412 Voyage of the Novara. 



at pleasure over the vast, almost limitless, panorama at our 

 feet, as far as the sea, barely visible in the grey distance. 

 Bounding our view from north-west to east, the mountain 

 ranges rose by three distinct terraces of hills, each behind the 

 other, and in regular gradations, till they culminated in the 

 highest peak on the island, the Pedro-talla-galla, which over- 

 tops Adam's peak by nearly 1000 feet,* but presents no 

 pre-eminent peak, similar to that on which we now stood. 

 The remainder of the horizon was filled with low moun- 

 tains, which gradually became more and more flat as they 

 approached the coast. The followers of three religions, — 

 Buddhists, Brahmins, and Mahometans, stand face to face 

 with each other on this space of barely a few steps, in order 

 to bow before these visible emblems, in sincere devotion to the 

 invisible Deity. The highest surface, which is nearly level, 

 is of an irregular oval form, and is about 60 or 70 feet in 

 length, by from 36 to 40 feet in breadth, and is inclosed within 

 a wall 5 feet in height, with two entrances on the west and 

 south, while the north-east corner is shut out by an artificially 

 rounded rock, easily surmounted, however, by any one who 

 ascends it. In the middle of this enclosure stands a block of 

 rock some 10 or 11 feet high, which, on the extreme top, has a 

 depression, the divine Sri-pada, or Holy Footstep. The adora- 



* The precise relative elevations of the two mountaius are, Pedro-talla-galla 8tJ80 

 feet, Adam's Peak 7420 feet. Two other peaks of the main range are also higlier 

 than Adam's Peak, viz. Totapclla 7720 feet, and Kii-rigal-potta 7810 feet, while 

 the plains, or table-lands, of Wchnani and Neuwera Ellia are, respectivel}^ no 

 less than 0990 feet and 0210 feet above the level of the sea. 



