2^6 - ' Voyage of tlie Nov air a. 



pleted by Mr. James de Alwis, a worthy follower in the 

 footsteps of Mr. Turnour, chiefly through the munificence of 

 Government and of the ScientiBc Institutes, which were 

 invoked to supply the requisite assistance for the prosecution 

 of an undertaking- likely to prove so unremunerative. 



In addition to the copy of the " Mahawanso," we also pro- 

 cured a number of other important Cingalese MSS. on 

 Talipot palms, which were made use of by Turnour, partly in 

 his translation of the " Mahawanso," partly in his other w^orks 

 upon Ceylon, and which embrace numerous valuable his- 

 torical details not comprised in the " Mahawanso." This com- 

 plete collection of the most antique annals of the Island of 

 Ceylon, in the purchase of which we were kindly favoured 

 with the advice and assistance of Mr. Wilson at Colombo, 

 together with a variety of other Cingalese MSS. on palm 

 leaves, collected at a subsequent date, now form part 

 of the collection of valuable books in the Imperial Royal 

 Library at Vienna. 



Besides Mr. Wilson, our very best thanks are due to the 

 Colonial Secretary, Sir C. J. McCarthy, who had the kind- 

 ness to provide several of the members of the Novara Ex- 

 pedition with the requisite letters of introduction to the 

 authorities in the interior of the Island : also to Mr. John 

 Selby, the very obliging proprietor of the Examiner ,• to Dr. 

 Kelaart, physician and naturalist; to Charles P. Layard, 

 Esq., the Government Agent for the Western Provinces; 

 and to Captain Gosset, Surveyor-General, for their numerous 



