162 SPOLIA ZBYLANICA. 
be easily traced, while a raised Murapola of stone commands the 
mountain path which leads across the Atweltota to Kukul korale. 
Crowning a gentle eminence, which is surrounded by several thou- 
sands of acres of owita lands, and close to the limpid waters of the 
Pelen-ganga, are the plain squared stone columns of the palace of 
Vidiye Bandara ; alongside them stands the house of the Colombo 
Arachchige family, the descendants of some faithful follower of the 
Prince. The position, intersected as it is by the numerous streams 
which fall into the river, is one of great natural strength, while the 
owita lands are capable of supporting a large population. Close by 
there are two villages of Porowakarayas of the Karawe caste and two 
of Chaliyas, no doubt the descendants of the Prince’s camp followers ; 
while the Moorish villagers claim a similar ancestry. A _ stone 
cannon ball was discovered by me among some of the ruins during 
a recent visit, and there are numerous traces of ancient iron works. 
The road taken by the Prince must have been the ancient path 
through Badureliya, Boralugoda, Hewesse, and Hinidumkanda, 
into the Galle korale. At the Saman Dewale at Latpandura, 2 
miles from Pelenda, is still preserved a cloth which is said to have 
been taken from a Portuguese elephant.” 
The above is a footnote from page 40 of the second edition of 
my translation of Ribeiro’s Ceilao (printed 1909). On June 4 last ~ 
Mr. G. F. Plant, the Assistant Agent at Kalutara, and I commenced 
excavating the low mound which marked the site of the palace of the 
brave father of ‘‘ Don Joaio, by the Grace of God, King of Ceilao, 
Perea Bandar.” ‘Ten pillars of stone, some large and some small, 
but only one in complete preservation, marked the outlines of the 
original building. The upper couple of feet of the mound consisted 
of broken flat tiles, nearly all ornamented or grooved. Below 
appeared the cinders of the stout beams which had once supported 
the roof. And under these lay the piles of earth, the walls which 
had filled the spaces between the stone supports. Iron nails, 
varying in length from 2 to 11 inches, were found in large numbers, 
but the results were disappointing. The chief find was a plain 
box of soft copper, 14 inches square and fitted with a tight cover. 
Within, this was divided into 25 compartments, the central one 
containing a fragment of gold. In the others were recognized a 
pearl, still beautifully lustrous after 350 years underground, silver, 
a ruby, sapphire, topaz, coral, &c. In fact, this was a miniature 
Yantragala. One other object of interest there was, the quaint 
tile shown in the illustration. What its purpose was it is difficult 
to say. The circular hole in the forehead would seem to show that 
it was meant to be secured by a nail to the end of a wooden beam. 
With tender care the tile was carried under shelter in its bed of 
clay, and dried by a fire of coconut branches. But the transport 
to Kalutara in a hired Kalutara gharry proved too much for its 
enfeebled powers of resistance. The fragments, carefully backed 
