty with the gorgeous flowers
of the Katu-imbul, the pink clusters of the Muruta with the ripe
leaves of the Kottamb^ the pale yellow Champac with the tawny
Veralu, and the snow-white blassoras of the Idda with the tender
buds and cream-coloured leaves of the Musscnda," — Attanagalc-
VANSA, pages 91-93.
Dintiz.rlbyGOOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
\y G. II. K. TiiWAiTua, Eaq^ F. R. S., Director of (be Ro.val Botinic Girdeoi,
Ptrideaiy^
The forest immediately about the Peak contains a number of
interesting trees of various Natural Orders, comprising
Magnoliace^ represented hj Michelia Nitagirica (Wal Sappoo
uf ihe Sighalese.)
Ahonace^ represented by species of Sagenea, Goniotbalamua,
Uvaria, Unona, Miliusa, he.
Mybisiicace*, by Myristica Horsfieldii, and M. laurifolia.
Sautdacb^, by two or three species of Casearia, and the fi-ogrant
dowered Osmelia.
PJLSOIA.CKX, by Uydnoctu'pus and Trichadenia.
Stebclliack^, by the Durian-Iike Cutlenia excelaa, and StercuUs
guttata.
BvTTNBEiACB.£, by FteroBpcrmum suberifolium, and Julostylis
angusti folia.
TiLiACEX,, by species of £l«ocarpus (Weraloo of the Sighalese.)
D,9.i,z,.^.,>LiOOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
iJji-TEROCinrt.t, l>/ EpicU-a of Dipterocarpus, Doouft, Sll0^e(^
Hopeo, Vat4:i'iB, Isausis, and Stenionoporua.
Teb.vstrcemiace.e (ihe Tea tribe) by OorduuU, Eurja, T«m-
strtEDiia, ahd AJinanJra.
ArRANTiAC'F..v, hj Gljcosiniit and Atolantia,
G1TTIKEH.E, by Gnroiiiia Morella (tlio true Gambogo tree), G.
ccliinocarpa, G. tcrpnojihylla, XantUochymus ovalifolius, and
Bpecioa of Calophyllum (Kcona of the Siglialese.)
Celastsacf.^, by Kurrtmia, Kokoona, and Microtropia.
SAriNUACt.£, by Schmidelia, Sapindus, and Nephelium.
Meliace^ by Miluca, Amoora and Walaura,
TerebintiiacE'E, by several specica of Semocorpus, by Maugifera
(wild mango) and NulUopcgia.
Bl'hserace^, by Canarium, ScutinaDtbc, and rieridophyllum.
IIi>MALiSE.£, by UoiDalium Cc/lamcum.
LegL'uiS'09.k, by Ei7tLrina, Puagamia, I'tcrotarpus, and Ualbergia.
Rosacea;, by Fhotiuia and Pygcura.
CoMBRETACCe, by Terminalia Bylerica and T. parriflora,
MELASTOMACE.E, by several species of Memecylon.
Mtrtace «, by Eugenia, JumlKJsa, and Sjzygium of many species.
BARRiycTOSiACE^, by Barringtoniu, Careya, and Anisophjllea.
KiiizopRORACB^, by CaruUia.
I.TTiTitAKiACE^, by Axinandra and Lagcrstrosmia.
Hlihace^ (Cofltic tribe) by upecies of Nauclea, Canthium, Ixoro,
Pavetta, Diacospermum, GriOitliia, and Weudtandia.
SlYRsiNArK.K, by Myrsiiie.
Sai^otaik*, by fljK'ciea of Isonandra (the Gutta percha plant
belongs to tills genus) Dasyanliis and Diehopsis.
Ehexaije^ (Ebony tribe), by i<everal sjH-cies of DiosiijTosi, AIii-
creigbliii, and Mal>a,
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAirS PEAK.
AQiTiFOtiACEjE, by Kveral apeciea of Symplocos.
VsoTKXCEM, bj Helida Ceylauica, tbe only representatJTe of the
family in tbe lelaixL
LachacE£ (Cinnamon tribe), bj Cinnamomtim, Macfailne, Crypto*
cuya, Tetrantfaera, Actinodsphoe, and LitsKa.
Urticace^, by several epccics of Picas, and by Cellia and Sponia.
Ei'PHORBiACE^, by CleidioQ, Rottlcra Macaranga, Podadenia,
Gelonium, Chietocar])UB, DesmostomoD, Sarcoclinium, Brie*
delia, Cleislanthus, Prosorus, Cyclostemon, Aporoeo, and
Antidesma.
Faluacf.^ by Oncosperma fasciculata, and Ptychosperma rupicola.
Amongst these forest trees grow gigantic lianet ; tbe Aaamirtus
Cocculua(CocculusIndico8),Co8ciniumfcnestratum,KadsuraWigbt-
iana, Toddulia aculeata, Detrie sicoata, D. scandens, Guilandina
Bonduc, Entada BCandens, Acacia Inteia, AnodendroQ paniculatum,
Willughbeia Ccylanica, Plecospermum spinosaro, and two or three
species of Calamus, being particnlar]y conspicuons.
The beautiftil Kendrickia (Pachycentria, Enum. PL Zeyl.)
Walkerj, and its allies, Medinella fuchsiodes, and M. maculata,
with some species of Piper, Potbos, &c., mantle the trunks of the
trees, and handsome Ipomoeas scramble over their branches.
The undergrowth consists principally of shrubby Acanth&cete,
RubiaceR, Urticacea:, L&biala;, and Zintiberacera. The open pat-
tanas, or savannahs, are made gay by handsome species of Exacum,
Osbeckia, Desmodium, Crotalaria, Caa8i% Chirita, and Burmannia.
Numerotis Orchidb^ occur on tbe bunks of trees, or on ex-
posed rocks, and several species of Lorauthus are attached
parasitically (miseltoe-like) to tbe trnnka and bnnchee of tbe
trees. Lovely Balsams in great variety, and pretty Utricnlariaa
abound in damp spots.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Near the top of the Peak the gorgeous Rhododendron arboreum
occurs, with the Gaultherin fragruitis^ima, and the Vncclnium
Leeichenaultii, with its arbutus-likc flumera. There too, maj be
noticed Home very Leautiful Npecici of Sonerila and Osbeckia,
anil Konie pretty spocic't of Bcdyoti«i. KIoaiK^s and Lichens al&o
alioiiiid i]j)on the trees.*
* Farther lDft>nn«tion rMpacting the Botaaj or the IiBand can be obteined in
the EDumentia FlaoMTBai ZeyUaii, by G. H. K. Thwaitks, Eh|., F. R. &, &c,
pnbliBbed by DaUa & Co., S«ho Sqoue, Linidon ; in which all tbe luta^n apedcs
■re deieribed, or reTerrsd lo wbece Okj bad b«ea previoualj- described.
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
The PB0CE3BION FEOM COLOHBO AND -n-ELCOUE AT MORATUWA,
OP JoKONia Db Sotsa, Esq., after his appointment to
TSE BAKK OF MuDALITAE OP TBB GoTERNOK'B GaTE."
"Below we give a graphic and interesting account of the re-
ception accorded at Colombo to the man whom, on account of hts
public spirit, Sir George Anderson has delighted to honor. The
matWr is more important than would appear at first sight to our
English readers. The dignitj' conferred on Mr. Do Soysa is
one that has hitherto been jealoualj confined to the small knot of
obstructives amongst the Singhalese who call themselves first class
Telates ; and on this occasion the Maha ^odliar, we believe, did
his little best to prevent the Government from shocking the
pr^udicea of the people— meaning b; that phrase a tittle knot of
Modliars — b; conferring the highest Native rank in its gilt on a
man of the fisher caste. All honor to Sir Gecrge Andersoa for the
personal courage and decision displaj'ed b; him on this occasion.
The British Government is not only too generous, but also too
strong, to allow its own benevolent intentions, and the wheeb of
progress to be anj longer impeded bj foolish fears of ofiending
antiquated caste prejudices.
The newly created Uodliar is a Native Colfee Planter on a large
scale, very enterprising and very wealthy. But his claims to the
* From tbc Colombo Obwsveb ofjaat IStb, lBd3.
i,z.ab,Xj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
iligiiity confeiTeil on liim rest on the erection by him, at his own
co^l, of pulilic works, such as AmbalaniaH and Bridges, the fonnktion
of roaila, &<:."
Colombo, June 1 0th, 1853.
Sir,— The elevation of Mr. Joronis De Soyw of Morotto to
the rank of Modliar of ihe Governor's Gate, appearing to have
cau¥od a eoneidei'ablc sensation of eatisfaclion in the native mind,
with possibly a little jealousy here and thi-re, I have thought some
account of the proceedings on his return to Morotto, would not
be unacceptable to your readers, especially as you hare already
noticed in your columns the doings of hia friends in Kandy, some
of whom exprespod the hope that their breUiren in the Weatem
Province would not suffer themselves to be outdone in rendering
due honor to the newly appointed Modliar. Nor have th^, as the
proceedings of the 9th instant amply testify. I don't pretend to
give you a very graphic account of every thing that happened,
being altogether unused to that elyleof composition} but, as I was
present a considerable part of the day, I will endeavour to slate
what fell under my own obseiTation, and from that and such other
accounts as may reach you, you will be able, I dare say, to make
out for your readers a much more interesting narratiTe than I can,
—BO you are welcome to use my information, and burn my MS., or
publish it in toto, just ae you please.
Well then, at 7 a. h. according to invitation, I, together with
many others, assembled at Grand Pass at the houae of Mr. Soosew
de Soysa, tho Modliar'e brother, where, in all the glory of gold and
jewels, Joronis De Soytv Dbarma Goonewardene Wepolle
Jsyaaooria Dessanayake Karoonaratne, Modliar of the Goveroor's
Gale, received the congratulation s of his friends.
D,9.l,z,-,^b>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
Europeans, Burghers, Nalivea of rank, wmlth, BDd influence,
Hindoos, Pareeea, Moormen, &c. &c. cftme dropping in one after
the other until the house was filled to orerflowiDg. AfWr pnrtak-
ingot'aslight refreshmetit, hospitably provided bj Soosew De Soys*,
the ear-piercing flfes and deafening tom^tmns of the Oovemor'a
Guard of Laacoreens, as they drew up into the Verandah, warned
OS tliat the busiuese of the day was now about to b^In. The
Guard having had a dusty walk, and being moreover droughthy
souls, and withal not very much accustomed to their scarlet coal«
aud conical caps, or the wielding of their venerable halberts, and
antique, lion-headod, carving- knife -looking cutlasses, of course
needed a dram each, by way of nerving them to their arduous
duties; and judging tnai the apparent reUsh with which they
tossed <tf their glasses, they got the genuine stuff. While this
was going on, Guard No. 2 passed by. This, I believe, ie the
Guard belonging to the Salpitty Korle, and gloriee in a uniform
of blue. The poor sonla looked hard and longingly at their bro-
ther lascoreens in red, but, obedient to the stem commands of
duty, marvhed on to their appointed station on Norris's road near
the Racket ground.
In a few minutes the signal was given to start. The Guari),
consisting of twenty-Jive men, preceded by the tom-tom beaters,
took the lead; then came the Modliur attired in a coat of dark
broad-cloth, over which was thrown bis chain of honor, formed of
above 1 50 sovereigns linked together in couples, and terminating in
an ornament formed of a clusler of forty-five of the same coins ;*
• Tliis w«s » mere temporary enntrivanm. Tha predom metal wos aul«oril»cl
for l>y abaut TOO oT th« Mudaliyar's pemnal Mends, and -was aflcrwarda wathal
i,.,,,,.„L,OOglC
eroding thia wait the sword belt of brond gold lace, fhnn which
bun^ nuKpcndcd tbe Hword encased in ma elabonitoly chased eilrer
Eca1>liard inlaid with gold; tbe sword hilt was > mass of gems,
principnll}' ruhioa anil emeralds, ect in gold, the lustre of winch
was however complelely eclipnjd by the splendid jewels in the
Bword knot. Altogctlicr the dress was a very rich and expensive
affiiir— (I heard it estimated as wortli about i'1,000, but perhaps
this included the brilliant and other rings worn by the Modliar)—
and certainly it was terribly provocative to a serious infraction
of the tenth commandment.
The Moilliar't only son accorapanied his father; behind theia
walked two lascoroena clothed in scarlet habiliments, bearing
talipols of honour over their heads. Then followed, also on foot,
the greater part of those who bad assembled at the house, tbe
Mobandiroms in full dress, with their talipot bearers, who sported
vestments of such a nondescript character, that no verbal descrip-
tion can do justice to them, and I am afraid no pictorial represen-
tation would be believed ; the nearest approximation I can give
your readers will be to remind them of Pantaloon at Bartholomew
Fiur, or old Shalabalar, bo inseparably connected with Punch and
London street reminiscences. Oulrt as their appearance was, they
biin of boaor, to which a corresponding medal wa* toaptiideil,
containlDR the fullowinf; inAcription. " PreBented to JotoqIb De Soyaa, Eaq.,
Dhinna Goanrwardene Wepolle Jajaworiys Dp.-sanayake Karooaaratne, Modliar
of the Governor's Gate ; By his numerous IViends, in token of their nspect aad
csteorn, and of the admiralion wilh which they regard hia heaevotunt exertions
for (he relief of the poorer classes, and his putriutic endeavours to promote (he
politic good, Ac. Sii:,~ Wilh this chain and niedul he wts invested by the
Govfrnor, at the J.evee held at Queen"* Huu-v, Culoniljo, on the SIth May, IMj4.
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
nevertheleu added to the picturesqneneBa of the effect prodaced
by the groupiogH and costumes of the rarious races and nations
there assembled.
The march began; guns were fired; the fifes squealed out moat
horribly shrill; the tom-tom beaters plied their slieepekios so
vigorously, that one had to scream into his neighbour's ear to make
him understand; frantic people rushed out of houses on either side
of the road, and deluged with sweet-scented waters the man whom
the Governor delighted to honour ; and, either in their joy or for
the fun of the thing, plentifully besprinkled all and sundry near
them wiih the same ; horsekeepers gravely led their master's
carriages at a funeral pace in the far distant rear; and doubtless
those who overtook It imagined at first they had come upon a
funeral procession, for a vile carl driver, with a Tillunously high-
piled load of black wood, looking for all the world like a hearse,
toould take the lead of the carriages.
Passing the Queen's Advocate's honse, the Honourable Gentle-
man himself came out and congratulated the Modliar on his eleva-
tion. From thence the procession wound up Barber street, down
by Wolfendabl Church, along Main street to the Esplanade, where
the scarlet Guard gave place to the Halberdiers in blue. Nothing
particular occurred in this part of the route, unless a few alight
. passing showers be mentioned, which were more grateful than in-
convenient; for walking in a crowd in the middle of a dusty road
under a tropical sun is not the most pleasant thing imaginable;
it was however amusing to note the shifts parties resorted to in an
endeavour to escape l>eing wetted. Imagine Cowesjee Cunjoe,* the
* Thia gentlemin, who died not long *ftar th« proceedings above ilescribed, wu
of tba moat bulky proponioiu; but at geDial Id muiner u he «u great in iju
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
portljr merchant of Main street, shariDg with k stoat Parsee friend
a Rmall Chioa umbrella, scarcely big enonKh to cover the tops of
Ihcir turbaoR ; anO the noodc^ript tali pot -bearers, officiouslj
covering their masters' hcails, but taking good care at the eama
time to secure the best part of the talipot to (hemselvea ! Mora
sceuteil waters were sprinkled as Cuujee's stores were p&saed, and
additions began to be made to the tail of the procession, which
numerically more than compensated for the loss of those who by
the calls of buBiiioKs and breakfast were hero compelled to lake
leave of the Modliar.
Arrived at Colpetty the Modliar paid his respects to the Govern-
ment Agent, by whom ho was warmly congratulated; and further
ou was met and complimented by Dr. Elliott, Mr. DalEicI and
others. OutJiide the Gravetii there was a halt for some time. Here
the Fishers' Guard met the Modliar, be being a Fisher, and the
first, I undcrstaiul, of that caste, ever made Hodliar of the Gate.
Groups of picturesquely attired dancing boys, grotesquely masked
mummers, and singers and tumblers, besides a numerous assem-
blage of friends and acqoaiutanccs were also here drawn up to pay
their respects, and accompany their countryman to his home.
From this point to Morotto every step only added to the magni-
tude of the procession. Ascending the open carriage in readiness
for him the Modliar again moved on. Foremost went the tumblers,
eingers and dancers, delighting tlie concourse who surrounded
them with their songs and anticsj next the bands of tom-toms and
fifesj then the Fishers' guard, followed by the Korte lascoreens
and a body of belted peons. Then the observed of all observers,
with his son and brother in the carringe, behind which still walked
the two talipot bearers in scai'let ; and after these a train of
carriages and bandies, and a constantly increasing throng of
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
pedes trianB. Mcon^itary baits were GMitiniuIly being made, bo
many crowded up to the carriage to congratulate its occupants.
Old men from all parts, many scarcely able to totter, and some
irom Caltura and Panture (the latter village being Mr. De Soyaa'a
birthplace,) came forward with almost infantile eagerness, M^ne
BO oToijoyed as to lose the power of utterance, otbers in such a
state of excitation as to be unable to restrain their garrulity, and
one declaring that now he was conteut to die, having seen what
be never hoped to see, and what be should never see again.
When oppof'ite the residence of the Mohandinun of the Salpitly
Korle, that fine old native gentleman came out and invited all who
were disposed, to partake of relreshments, which he had most
liberally provided, expressing at the same time his regret that official
duties prevented him from having tlie pleasure of proceeding to
MuTotto with tbe Modliar. Further on, every village and path
contributed its quota of human t«ings to tbe mass already cougre-
gated on the road i and the din of their rejoicing, the firing of guns
and the shoutings of welcome were at times quito over- powering.
A little beyond Eatmalane is the fine Ambalama erected some
years back by Mr. De Soysa. At this spot a decorated arch was
thrown over the road, and here the Washermau of the District
waited on the Modliai-, requesting that he would allow them to do
him the honor of spreading white cloths on the ground for bim to
walk on until ho reached his house. This being done, all of course
dismounted and finished the journey on foot. A light fence was
tiirown up on each side the road IVom this point to Mi»rotto, IVom
which an elegant festoon or fringe of strips of cocoanut leaves was
suspended. All along, too, the inhabitants of the adjoining villages
were drawn up; and to acknowledge and return all the salutes he
received, was no slight task for the Modliar.
D,9.l,z,-,^:-,>.L-.OOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
From this point to Momtto, it was emphatically a triumphal pro-
cession. Afit-r walking about three quarters of a mile, the Mod-
liar'fl eye wan gladdi'iiod with the sight of a triumphal arch erected
opposite his hou3«. Stretching across the roaii, of an octagoual
form, and about thirty-tife feet in diameter, with a beautiful
ceiling of open net-work, tastefully formed of the femi and gnsaea
and flowers of the neighbourhooil, the arch, profuoclj decorated
wilh fruits and flowers on its exterior, was unanimouslj pronounced
lo be the most elegant thing of the kind ever erected by natives;
and it certainly was well worth a trip to Morotto to behold.
The number of jteople assembled at thin point was immense.
Far as the eye could range along the road, and around on the
adjacent grounds, was one dense mass of humanity; men, women
and children, all eagerly straining to catch a glimpse of thmr
honoured countryman and benefactor. The lowest computation
gave 5,000 as the number present ; but many were of opinion
that at least 7,000 was the most correct estimate. Whichever
be correct, it was a moat gratifying sight, and such a one as it is
but seldom the lot of a European to witness in Ceylon. The cmsh
was very great at the front of the house, where Mr. De Soysii'a
numerous relatives had assembled to meet and welcome him home
with all his honors. As the meeting was of ihe most affectionate and
affecting kind, and more than one drew back with moistened eyes,
I shall not dwell upon that part of the subject, — sufBce it to say,
that all seemed over-joyed.
Looking from the Verandah down on the crowd, it was one se«
of heads and up-turned eyes. The Act of Appointment was now-
produced, shewn to all assembled, read first in English and theu
translated into Singhalese ; whereupon one in the crowd made a
short speech, and then uprose a loud Hurrah I that would hare
D,9.i,.,-,,i.-,>.L-.ooglc
ADAM'S PEAK.
dooe creilit to the lungs of a London mob. Kow commenced a
rigbl joyous carousal. Numerous bootke and open bungalows had
been erected in the compound, where tables were spread; and well
did multitude after multitcde do justice to the good things the
Modliar had provided. Inside the house a more select company
or companies were entertained, consisting of Mohandirams, fi-iende,
and acquaintances specially invited. Speeches were made, healths
dnmk, toasts proposed; and while unbounded hilarity had free
exercise within, ever and anon a loud hurrah from without gave
notice of what was going on there. As soon as one company re-
tired, another took their places, and speedily fresh courses made
the laden tables groan again. Afler dark, fireworks illuminated
the gardens, and to a late hour at night the Modliar was occupied
in receiving the complimentary visits, and acknowledging the
ealaniB, of the throngs who poured into the place in an almost end-
less t^tream.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
■iTiF.a AT Baiiatei.i.e, Koi.i.rriTirA, ra noBOR c
i ICOVAL IlKitlN£8a THE Dl'KE OF EuiNHVIKin.
TuE enter Ukinm^nt given to His Royat Highness the Duke oF
EdiDburgb hj Measra. Subcw &nil Charles De Soj'H was one
unprcceJentod in the annala of Ceylon, and aa succcBeful !□ all its
details aa it was unprecedented of its kind.* As soon as His
ExcelUncy the Governor communicated to Messrs. De Soyea His
Roy nl Highness' s gracious aceept*nce of their invitation, they com-
menced their preparations, and with characteristic energy— (employ-
ing daily fVom 300 to 500 men for several weeks,) — completed
all their arrangements in the moat satisfactory mannu" by the
morning of the 22nd April, on the evening of which day tbe
entertainment took place.
From Galle Face lo Bagatelle, a distance very little short of two
miles, both sides of the Kollupitiya road were lined wilhdecorations.
■ "For tbc fint time Id th« bistoiy afthe Iilind— for QotCTCu in Hit palmiest
dayi of the Si|}hale*e monarchj, when > libenl ud lirge-minded ruler like
Dutugl^muna or Prakkramsbdiu wielded lb< actftn, would Rujilt/ so ftr
condHcend u lo nccfpt of the private hospilililira of a subject — ■ native hia
wekomed a Royal guett to bla houis. The drcumstaaeea under which iMth
Kuler and Ruled now live are very much changed ; bnt DOtwltfaatinding all t3st
progTcu md Ibe ■dvancfmeiit which (he nitire* o( this coantry have nuule in
Weetem cit-iliiitioii, 'the divinity that bedgce romld ■ throae' i« not a mere
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
These coneiBted of k fhunework of upright bambu poaU, five sod
ten feet each in beight, alternating at diBtances of five feet from
each other — (wider Bpaces being left for entmnceBto oompoandB) —
and crossed just above the emaller posts bj longitudinal bars eighteen
inches apart. From the ground to the lower bar roBe skeleton
arches of agothic form. The space between the bars waa&iranged
in oontinnous panels of a diagonal pattern. From the ineide of the
arched work hung loog ribbon-like stripes of fringed cocoannt
learee, while the whole of the framework was wreathed over and
ornamented with light green olas,* fee toons of which swung between
the larger uprights, the tope of which were snrmoaoted with ola-
formed crowns. At the Oalle Face end of the road an elegant
triumphant arch with three terminal spires, the central one of
which rose to a height of seventy-two feet, was erected; and two
similar but perh^ja more elaborately decorated arches spanned the
road on either side of the gate that opened into the central carriage
drive of Bagatelle grounds. Each arch bore suitable inscriptions
of welcome. Wild pines and other fruits, with flowers, ferns, and
mosses, were added, to give grsater effect to the general appearance
ofthedecorations, the whole of which glittered at night not only
with innumerable lamps, but with fiambeaux in green cocoa-nut
metipbor. It wonld thenlbre b« impouible for tha nitlve mind to overrate the
honor which his Royal Hishn«u the Duke of Edinburgh hu done Mr. De Soru
in accepting the invitation to his EntertiEnment ; while on the other hind it
must b« matter fur sincere congnttulation to all elaise* who can claim Hr. De
601-M for their countijman, that the Idand coaM affiird ■ native vho by poaltion
and waallh, wae prc-eoiinenllj' qaaliSed to do tbe hoejiilalities or the whole race,
in his own pereon." — Examiner, April 23.
* The young and tender loaves of tha cocoa and other palnii.
Dig.liz.ao.LiOOgle
ADAM'S PEAK.
huaka; while a Urge iKMljormen in uniforms of red and white,
each bearin){ a blazing torch, lined the road and lighted np the
way, the brilliance of which was added to hj the illu mi nations
with whicb almost every mansion on the route shone and sparkled
and gave ovidunce of tlie loyalty of its occupants.
Bagatelle House* aud grounds, with the numerous tamporarj
buildings and corridors leading from one to the other, were ablaze
with light, and preseutod to the eje a picture which reklited to
the mind the description given by the poet of the encampment
of the Princess Lalla Rookh when on her way to Cashmere.
The invitations were issued for 9 o'clock, and by 10 most of
the visitors had arrived; and although there must have been mi
assembbgu of upwards of two thousand persons present, yet the
arraDgements made were so admirable, that although the throng
was pretty close at the principal door where His Boyal Highness,
the Governor, Lady Robinson, and the Queen's House par^ were
to alight, there was ao undue squeezing or crowding. "All over the
grounds, there were tents, and booths, gaily decorated and brilliantly
lighted, in which the various artists who bad boon gathered from
every part of the Island, and even bpyond it, were to perform
their respective rdtet. The dancing ealoon in rear of the main
building was a credit to its designer ; for not only was it elegantly
decorated and brilliantly lighted, but every attention bad been
paid to ventilation. The ball-room upstairs, and the private
apartments for His Royal Highness, His Excellency Sir Hercules
Robinson, and Lady Robinson, were all tastefully decorated;
several handsome pier glasses and mirrors reflected the light from
• Since named " ALfnEu HtiViiE," in honor of the oceaiiao.
D,9.i,z,a.„XjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
the ch&Ddeliere, and rendered the reflected illuaion soperior even
to'the reality. The aupper room was in the ehapo of a St AndreVit
croBs, each limb holding three rows of tables with broad passages
between them The floor was carpeted with coloured coir matting,
and flowers and eyergreens and white olas, with some hundreds
or lamps burning over head, gave to thu entire place the brilliance
of a Btrictlj oriental scene. The refVeshment rooms were also
. conveoientlj placed, and while the liquors, from the brandy and
soda, the champagne and the ices, were all of the moat un-
exceptionable quality, the attendance was of a kind which seldom
can be secured at similar gatherings. The servants were ciril and
obliging, and notwithstanding the incessant and loo often conflicting
demands on their time and attention, they never grumbled them-
eelves, nor gave occasion for Uie visitors to grumble."*
While waiting the arrival of the Royal Gaest, the opportunity
was seized by numbers of visiting the grounds and making them-
solves acquainted with the localities, where in booths and tents, and
kiosks and theatres, artists, dancers and actors of all kinds and
varieties were to exhibit and do their best lo entertain those whom
Messrs. De Soysa had honored with invitations. A long spacious
corridor ceiled and carpeted, led from Bagatelle to what is known
as little Bagatelle. From themaincorridorminoroa«4branched off
to the temporary buildings, which were laid out in three parallel
rows. The principal of these was the theatre in which the
Kandian tragedynamed Eyehalapola, after the Adigar of that name,
its principal hero, was to be performed. Tien of broad platforms
and seats circled round the Interior of a spacious building ; iu the
D,9.i,z,a.„Cj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
centre of which wu % pit where the muiicians, (tam-tam beaten),
were seated. Tba space between these and the audience waa tba
etage, on which all the best native perrormers of Colombo were to
exhibit. Above this was an elegantly deaigneJ and decorated
ceiling, from which hung lamps, the whole of which rotated on
the central pillar of the theatre. The tragedy is baeed on the
occurrences which took place in the Kandiao kingdom, immediatel;
before the campaign which led to its siinexation hj the British.
In another building was to be performed the corned; of " Slhau-
wali," which refere to the supposed origin of the Sighaleee dynast/
of Wljajra, the Indian invader of Ceylon in the fear 543 B.a
This however wasdelincated bj means of puppela, the wire-workers
of whom sang the dialogues out of eight of the audience. Printed
copies of abstracts of both these Playa were liberally provided for
the benefit of those who could not understand the Sighaleseof the
actors. In another theatre the Hungarian wiiard, Professor Ruch-
waldy, was preparing his feats of art-magic and legerdemain. A
troupe of Hindu Nautch girls, gorgeously dressed and adorned
with solid gold head pieces, jewels, satins and silks, occupied one
tent. Indian gymnasts, posture-masters and contortionists anoAer;
Grotesque dancers from Hangurankeiti ; Rhodiya women who
twirl brass plates on their fingers while dancing; Dancers in white
from Pauadura, who gyrate with chatties in their hands; Boy
dancers ia red who strike sticks to time as they wind in and out and
thread in opposing couples the mazes of their dances; bands of
timbrel and tambourine players, and other native musicians, each
had their separate tent or booth ; a large circular swing afforded
exercise and amusement to all who chose to venture within it ;
while last but not least Dare Carson's minstrel and musical
troupe, with Signor Donatio, the wonderful oue-lcgged dancer.
i,.,,,i.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
pleaaed, delighted, «nd astonished all who heard and saw them.
B7 half past ten all but the most important of the guests had
arrived ; and a most ga.y and brilliant assemblage they irere.
The ladies seemed to bare exhaasted the resources of the milliner's
art in the elcgaooe and beanij of their dresses; for the daughtera
of Lanka were by no means behind their sisters from the West
in the richness and splendor of tbeir jewels and attire. Hilitary
uniforms, blue and crimson and black, with gold and silver epaulettes,
facings, and collars, — worn bj the Officers of the Staff, the Royal
Engineers and Artillery, the 73d Regt. and the Ceylon Rifles; as
well OS Naval ones worn by the Officers from the Galatea, the
Forte, and M. I. M. S. Arraorlque, — contrasted witii the (Aeial
dresaes of numerous Sigbaleie Mudaliyars, Mobandirama and
Headmen, girt with quiunt golden-hilted swords suspended
from variously patterned gold sashes. Chetties, and Poraees and
Moormen, in their own peculiar and charocteristic habiliments,
added a further variety to the rich display of colour and costume
that relieved the sombre black of the evening-dress in which
all the rest of the male Civilians present were clad.
Gradually the principal gnests, Mnongst whom was Commodore
Sir Leopold Heath, began to throng around the door and line
both sides of the passage leading to the upper reception room, and
shortly before eleven, His Royal Highness, the Governor, Lady and
Miss Robinson, accompanied by Captains Hiug, Tweedie and
St John, and Mr. Cockbum Stewart, drew up and alighted. Mr.
and Mrs. De S<7Sa received the Duke, who led in Lady Robinson,
the Governor taking Mias Robinson. Dancing cwnmenoed im-
mediately aft«, the band of the 73d supplying the mnsic for the
boU-rvom occupied by the Prince and the more select of the guests,
while the general company danced, in the latter ball-room below to
D,9.i,z,-,^.-,>.L-.oogle
ADAM'S PEAK.
the raunic of the Ceylon Rifle band. At the cohcIubiod of the
dances ia the Ducal ballToom, Mr. CarooD'a troupe of miiutrels
were introduced nnd were most warmly kod deaervedly applauded.
After lietening awhile to their songs, their music and their wit, the
Ducal party adjourned to tlie supper room, "the Prince conducting
Lady RobinBOD, and Sir Hercules Robinson taking down Miss
Robinson. As with the other portions of the arrangements so
with the supper, everything was orraaged in first-rate style. AfW
supper there were the toasts of the 'Que«n,' and 'The Prince
of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh,' the Duke rising and bowiug
his acknowledgments in reply to the cordial way in which the toast
was received. The Prince supped off a plate, with a knife and
fork, all of pare gold, the champagne and wtne goblets being of the
same precious metal. Upon the spoon were delicately carved vine
leaves, and around the stem was worked a row of pearls. Rows
of rubies similarly encrusted the knife and fork. His Royal
Highness left the supper room amid loud cheering, and sfWr his
departure Mr. Flinch mounted the table and called for cheers for
Mr. and Mrs. De Soysa.
"After supper came fireworks. These were let off on the green
in front of the house, and were very effectively rendered. Columna
of light, through which rose rockets, soaring far above the
triumphal arches adjacent, were intermingled with C'hineee candles,
and other improvements upon the fireworke of the olden times.
Devices succeeded these, and the whole concluded with a grand
burst of flame worthy of the decorations which surrounded it and
of the company watching its eccentric movementa.
"The Prince, the Governor and the ladies belonging to their
party, did not confine themselves to the upper room, but paid visits
to all the entertainmenta going on. They viait^d the theatre during
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
the performance of the tragedy of Eheyalapola, and stayed some
time. The nautch too came ia for a share of their atteation, and
with the puppet ehow they were evidently much gratified.""
Id the mf^ntime dancing was resumed with spirit in the ball-
room, and crowds thronged into the buildings where the tlifferent
entertainmenta were going on. Dave Carson's minstrels attracted
a constantly increasing audience, which was as much delighted
with their performance, as it was astonished by Signer Donatto's
marrellously graceflil uni-pedal dances. Indeed so varied and bo
excellent were the numerous entertainments provided, and so
admirable was every arrangement for the comfort and refreshment
of the guests, that morning broke before the company separated.
And they did so with the unanimous opinion, that the Messrs. De
Soysa deserved the thanks of the entire communis for the successful
manner and princely style in which, voluntarily aided as they were
by some of the leading gentry of Colombo, Ihey had feted His Koyal
Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, and in so doing afforded Her
Majesty's li^ee an opportunity of i^mu testifying their loyally to
their Sovereign, and their affection for Her dynasty, as represented
in the person of Her Sailor Son.
The foUowiog interesting sketch of the De Soysa family is
taken fh>m the Ceylon Observer of the 23rd April.
"The Dk Sotsas. — The late Joronis Soysa was one of a large
family. He inherited no fortune, so that the immense property left
by him at hie death is what be had himself acquired. From early
life he showed signs of great enterprise, persevering application to
bis work, and indefatigable industry. He was the first young man
■ C«f Ion Obaerver, April 28.
..>.LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
who left Morotto to try the new field which Kandy, then recently
acquirod, preMnted. Ilccommenced by takini^ a coDtract to supply
firewood to the Government, and, by deg^ee^ fresh contracts to
supply rice and paddy. Having acquired some little money by these
means, ho began to farm out the Arrack rent. At first the rent was
limited to Bmall diviaiona, but by degrees it extended to the entire
Kandjan District, the rent of which was purchased for many years
successively by Mr. Soysa. His dealings with the GoTernment
brought him under the observation of the Honorable George Tumour,
then Agent of the Central Province, who was struck with Mr.
Soysa's scrupulous exactness and punctuality in his dealings, and
gave him large facilities in hia tran^ctions with the Government
Encouraged by Mr. Tumour, Mr. 'Boysa purchased the Hangu-
rankctti Coffee Estate in 1835, which proved a highly fortunate
investment. It had been fomierly the Royal Coffee Garden, and,
when tbejuoglo was cleared, krge portions were found covered with
Coffee trees left to grow wild. A little pruning brought all these
trees into bearing, so that the very first season after the purchase
Mr. Soysa obtained back not only hb purchase money, bnt a targe
sum in excess. This was the turning point in Mr. Soysa's career.
Shortly after he became the owner of the estate Mr. Soysa enlarged
his trade greatly, purchased targe Iknns, and became the owner of
other valuable properties in Eandy and Colombo. In bis business
he was ably assisted by his brother Mr. Susew Soysa, the present
head of the family. The Hanguranketti estate, which was enlarged
fh>m time to time, so that it now includes the whole of Diatalana,
and has about a thousand acres under cultivation, and the other
estates which he purchased from time to time, were all managed by
young men selected by Mr. Soysa from bis native village, many of
them his relatives, and he has never had a European in hb employ.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S FEAK.
As bis fortuae increased so did his usefulness, lie gave largely in
charity, and constructed many useful public works, such as tanks
and dams for irrigation purposes, besides bridges and roads. The
road from Harragam to Hunguranketti was constructed at his
expense, and so were also canals, roads and bridges at Mora^nwa.
In 1853 Sir George Anderson offered him, on the recommendation
of Mr. Charles Buller, the Agent at Kandy, theUudaliyarsbipof the
Governor's Gate, which he accepted. This excited the opposition
of the so-called first'Class Mudaliyars, who theretofore looked npon
these high ranks as exclusively theirs. What particulai-ly called
forth their ire was, that this was the first instance of a native getting
such a rank per *alUm;~ia every former instance the recipient had
(o go through the different grades of Mohandinun,Mudaliyar, and
then Gate Mudallyar. The then Maba Mudaliynr, Emest de Saram,
had great influence with Sir Geot^ Anderson, and prevailed upon
htm to alter the title from Gate Mudaliyarlo Mudallyar of Moratuwa,
This was made known to De Soysa on the morning of the day of
the Levee, when the rank was to be conferred. He informed the
Governor that be bad not solicited any rank, and that the only one
he would accept was the Giate Mudaliyarship. Sir Charles Mac-
Carthy the Colonial Secretary, and Mr. Buller, took up the matter
warmly, and, at the last moment. Sir George Anderson with Lis
own pen altered the warrant, and made Mr, Soyaa the Mudaliyar of
the Governor's Gate, and the Maha Mudaliyar was subjected to the
mortification of interpreting a complimentary speech which the
Governor made in delivering to him his swtavl . All classes of the
commnnity,8aveandexcept the so-called first-class, joined in applaud-
ing the act of the Governor, and in congratulating Mr. De Soysa
on his well deserved reward. After obtaining this rank he retired
from trade, and confined himself t« the cultivation of his extensive
l,z,.,i.,>LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
fields, and Coffee, Cinnamon and Cocoanut Estates. Th« principal
work constructed by bim after his elevation was ibo Moratawa
Chnrch, which has cost more than £8,000, and is a monument of
the deep piety for which he was always distinguished. He alao
established several schools, which are still maintained by tlie family.
Sir Charles MacCarthy (then Governor) and Ltidy MacCarthy, tlie
Bishop, and all the principal rosidents of the Town were preaeot on
the coneecratioD, anil went afterwards to the Mndaliyar's house to
offer their congratulations. He died in 1862, deeply regretted, not
only by his family, but by the community generally, and particularly
by the residents of Moratuwa, by whom he was beloved for his
charities. When it was known that he was ill, large numbers of the
villagers flocked to sec him for the last time. On taking leave of
them he earnestly besought them to 'avoid the Sureya tree.' There
were large Sureya trees in the compound of the old District Court,
under which natives resorting to the Conrt used to siL The
Mudaliyar felt that the love of litigation was the bane of the
natives, and always did his best to weaa them from it."
The sequel to the Entertainment, given below, is extracted from
the Examiner of the 27th April.
"On Sunday afternoon, the Messrs. De Soysa waited by appoint-
ment on his Royal Highno^s the Duke of Edinburgh and his
Excellency the Governor, at Queen's House. They were very
gracionsly received by His Royal Highness, who convoyed to them,
through the Maha Mndaliyar, who was in attendance as interpreter,
bis acknowledgments for the entertainment given by them in his
honour on Friday evening. He also thanked them for the handsome
presents which they had given bim, and while intimating his
acceptance of the varions specimens of Ceylon products aod Ceylon
r^^TTCoDglc
ADAM'S PEAK.
workmanahip, Hia Royal Highness said, he coald not think, of
depriving them of bo costly a memento of the entertainment as the
service of golil plate which they were good enough to ask liim
to receive. He would therefore beg of them to retain it as an heir-
loom in the family, in remembrance of the pleasant evening he had
passed at their house. To return a present made by a native is
with thorn considered an insult, but tho hand^me terms in which
the Duke excused himself from accepting the gold service, took
away any pwn which the refusal might have otherwiee given.
Hia Excellency the Governor next thanked Messrs. Da Soysa
for the munificent offer which they had made to commemorate the
visit of His Royal Highness to Ceylon, by the endowment of
£10,000 for establishing a Model Farm and School of Agriculture.
His Excellency said, that he gladly accepted the offer on behalf of
the Government, and informed the Messrs. De Soysa, that His
Royal Highness had signitietl his approval of the institution being
called the " Alfred Model Farm." His Excellency then referred to
the liberality of the De Soysa family, and as this was not the first
time they had employed their wealA in benefiting their fellow men,
it gave His Excellency great pleasure to mark his high sense of
their liberalily by conferring on them the highest honours in his gifl.
Ho would therefore appoint the elder Mr. De doysa, a Mudaliyar of
the Governor's Gate, and hia nephew a Justice of the Peace for the
Island. His Excellency added, that aa Mr. Charles De Soysa was
more English in his views and aspirations, be would probably attach
less weight to native rank than his uncle. His Royal Highness
intimated his intention to present Mr. De Soysa with the sword
and belt, and stated that, when received in Ceylon, it would give
His Excellency great pleasure to invest him with that insignia of a
Mudaliyar of the Governor's Gate.
D,9.i,z,a.„Cj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
His Royal Highneae then asked the Messrs. De Soysa to accept
a little souvenir of bis visit, and handed each of them a breast pin.
The elder Mr. De Soysa, who was the spokeeman, in thanking
His Rojal Highness, said, "anj thing in the estimation of jour
Royal H ighness must be a trifle, but the moment it learee your Royal
Uighncss's hands and comes to ours, it assumes the value of nntold
wealth ; to us the gift which your Royal Highness has given is as if
we had come into the possession of a world (Lankawak.)" The
elder Mr. De Soysa then b^;ged to be excused for presuming to
trouble His Royal Highness agun, but be could not allow the
present opportunity to pass without asking His Royal Highness
for another gift ; and on His Royal Highneas's enquiry for its nature,
Mr. De Soysa begged to be favoured with a portrait of His Royal
Highness to be placed on the wall of the ball-room, in which the
Duke had done them tJie honor of being ivsMot on Friday last
His Royal Highness seemed very much pleased with the request,
and promised that he would order the picture at onoe. The visitors
then withdrew, highly gratified with the result of their interview.
The articles which His Royal Highness accepted from the
Messrs. De Soysa were a very elegantly carved calamandor-wood
gun-case, with ebony figures of Veddhas armed for the hunt at the
base; a sandal wood easy chair, very elaborately carved; a casket
contaming Bpecimens of Ceylon gems ; and a collection of the
numerous essential oils of Ceylon."
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
ADDENDUM.
" PniLALEXnES."
Thk work published under the above name having been fre-
quently quoted in the preceding pages, llie following remarke upon
the identiflcatioa of the author, ma; not be deemed out of place.
The authorship of th« Historjr of Ceylon by " Pbu.ai.£THEb,"
published in LondoD in 1817, has been attributed to a variety of
individuals. Sir Junes Emerson Tennent, in the introduction to
bis work on Ceylon, says that " tbe author is believed to have
been the Rev. 0. Bisset ;"* and in a note at page 90 of the second
volume, on Hie subject of the Eandian Campaign of I8I5, he
remarks, "from the identity of the materials of 'A Narrative of
events which have recently occurred in Ceylon, written by a gentle-
man on the spot,' (publbhed in London ia 1815,) with the 25th
chapter of the History of Ceylon by Philaletheb, tbe two state*
ments appear to bave been written by one and the same person,
and evidently by one who was present whilst the occurrences he
describes were in progress." This is however by no means
conclusive, for tbe work of Pbilalethes consists, to a very great
* Private Sacietir; nod Son-in law to Ocucral Sir Bobert Bromrigg, the then
Governor of Uu Colony.
i,.,,a.„Cj00gle
ADAM'S PEAK.
extent, of quotalioHH, aiiO tnuiitlalioiia,and the "narrative of eTenls"
ia only freely made use of by the author who so chose to designate
hinisoir. There is reason to believe, as I shall afterwards shew,
that the two works were not from the same pen. The Rev. R.
Si'ENCE IIardt, in the "Jubilee Memorials of the Weslejao
Misxion, South Ceylon, 1864," says in a note, " It appears strange
that authors, (as in Barrow's Ceylon, past and present, 1851,) will
persist in attributing to Mr. Bisset, the work on Ceylon by Pm-
LALET1IE9, whose initials are H. W. B., and it is evident that he
never was in the island. It has been supposed by others that
Mr. Bennetis the author of this work, hut his initials are J. W. B."
Now, on looking at the end of the preface to the work by
PniLALEinEs, that name will be seen to occur at the right hand
corner of the page,— (he usual, if not the invariable position in
which A writer places his name, in print as well as in manuscript.
The initials " H. W. B." stand at the left hand corner, immediately
above the date "November 13, 1816." They therefore seem (o
indicate the initial letters of a place of residence, rallier than the
name of an author. In Clark's Summary of Colonial Law (1834,)
p. 439, it is stated, that "the History of Ceylon, published under
the assumed name of Philalethes, ia, in the copy deposited in
the British Museum, attributed to Mr. R. Fellowes."
My attention was originally drawn to Mr. Clark's work by
Mudaliyar Louis De Soyza; and Mr. W. N. De Abrew Riyapakse
hinted to me that Mr. R. Fellowes was probably an officer serving
in the Ceylon Rifles at the time the woik by Philalethes was
written. Following up the clue thus given, I examined the Ceylon
Government Almanacs and the General Orders of the Ceylon
Command, for the year 1815 and onwards. The result was, that
I found Lieut. Robert Fisher Fellows, (also spelt Fellowes) served
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
in the 4th and 2nd Regiments of the Cej-lon Rifles fi-om March
16, 1810, to April 10, 1826, when he died in the Seven Eurales,
to which place, after serving on (he Staff at several outstations, he
had been appointed CommandanL In the course of his service he
went to England on leave, on the 6th Soptember, 1814, and re-
mained in England nntil the 24th March, 1817. In the General
Orders of April 29, 1817, notifying on extension of leave, his name
occurs as Fellowes. He was therefore in England during the
whole of the years 1815, 1816, and part of 1817; and the work by
Fhilaletheb was completed by the 13th November, 1816, and
published at the commencement of the following year. But, not-
withstanding this coincidence, it seemed scarcely credible, that if
he was really the writer, he could have avoided intimating so much
at least aa would have sufficed to shew that he had written Irom
personal recollections of the events described, or have refrained
from dropping hints here and there of having been an actual
participator in them. Nothing of the sort is however to be found
in the book. I therefore wrote to England upon the subject,
requesting information upon certain points, and in particular, that
the copy of the work in the British Museum should be examined,
and an exact transcript sent me of any manuscript that might be
found to warrant the statement made by Mr. Olark.
In reply to my inquiries, I received the following particulars,
kindly furnished under the hand of Geosqe BnLLSN, Esq., the
Superintendent of the Reading-room in the British Museum; who
also produced the book for the satisfaction of the friend who was
good enough to make the inquiry for me. " In the Museum copy
the name B. Fellowes, written in pencil, follows the words, 'by
Philalethes, A. M., Oxon.' " Mr. Bcllen further informed my
friend, that Mr. B. Fellowes was one of the superior officers in the
i,z,.,i.,>LiOOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
British Museum at Ihe time tUo work wm written; that it was
written by him at the British Museum ; and that he himself wrote
hia own name io the Museum copy. There can therefore be now
no more unccrlAiuty upon the subject. The iuitiok 'H. W. B,,'
unquestionably refer to the name of a resilience, possibly Holly
Wood, Blackhcath.
From subsequent inquiries I have leamt the following further
particulars conceruing Fhilalethes. The Rev. Bobbbt Fel-
LOWEfl, L.L.D., was born in Norfolk in the year 1770, perhaps
at Harerham llall, near Norwich, which is a seat of a lamtlj of
that name. He wont to St. Mary's Hall, Oxford, was ordained a
Clergyman of the Church of England in the year 1795, and obtained
the degree of M.A. in 1801. From 1799 to 1807 he published
several theological works — "Religion of the Universe,""Christian
Philosophy," "Guide U> Immortality," "Religion without Cant,"
&c., which received bigb praise from the celebrated Dr. Fur,
with whom he was on yery friendly terms, as well as wit^ Baron
Meseres, who is said to have left him £200,000. He also published,
io 1806, a volume of poems. The History of Ceylon, by Phila-
LETiiEB, in 1817, is apparently his last work. He was a stanch
partizan of Queen Caroline during her prosecution, and be also
took a prominent part in the establishment of tbe London Uniyersi^,
where be founded two annual gold medals — called the "Fellowes'
Medals," He was Editor for many years of the London Critical
Review, at least up to the year 1820. In his later years he seceded
from the Church of England, and joined, it is said, the Unitarian
body. He died in 1847.
The fact that Dr. Robert Fellowes was the writer who assumed
the nomde-plume of Philaletbes, accounts for the hitherto
puzzling difficulty evidenced throughout the work, that that writer
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ADAM'S PEAK.
had never himself been in Ceylon. From whom then, beyond the
authors he qnotee, did he derive his information, which as evidently
came from some one who was intimately acquainted with the country
and the contemporaneous events described ? I cannot but think,
from the sinularity of name, and the coincidence already noticed,
that Lieutenant R. Fisher Fellowea, of the Ceylon Rifles, must
have been a relative or connection, who, during his stay in England,
commanicated to him the information which a service of four
years in the island could not fail t« have furnished him with ; and
that the actual writer of the work chose to attach the name
"Fhilalethes" to his book, rather than appear before the world as
the author of a volume, the substance of which had been placed
in his hands by another, and that other a relative of his own. And
that Lieutenant Fellowee was neither the author of, nor the
fiirziisher of tlie beta contained in the " Narrative of events which
occurred in Ceylon Id 1815," is clear, inasmuch as he was in
England at the time, having left Ceylon the previous year.
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
ijGoogle
397
INDEX.
p^.
P.Be.
A'naivsiiiBla-lVTinii . . 193
Alihinl?nn. . . 146,341 |
A'ndiVfc 22, 39, 10. 70, 102. IIM. 1 95,
Aluknn
17
299
Alu'Vihira .
. 268
AM . .98
AlwiB. Rev. C.
255, 258
An.t»U<n>, Pnawella
. 113
Abu Abd AUah . 48
.70,71
Accidents 911, £40
Anden«n,SirG.
. 387
Aotium .41
Annexation of Kandiar
kingdom 116
Aa>m41,43,44.9»,55, 58.59. 76, ITS
29, 80. 38, 61,
339, 342
69.73,178,267
Arabian dcrvighea
298. 333, 843
. 41
Arab voyagoi
41, 4 j
Ad>mB>b> ... 37
A»l«, king .
. 81
Ad.m'»B«K . 73,73
Asgiriy.
. 298
Bridge . 43
Aum Continent
. 58
Mount 80
. 178
P»di9. 15,21,34, 27, 41,49,
. 809
65,61.64,65.67.71,73,79.
. 69
83,86,96, 104, 113, 131,334
. 863
AMenUof 198, 217,289.
AtthahatU .
.50.61
337—344
■ t><SMenl flrom . . 225
Ayari Shakari . . 37, 283
Flore of . 365—368
HiKh Priwt of. 358, S63
AUTHORS and W0BK9 qoaled :-
Documents reUling to office
Alaoiavwanna Mouotta'la
Of High l-rieat 297,396—363
KuwJitaka . SOS
Aden ... 41
Ai.w,is' JamkbD' . 96
AITgluDistan . . .51
Aiiiwina . . .319
Sidat Sangariwtt . 06, 207
Ajiwaka . . .31
Anpersom, CpU T. A. [264, 266
Aleiuid» the Great . 49
Wanderra in Cejiop 111,199,246,
AllVcd Hooae . . .380
Sindbad the Sailor . 46.173
Alfred Model Fuin . . 389
Al.B.1. . . .269
Zaffer Niinah Skendari 44
Airiatic BMeaichn . .40,41
Al-ko™n . . .43
BAiJ>XL-sItev. P.
Ai-rohoun . . .42.46
D,9.i,z.ab,Xj00gle
la Capabiliiies 131,337
LiK'ioiil Mvtbi}lug>- 67
I.. T.
IJT
IT, Sl^lOS
CevW (iiuvtuer . 73,1(10
Jmirnri C. B. R^vd As. Sue. 38
Twnil PluWrch . . 29, 34
. 369, 3SS
■ufC-ilun
«33i
>Ri.i!<i;ii, Rev. J.
IJewrirtioD of Cevlon 7S, 93, 124
*NTE . 31*,2I5
Chini and tbc CblDcw . !91
Daw, Dr.
Account of Int. of Orion 68, Ini,
204, a08, 3 1 1 , 329
De CdUto, Diroo 69, ?3,33«
Dk Maki(im>[.a, Giovanni . SS
D'HKiiiiEi>.r
Biblioltaeque Oclantal* . 44
DlCuNTl, NlCULU . , 59
Dipawinw . . i%
Aslalic BcwiTcbes . 41
Edkihi
Geography
- Exsminet"
Fa UiA.1
Pilgrimifie
rBRai SON, A. U.
itouTcnin of Ceylon . 246
Fletcher, Phineah . 28
FoRKiu, M^or
Et^ea Yean In Covlon »0, 132, 113,
' 5, IS2,2I1,!6S. 326
47
378,381
. »5, 267
"Frie
r.Y.llei-.D.J. .
56
Vtgt.
AUTHORS and WORKS quoted:—
llAKiiv, Rev. B.Sience
Eii«l«rn Hunachitm 53, ISe
Journal, C. B. Royal Ai. Soc 19
Juliile« Memorial!. 99S
Uaa. ol Buddbitun ii, 76, 209, 293
Hist, or (.'ETLON, Kng. Tr. Soc 1 16
HiiLMAN. Lieut J,, R. n.
Travtls . .S3
Trirels21, 37, 47,82, 177,237,381
]i>A Pfei
254
IIS
.41,47
K-i'ula'sa
Megka DiiU
Kazwini. Hai
Kkiohtos, W.
Ilist-ofCeylon . 163.169
E.VKX, ROBKIIT
Ilisl, ofOylon . 67, 149
Leic,Gkc>i<ue . . 61
L*GRA!in,Ablie . . 60
Mai'Vicar, Bev. Dr.
Gtwiugy of Ceylon . . 83
Mama'rama . . . 25. 61
Mataiwanio . 14,17,19,20,31,32,
30,33,51,67, I3»
Malcolm, Ueat., c. r. r. 83, 337
Uaiuii PoU}
Traveli . .55, 57
291
58
MACNHEVtlXE, SirJoHK
Travels
Milton
Paradise Lost . .168
UuN-nioMKRT, Jakes. . 81
Greenland . . .187
The Peak Uountaiiu . 191
Reign of Summer . • 1S5
M'andcrec in SwitierUnd 63, 189
World before tbe Flood 43, 44, 96,
IT9, 192,314,236,262
MooH, E.
Hindu Pantbeon . . 103
MoRRiA. J. [150,343
Life and Death of Jason 9T, 140,
D,9.l,z,-,^.-,>.L-.OOglC
INDEX.
399
Page.
AUTHORS uid WORKS quol«d :—
Page.
AUTHORS nnd WORKS quoted :—
HiwEsofCbonns . . SOI
Thohxon. J.
Nci-Houra)!, R«v. J. . . 3SS
CaaUe of Indolent . 343
Oi>OR[c Friar . 58
TirnnocR. Hon'ble G. 15. 17, 56
Olbklv, Sir W.
Uphau— See Rija E»tn»kiri« snd
Trlvels ... 43
R4j» Waliya
Phhcivai., R.
Valmiki
AccoDDt of C«ylon . . 4S, S4
Rimiyanim . . IS. 99
Phiulcthm [98,101.391
TAr.RNTlNlB . . . 53
Hilt, of Ceylon 46. 66. 69. 72, 80.
VAi-MriTN, Franoois [98, 101, 344
Poefi Pilgrim««e . 247
Dutch East [nd. PoMfMions ri,73.
P„,p..A«r<:apr C.
Wt'oE-HA
Hi«. Ac of Ceylon 104, 121. 194
Simuila-kiStawuinini . 66
P««lm« . 212.315
WlLMAM* Prof, a
Bi}« RatnAbira . 22. 2S. 26, 67
ludlaa Epic Poetry . 13
Riti Tsradginl . 3|
K£Ja W«liy» 13. 31,22, 57, 81, 91.
109, 139
RlBRTKO. Cnpt. John
Hist, of Ceyton 60, 63, BS. 67, 1 22
Baba-A«l>mtiU[ . 9
R0GBti8,S. . . .110
Bab-el Mandib
41
Salk
Bactriani .
51
Al-korui . . .43
. 279
Badnlla
. 112
SinrijnB Guni-lankira . 801
Bagatelle .
963, 878
8™rr, Sit W.
. 110
Lord oftbelalei . 166,180
Bandira Uahatmiyi
140
Selkirk, Rot. J.
family origin
f . 141
RecoltactioM of Ceylon . 270
Banyan tree .
. 254
Bapat^lla .
. 177
Kuci^*. . . 138
Bani«. Sir Edward
. 259
SOLKVMAS ... 46
Baaniyaka Sttuai
. 128
S,>l,TUET, R. . , . 216
BatapoU
. 146
Si.i'RA'acL*ofToteg.a.uw4
. 62.64
Pfr.kiiinbiiirit« . . 38
134,337,341
8?l.-lil.ini SudM 9, 14. 89. 95,
Bay doe Aifve
64
137.837
B^arM
. 809
Stkbi.k,T. . . .272
BenWt.
36
Tahaki ... 43
Berhan kattiya
Tknkent. Sir J. E.
B«r«ndi kdwila
t02, 104, 106
C^lon a4.41.49,54,67,5e.59.64.
Bfna SamanaU 65, 74, 86, 140. 173,
86,153.173,334.346,359,
175, 180
360.277,293.336.391
Bhagawi-kna . .16,333
Bhaganat . . . S5
Bhikkhus . . 39
TlIOUAS
BhnwanAabibu VII., king . 91
Joum-AiS*. . 31
BiaowaU . . .99
D,o.i,z,a.„Cj00gle
400
I
INDEX. j
Pace.'
Pagt
niK^k 9n
Cenlrat India . . 2i. S4
l),-.g«li., orlW-lree 68. 69,121,187,
Ceylon 12, 25, J9, 58,59,61.71, 78, 82
303, 304
C^vton kings. Indian origin or 30
Bolinu
46
Chain* 44,45,55,63,176,196,199,
Brahma
28.31
326, 290
BrKhiiiKlatta, kint; .
303
38.118
. 3J.38
Clianks . .119
Kram., kiiXK of Pfga .
334, 33S
Chilaw . 82, 93. 284
BridReofBoMl
.87,92
China . 34, 41,58.75
Brito, Mr. C. .
. 138
Cl>i<i<w. . 23, 24. 67
BrownriRg, General Sir R.
. 116
Chdia country . . 89
Bmidb.9.10, 13, 11, 16,21.4
,52,55,
kiuaof . . 30
58.65,6S.:i.73.78,Hy,90.
Chc')raNaga,king . 23
10?, 118,
24, 128
Buddha', birth
66
Cinnamon gardens , . 86
.16,383
Clement VI., Pop. . .58
deMh' . 1
68,333
Cubra monarch . . 14
V foot-pript 10.19.5
. 66, 80,
Colombo . 49, 64, 81, 83, 86, 93, 394
A 816,322,342
Fort . 864
J Sri alio Sri.Pidi.
Colnmboa . . 6J
' rayn . . 309,
306.338
Cmde Uda . . 67
ViiiU to Cejloo IB
. 90, 91,
Copla . . 40
aot— 335
Buddhism, 16— S*. 33, 34, 40. 56, 90,
Coromandsl, e«ast of . 49,70
Cosmo* Indico-pleuites . 41
Buddhiit kiDg^ .postato sa
,39,108
Cotanchina TJhir* . 105
CotU ■ 38, 148, 334
priests .SB, 33,
103,156
Cotliar,— »•» KotHar
sandals
Cranganore, or Cningloor . 41
vihinu
.88,128
CutUck . . 83
BuddhisU . lo, ia.l3.
8,23,88
Bd-doU
. 136
Burmese Buddhists .
118,119
. 119
Clherman-ratcl
43
Daneing girls . 137,382
48
Dsnta . . .833
Caltari— w< KalaUn
Cand**, Queen
64
Dantipura . .333
Canton
41
Daladi Miligiwa 104, 329—382, 336
CaptortofKingofKandy
. 116
Dapula.king . .122
Catherine, Qoeen Donna
62
CaveofKhiw
. 228
Davia, Major. . 94
Cava 14G, 1T6,
177,842
Delgamoa . . .8*4
D,9.i,z,a.„L.OOglC
INDEX. 401
PW.
P«K8.
E'dandaa . . .184
DekkiD ... S3
Edm, garden of . .49,178
Delhi ... 69
Eh^kpola DMwa . 116,208.381
Demon iror«*ip . . 88, 80
Da SmtuB. Mtha HudalijF^ Eraeat 387
»h?Hyaghda DiaiM . 117
Ekn^ligod. . . .119
DetraGoraU. . . 79
Diaiwa . 116. 116
DfvakiitJl . . 30S, 394,305
RatAnahatmayillS, 117, 148.
aio
Diwi Naware. . 37
EW].,klnK ... 81
D^yiguh^". . . ITS
EllapiUTotupol' • 138,149,243
Deyy.ng6r.t» . . 79
Elu language. . . 86
Dc Soysa, Mudallyar Jomnil SG7, 885
Ethioplln Eunnch . . 6*
Fete iB honot of . 369
Etugala . . . S67
ChaHei . 262. 378
EngenlujrV.,Popo . . 63
Sum* . 870.S7S.SeB
Eve . . . 44,68,59
. De Soyaaa, Pete giveri by, in honor
EveUimi ... 37
of H. R. H. The Duke or Edin-
bnrKh . . 378— S90
De Zoyu, Hndalivu U . 60
Dhamilon-BM TamlU
«.h.n>« . . .110
FaeaimUe Foot-prinU. 821. 267
Dharma-nlja-gaU . 79, 171, 176,
FailhW WUdom . . 69
asi, 3*2
FaUePrak . . 86. 17S
DhaimaSiUn . . 255
Fellowoi, Lieut. Robert Fisher . 392
Dhitu-una, king . . IS, 51
Rev. Robert. L. L. D. 894
Dhurma n^ja . . .79
Fishes . . 1*0,144
Dighi naknya 91, 8S3
Flightofanta . . 98
Fo« . . . 2S
Dinavac . . .74
Forahead relic . . 315
DfpuUEUa Bnddha . . 818
Fortat Scwiery . .236,363
[3*1
Fool -print, the 9, 10. SO, 28, 34. 35, 4 1 ,
Divabttme 16, e 1 . 74, 79, 1 67, SSi, S4I
*3, 69, 63. 66, 69. 70, 76, 79,
80, 83, 113, 203. 230, 332
B^paU . . 170
FooTKrfral^. . .64
Dodukanewe^lla . 186
DoIoewaU I>u£wa . 214
Dondni ... 17
Dondra UoA . 49, 83, 29S
Don Juan, king of Kan^y . 83S
Gabriel, angel . . 44
DnmbaiB . .116
appD. . 183
Dnteh . .61,63,70,101
Gadalidenl vihfn . 40
DaUhagimiDi, kldg S!, 81, 138, 826
Gajibihn, king . 32, 345, 85*
Gal-kanda . . .256
GalkiMa . . .260
i,.,,= .„L,oogle
402
IXDEX. '
P"f;f.
Paite.
Cdle . . iS,i
9, 8S, !!)4
Clallf Fir<> .
te-3,37»
V.aUSiytUViminti
. 31*
HimilaTan ranKRi . . U
t;«mini, Uiik .
. 31
HlDdui>.:»ti^ . . 18 1
(lampcil"
-as. «
ftkln. . . M ,
«M.KuU-h.'n.= -
Hmdui.9. 10, 12, 13, S7, 28, 83—85.70
■ smbjlmna.
Hil■-EaD^^liB— KT Sil»-ga(jbuta
tJU
. 176
. 2B3
Hollind ... 60
S, S.V 70.
Homer . . .12
90,310
Gsm-IhroDB .
312,314
Ilourlilla hllU . ■ 341
CPtinrtul-ealn imbiUma
I6C. 233
: ,11
llurdwar . . .69
»iil«.,i., Mr. J. W. .'
Udimalr 61 74 If', 13-^
1.1T ISit.
139, 143, 163.832, W3, 837, Ml
f«r«|.a-t..tu|HJ«
. 141
IJnosliM, the .
,'>3
Idikatupine . . .170
. 314
leil . . ,53,279
(lodigaiiinws . 134, 135, 137
ira, kinKdom of . . B6
13
lUngakkdn, Hodaliyar . 197 '
. ISO
Ddi(p> pUnting . . 96 1
Gomez
. lafi
ndr^it ... 99
GonitilU hjV*
. 341
ribadeploa-flla . 13S
r.rand pan .
87
.Jam . . . 40
Gunarald* L'Daina^ .
206
Italy. ... 88
n<ir rplic .
aii, 81G
Ham. the Amon of Ep-pt
67
Jafllia ... SO
Hamaldl .
. 67
Hamanala Siripide .
. 74, 75
JambBdfpo ... 61
H.ii«arink¥U
Hafln-.;Ua . . 93,
93, 94, 9S
ferry
92
Jawbone relic . . 815
lUuKomu-ganga
. 249
JavanU . .807
Huikc}', C«p(.
98
J*ddah ... 44
Hanzia
. 119
J(UwuitMua» . 318,814,316
llaputfJe .
. US
JoK«a . . 88,76,284
Haroun-EI-IUwhia .
174
J<Jtiyo ... SI
Hatula-Kaowi
143. 161
Hatwellc Unniiu.^ .
. I6«
Havcoek
Hi
Ilfruoitip^na S6. 7*. 75
181, 192,
MS, 227
Kaduwela ... 92
D,o.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
INDEX.
403
Page.
Page.
. loe
Kitaiiiniawui, king .
88
73
Kaliu|iUi}-a .
963, 374
K^uwatu .
. IM
Kond.7al, .
KikDwDda Buddhi .
. 3oa
K.ln-g.lfg» 20,65, 68, lU.
120, 134.
Kutapaw ¥ll«
. 360
187, Ml, 16S
24S,3Sa
. 270
. 167
Kottiar
KiluUra . . 64
120. 2S4
bridge
2S0, aS5
Kublai Khan, capcrot
. 55,57
. 201
Kitdamlta .
. aiM)
KuWu
S8
Kudramate .
88
. 307
Kunappu Ban,p4r». princa
. 107
36
KuDDdiya-parvtld . 158
161, 174
K»ndy 26,«l,61,64,80
100.834
Kurin
. 40,42
™d
87
Kuru-gapga .114,168.177
282. 249
Kudiui CamiHUgn .
.93,98
. S6T
KuijiDiliM. king .
22
ICuruwita
. 232
S6
Bandira .
. 126
127, IBS
naterfalta .
114,177
. 131
KuidDiia .
.68,838
IS
Kuhmir
21
KaUragams
111,825
Katogal. .
. 184
Katutivambatiwa viUn
116.384
Lababat
. 824
Klldniuk'baa .
,27, 128
KAi
. 102
iMiki IB, 23. 27, 50, 89,
810, 812,
Ktiinga
33,338
8H
323. 825
lUayap* Buddha
307,810
Uws of Boddhut PrlegUuod
60
KivaoUna. king .
138,328
L«,Kev.S. .
49
K^lMi . 88,91,
313,890
Leecbea
. 149
digoU U .
.51,818
Lagcrda and Tradilimu IB. U, 16, 16,
vihira
.61,127
17,24,27.28,29,36,42,43,44,
gagga 66, 68, 78, 87, 817
48,54,66,65,66,70, 77,90,99,
KeUniy, .
.13,396
105,107,118,125, 142
154,165,
Khaaiwati .
. 304
170,172, ;73, 174, 176
178, 194,
KhetUrJoia vibAn .
. S70
197,801,205,208,215
250.266.
KboiroD
44
268, 801—326, 32S— 32B.
Kiri-flW^iK
. 2M
809. 3?4
Kirigala
. 185
.82, 914
KiriDdioy. .
15
Kirfpala liw.
313,314
Kirti NiManga, kiog .
. 91,25
Macready, W. C. ,
14
Kirtia Sri, king 89,110,258
298,860
Madan
69,100
wnnafof
. 297
Ji.g«lh. .
61
KiUirlnewan Kf lani vUUn
S7
Uaha aooma grove .
. 3M
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
404
INDEX.
1
1
Panp.
Pag*
M«li4-dew. .
. 301
MiUja-d^e .
. 1S.90
MHl.adoli .
I3T
M<niya«B.ma vihto
. 108
MBha-Eiri-din-kapolll
. f>6
Matale
IT
Malia M.i'h.wuia .
. H24
HiUra
78
Ma 111 menu Mi
. 307
MavUiporam .
34
. SIO
Miva UuDD^, kiu
91, 101, 103
Malm Nam., kin*; -
. S5. 61
MiyaKat. . ^
is, 33. as. s»
. 16.61
M«cu
44
M>ha|x;K'v> holspring
. 211
Prophit of
10
M«h-8iKar«.
. 307
116
MHh. Samu. WwiW .
110,249
M««ha Ddta .
. ITS
Mahawluiya
. BH
31
Uaha Sen, king
22,933
Mer™. Litat,
93
C"d
111,3:23
It
Ma)ia tfrtha wana
. 303
U^nik-lena .
. 197
Mahavrata. .
9
Uihinda
. 335
MahawiUuka .
. SIO
SO
65, 67, an
Hihindu]V„kiiiK
31
MahindD
. 17,30
Uihintala .
304,305,394
Mahlyangana.
. 311
UiBH. Riaantala
IT
Mahmnud .
17
MoRgalUnather.
. 953
la. 314, 817
Hohammad .
. 40,64
Malabar
70
Mohanimadani
»
c»ast
. 40
. 48,78
invMions2!,23,
8,31.39,88
pUgriio
ig~ . 49
Malabar*
. 33, 9J
Molligoda DUiva
. sns
MaUya
Monkey. .
. 231
MaldivOB
%i
MonWViao .
89
Halni«Uoe river
. 337
Mookwa. .
39
Malcca
86
Moor. . 2
9, 41,69, TO, 7<
Halwala
. t3S
366,376,388
Malwana .
64
Mount Attidlya
. 160
Ma]«atU .
. 258
Lavinii
. SG9
Mandadxipa .
807,309
Hopnlain rangn
. 163
Handar
»
19
. 825
Mo.lemi
10,13,49
Maniakkhi, klngGl.W), 3
14,316,318
14
Manicavfiy .
. 123
MuggelK oya.
. S3T
Maainiga . ■ B
19,814,317
Muhuln
. 315
Mapanan-^lla waterfaU
. 146
Mulkirigala .
. 73.78
Mardods
38
iST, 319
Maritime Alps
83
157,301,883
Maakeliya-gadga 143, )
3, 146. IGl,
343, 837
U4. ISl
Mutwal
. 64.98
Max MuH«r .
M
M*g..rAJ. .
. 23,83
Siga Diirayiaa
90
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
INDEX. 405
Page,
Page.
Nogs m4ha vihin .
. S-J£
Fsiliall monntam . .19
milak.
. 307
Paradise . . 44, 7 S
rija Samana .
. 395
Parasat ... 9
wonhip
.27.90
Paribl^jika dsToWee . . 81
N««aa . »1,81S,318.816,817
Patir^a Piriweaa . . 66
98
P.tn. ... 61
Nina-wala .
141
Pawuih^Ii-heU . . 163
Nfaagala 9l1a
. !60
Pflwn-koo ... 84
Nil ha Diwm
. 269
Hidaboat . , .248
Ndlor^t™ple«t .
P*g.rf« . .142
Nepal
19,66.69
Pinadurt . . .256
Nermadi .
. SIS
Pekio ... 68
Nigrudha tree
!ao,ao9
Pelmadnlla . , .861
NilibeU
162,239,341
Perah?r« . . 12», 184, 186
Aecoont of . 846—355
legend of
. 164
Periplm ... 41
Nlrvina .118,304,
)07, 809, 824
Persia . . , 47,76
Peniaii authorities . . 44,46
^orthern Ctrcan
83
Prevince
22
P^urataligala . «6,e2,214
Nawara Erii,-a
. 28,82
P?nigria4ll« . .249
Nnwirakaliviya
. 83
P^raknuiM ... 88
PihitiRata . . .28,33
Pilgrimaged 10, 16,21,24, 49, 89, 111,
334
PUgrimroulB. . 26,116,138
Ojadwip. .
. 802
Pilgrima . 18,37,69,71,73
Origin of ihoSri-Pida
.18,277
Pitakaa . . . 62,89
Orisw
33
Polonnaniwa . . 33
OropulUfish.
144
Portagal ... 60
PortuguoM 54,61,62,68,91,97,101,
107, H»
Fort.roinsof . 101
aculplare . . 126
PadjaniadliD
66
PoBtenau ... 58
PahalewaU ManiJ* .
148
Polgnin-Tibini . . 249
PaUbiddaU 61, G3. 117, US, U7, 1S3,
Prfkrani»b*ba I., king . 21.88
162,163,321,3
40,337,341
m . .25,334
ligob.
. 151
VT. . .38,69
vihira
. 155
Falace of the Tooth .
104, 329
Primal religion . .11
Pali vene .
14
Prinsep, J. . . .98
92
Ptolemy ... 86
Panabakerrr
87
Hndatlazhvir . . 34
Pnrinaa ... 27
IV
. 66
Punia.prie>l. . . 315
PiDdukdbhaj-a, king .
. 30 ,
Piuirflla . . .113
Dig.liz.ao.LiOOgIC
406 INDEX.
V^«.
PW-
PuU-hclU bridtfe . . 93
SMir*. ... 84
putulun . . -i^ia.ei
:Mdliit>>u, king . . 78
B«v.. ... 9
aila ... 43
i
Qucea'.bBlb . . . 99
Suun 13, 14, 16, 21, £6, 35, 129.
166, 178
(hrluaof . . 200
R»ilK«y . . .87,113
dsHilc 13, 64, ISO, 128, 148,
K«iti^Kl« , . .270
2<9
KiiH.:'^-<T»n. ... 7*
Kaohilig9 . . .26,204
85, 37, 39, 65, 67, 75, 79,
K.pid. . . 2J9
81, 91,124,166,811,316
KaimaUna . . .269
Saaiuitakdt* 9, 17, 18, 9S, 50, 51, 66,
Kitmone f U> . . . Ut
61, 139, 175, 897, 299, 817, 82i
Katulmill . . .321
Kutuapiu* . 13, 26, 2T, 54, 61, 120,
Uf. 244
Samuute worship . 13,21,38
bri.lKa . . 132
SuDula Piiidiki . . M
fort . . .86
Simin-iTBlte f lla . .143
i««d . . .112
Roj.l mull . 84
Sam Neriman . . 43 1
IUlt?mb« InnioBO . . 166
8>Dgha Miji . . 40i 6i 1
lUJi Sivhi LUog 22, 39, 102. 107, 106
SwmuorkmgEirtiiSri . 2U7 j
11.. . 62,66,347
' S>ui9jvi ... 86 1
B*j>niabi-Kvl>°i7adii,,'ot>a . SS
SumiviDO ... 66
lUma .12,27, HN99, 100, 1 SB
Saracen* . . . 55,67
lUwiDS . . 13,88,99,100
Ke^Iilo . . . 23i
bikya-Diunl ... 55
KbododendroDj . 13, 200
ScetieryofllieSkiea . . 2l2
SchahaJlion ... 82
KiTertouM . . . 218
KeniraUu, kiDK . . 6)
Scenery . 94,236,261
beiik<i<j>gaU . • . 269
Koid TrocliuD «jigiiM. . 112
KoberUun, Mr.W.N'.. . 98
Bcrandib, mount uf 40, 42, 48,44,4%
K«ktenip1e>7l, 72,73, 92, 96, 106,131
48,82
IMiyaa . . . asi
SenadivD . . . 76
Uoget the Nonnui, kiog . 47
iitrpent clumber , . U
worahip . 27, 28, 90
Uuhui»B>t« 22,28,31,83,42,328
Mru«iU . . .826
Stkray* 16,89,815
8¥v™ Koral.!. . '. ' .6
1 Sfw^t. . . 314,115
1 Shadow of the Peak . . 2M
: Sbeih . . .891
299,884
1 Shisham, car* of . .991
SachcbaLaddhi . . 31S
Sian Wilis
i
D,9.i,z,a.„CjOOglC
1 INDEX. 407
SJimcMBnddbuli , SSS, »0
Paire.
flri Wikram. Kija Sijha. king 94
PrieMs . 861
SuQuui* 9, 13,14,36.39.311,313,
Sihioiwall . . .06!
318,817.818,332
Siddhithi, prince . . 66
Snmanasala Niyaka VuDtjtii 314
Sfndbad th« Stilor . 46, 115, IT3
fiDmanak>i(a . 305. 807
Siniriirijit OMkrkTBnl . 80
Sumsno . . 16,16.20
Sighilnw . . .9, ISB
Sumatra ... 41
816
- — iwonts, (Itstrnrtion of SB
SunriwatibePeak .
918
Sir* 9, to. 27,88,80,31.10*, 296
Ssnwl at the Peak
166
Fool-prinlof . .10
316
Slvilte Temple ■ • 38, 32
Sor,ti™.kinK
Siviitea . SI, 31, 8S, 87, 38, 39
Swargarrbanam
SJTin-oli.nidiuii 9, 17, 86. 37. S9B
Sze-lKD-ltwo, mountain of
26
Fffbak, Mverfkiiig . 176,189
Sirt'uMalika . . 304
Sfti. . . .97. 178
bena . 79,178
Talipot palnw . . 246 ■
Sili'sbath ... 99
Tam-H-umi. . 126
Sttikanda . . .371
Tamil drama . . S8
SfUwth. 64, 91, 96, 98.99. 100. 101,
kingdom - . ]tB
10e,M2.S99,S44
Tamil. . 9,37,98,29,83,138
feiTV . .98,118
• (WpB« . 101,106,110
Tanaawry ... 100
Skinner, Major . . 119
TaupiU ... 73
Tanjore . . . 31,33
SobU ... 41
TelBgu . . . BS
Temple tree*. . 1S7
Solevnun ... 46
Th*rapultibh*rn, Ihero . 16
SoH .... 31
The Primal Man. . . 63
SolUus . 20,23.31.32,39,845
Tblbet ... 19
Sominuu-niili^i . . 809
Thonu«,St . 11,64,60,64,69
Somnaut ... ST
Source of tbeSala-gaqga . 167
Southern Province !3,28
TiMa,klnB . . .91, 336
St. Albans . . . GB
TiBa-maha-yihira . 325
Subhikrita ■ . .807
Toothrdic . . .816
Subhilll CnDlned . . 255
biirtory of . S!9. 888-386
TotaKll" - . .83,315.
Sudh4d§wi. prinoen . . 337
Tripitaka ... 51
Sn-pida 16. 18, 30. 2S, S6, 40, 41, 79,
Tuntota ferry . . 148
75. 79.83,111.117,199,202
Turin ... 83
cover to . . IfiS
TuroKiralA , 61,64
D,9.i,z,a.„Cj00gle
408
INDEX.
P.K..
P«.
i:d. P»w«n-fll«
63, S3*, J40, 244
U'lMvsHl minyi .
.170,174
VdnaumtTt.
40
WellmDewitle Anuotj
ak>L-nni>ua44
I'noiij* .
174
WcMemilakindura .
76
. 40,2.'.9
Welligille .
74
W«rala|w .
130
Ippri
34
Whfvwui* .
31
rruvei
34
WfliwiU, Sanghi Ri
a 39.358,999
L■ruho^ .
16S
Wih.ri D«.i
338
(Tiliv*
326
Wij,,-^ king
19,81,398
Lv*
61, 100. 1 as
Wijsvrirfho. king .
. as. 3!
Wiknma Kaji Siqh«. king . 144 |
85, 86, 336
Wildrnm™ of the PMk .163 1
Wim<iUdliannaSiuiraII,UiiKen, 101 |
V»\nvu .
9
Wm£v«pit«k«
. 50, 53
Vsishiavu .
34
Wl^. .
324
%'4n.«
9
cilT of
.303,307
V»n Cuj-lfnbprB, R,
A, . T9
Wiyidhodevo
SI
Vwtimi Kamiraf*
!6g
VatluTuren.
36
VediUh* .
.111,288
village!.
. 8B9
Vchira-gal>-kiiid>
354
Yakgiri
. 3tl
Vdlore .
116
161
vij»T«— M< Wij«r«
Takshw
301,302,311
Vibhuh«>.a.
13, S8, 127
rataUliMa,liiT>g
RS
View from thB Puk
323, 339, 343
Tatiyanto*. to«1
105,119
Vir»r4t!.veii
a9
Yatowija «11a
. 137
Vi»hnu . . 1
3.27,18,34, laS
Ydpina Nivanir
. Z9,30
Nadu
30
Yipaw
334
Youaka, coaotry of
61, 316
. 813
Wninarawuia
Walagunbitau, king
16, 20, 31, 91,
09,110,369,347
Zaiton, dty of
24
WJg«np*y« Tlhir.
36
Zdlan
. 65, 57
Wiubhi. king
. 39.3fi
Zcm 1^, holT well D
f . 210
W.du^u-«
395
ZovM, Mudlirar L. D
• . 50
/?'""^
1
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