Sir A. Johnston's Account of an Inscription found near Trinconialee. 5.S9* 



of the northern and eastern parts of the island in the age of the two Kings of 

 Solamandelum, Manumethy Candesolam and his son Kalocata Maha- 

 RASA, who are stated, upon what authority I cannot ascertain, in all the 

 ancient liistories of Trincomalee (of which I have in my possession both the 

 Tamul originals and the English translations) to have reigned over the 

 southern peninsula of India and the greater part of the island of Ceylon 

 about the five-hundred and twelfth year of the Cali-yiig, or about 4,400 years 

 ago, and during their reign to have constructed not only the celebrated 

 pagodas or temples of Trincomalee, the whole of which were in the be- 

 ginning of the sixteenth century destroyed by the Portuguese, and the 

 materials of which were subsequently used by them for building what forms 

 a portion of the present fortifications of Trincomalee, but also the four 

 equally celebrated tanks or artificial lakes called Kattucarre, Padvilcolam, 

 Minerie, and Kandelle, the remains of which may, from their great magni- 

 tude and strength, and from the skill which is displayed in their construc- 

 tion, be considered as some of the most venerable and splendid monuments 

 ever discovered, of the high state of perfection to which the science of irri- 

 gation had been brought in the northern and eastern parts of Ceylon, in 

 the remotest periods of history ; and of the extraordinary efforts which were 

 made by the Hindu monarchs of India to secure their subjects from the 

 miseries of famine, by securing to the cultivators of land a regular and an 

 abundant supply of water. 



There are many traditions in the country respecting the contents of this 

 inscription, but the three following are those to which the natives of the 

 province most generally allude. The first is, that it contains an account of 

 the taxes which the priests of the temples of Trincomalee had a right to levy 

 on the inhabitants of their own and the adjacent provinces ; of the expenses 

 which had been incurred by the sovereigns of the country in building those 

 temples ; of the lands and the treasure whicli were the property of the tem- 

 ples ; of the different countries in which the lands were situated, and of the 

 different places of security in which the treasures were deposited. 



The second is, tliat it contains an account of the construction of the erreat 

 tank of Kandelle ; the sums that were expended upon it ; the number of peo- 

 ple who were employed in completing the work; the quantity of water which 

 the tank contained ; the manner in wliich, and the seasons at which, the 



