Captain Low's Notice of the Phoonga Caves in Junk Ceylon. 57 



ing opened a passage for the Brahmaputra, through the hill^, 

 with a blow of his Kat'har or axe. The offerings made at 

 .this holy spot are very miscellaneous, and many of them very 

 incompatible with the ordinary Hindu belief, as fowls and 

 cows. Whatever, indeed, is eaten by the minister, is suppos- 

 ed acceptable to the deity, and the Meeseemees of this part of 

 the country have no prejudices in the article of food, eating 

 beef and pork, and every variety of flesh and fowl. The vi» 

 sitors to the reservoir do not seem to be numerous or opulent. 



6. Notice of the Phoonga Caves in Junla Ceylon. By Cap- 

 tain Low. 



The pyramidal rocks of Phoonga occupy a line of about 

 ten miles, running nearly north and south — -the northern ex,^ 

 tremity lies behind the town of Phoonga on the Peninsula ; 

 the southern stops about four miles from the sea shore. They 

 rise from the sea perpendicularly to various heights between 

 200 and 500 feet. The most majestic present a columnar ap- 

 pearance at a distance, but, on approaching them, this ap- 

 pearance is found owing to the decomposition of the most fria^ 

 ble parts, and the alternate reddish, grey, or bluish and white 

 stripes left upon the surface, by the water which has filtrated 

 through the rock, depositing such substances as it held in so- 

 lution. 



About six feet above high water mark runs a series of na- 

 tural excavations : the roof is about ten feet high, supported 

 by stalactitic columns of various shapes and dimensions. The 

 sides and compartments of the grottoes are of similar forma*' 

 tion. Adjoining to the range of excavations is a rock, which 

 is completely perforated, and it forms a stately and elegant 

 arch, about twenty feet high, from the roof of which depend 

 clusters of stalactites of the most massive and grotesque de- 

 scription. The Phoonga rocksare evidently connected with those 

 of Trang, and as similar formations occur in Martaban, it seems 

 likely that the chain extended formerly up to that province. 

 In Tavai, however, granite and schistus are predominant. 



Specimens of the stalactites, and other specimens of carbo- 

 nate of lime from these caves, have been presented by Captain 

 Low to the Museum of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta. 



