264 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
at.* There are, however, very few place names in this 
country which record the former existence of this creature. 
The writer is only aware of three, though there may be others : 
Kuthiraimalai (7. the horse mountain) on the north-west coast 
of the North-Western Province, identified with the Hipporus 
of Pliny by some authors, is well known ; two others, as I am 
informed by Mr. Carson, are to be found in the North-Central 
Province : one, Kuthiraikattamoddai (T. the post where the 
horse was tied), is situated some 6 miles south of Vedivaitta- 
kalla ; and the other, Asvayobendakanda (S. the hill where 
the horses were tied), is near the north-eastern boundary of 
the Province.t 
Ancient records, however, are more productive, and from 
them a good deal of evidence may be obtained to show the 
former existence of the horse in Ceylon. Mr. Paul Pieris was 
good enough to go into the matter for me, and the following 
excerpts from the Mahawansa are taken at his suggestion :— 
1. (Mahawansa, ed. 1889, p. 34) King Pandava sends 
wedding presents (from Madura, South India) to Wijayo, 
circ. 500 B.c. :-— 
The king Pandava having consulted with his ministers (decided 
that) he should send him (Vijaya) his own daughter Vijaya ; and 
for the retinue of that (king) one less than seven hundred 
daughters of his nobility. 
‘* Those ’’ (said he) ‘“‘ among you who are willing to send your 
daughters to renowned Sihala, send them. Let them be quickly 
ranged before their doors, decorated in their best attire.’ Having 
bestowed many presents on their fathers, he, with their concur- 
rence, assembled the maidens (at the palace), and causing his own 
daughter to be decorated with every description of gold ornaments 
befitting her sex and exalted rank, he bestowed on her, as dowry, 
elephants, horses, chariots, and slaves. With eighteen officers of 
state, together with {seventy-five menial servants §(being horse- 

* In the history and ancient mythical lore of the Hindus many 
references to the horse may be found; take, for instance, Dasharatha’s 
horse ‘‘ sacrifice ’’ mentioned in the Rdmdyana. The horse is often 
referred to, and sometimes plays a conspicuous part in the mythology 
of India. 
+ Since writing the above I have been informed of another place- 
name of interest in the present connection: Mavittapuram (Skt. the 
city of the abandoning horse) near Kankasanturai in the Northern 
Province. 
t Sixty. 
§ Omit this. The other reading gives ‘“‘ one thousand artisans from 
the eighteen classes (or castes).”’ 
