AN EXPLORATION OF THE BELIGAL-GE. 197 
AN EXPLORATION OF THE BELIGAL-GE, NEAR BALANGODA. 
By C. HARTLEY. 
‘ie August, 1910, I undertook a partial exploration of the 
; Beligal-ge, or Snail Cave, which is situated about twelve miles 
north of Balangoda and close to the tea estate of Dikmukalana, 
belonging to Mr. W. D. Holland. 
On a preliminary survey I found the cave placed in a most 
advantageous position, scooped out of a solid and almost perpendi- 
cular cliff of gneiss and some 30 feet above a small rivulet, to which 
there slopes steeply a bank or talus of earth overgrown with trees. 
The front of the cave faces nearly due west; and at its southern 
extremity it plunges almost at right angles 79 feet into the rock. 
From this point it shallows rapidly, until after a considerable inward 
bend, forming a second recess in the rock, it grows even narrower, 
and finally tapers to nothing. The rock roof is lofty in the deeper 
parts, and the floor of dust strewn with boulders slopes gently 
downward to the northern end. Although no drip-ledge has been 
cut, the cave seems absolutely dry within; a small wall of rough 
stones and earth has been built from the southern end some little 
distance northward ; and the drip from the cliff face falls entirely 
clear of the interior. In fact no more comfortable cave for inhabi- 
tation can well be imagined. 
A considerable amount of water finds its way down the cliff face, 
since a small patch of paddy land is situated immediately over the 
cave ; and the constant drip cutting on the loose soil of the slope 
at the mouth of the cave has laid bare and collected in pools an 
immense quantity of quartz chips once embedded in the soil. I 
carefully examined these fragments, and selected one or two which 
appeared to be implements. They are immediately distinguishable 
by their smooth waterworn faces from the sharply angular remains 
recovered beneath the soil. 
I found that the floor of earth inside the cave had been greatly 
disturbed. Not only had the late Mr. Parsons carried out a small 
excavation near the southern end, in the course of which he found 
some human bones and other remains now in the Museum, but it 
has also been the custom among the neighbouring peasants to dig 
in the soil for the water-snail shells, from which the cave takes its 
name, and which they burn for chunam to accompany their betel. 
