and the Hill Temple of Mehentélé. 473 
of great height and extent; but, with the exception of one, in such a state 
of decay as to retain few traces of their original form. That which was 
pointed out to me as the most ancient, consists solely of a low mound 
of earth surrounded by jungle, and having two or three steps and a few 
fragments of rough granite pillars lying near it. I neglected to make 
any sketch of it, or indeed any memorandum of its name on which I can 
place reliance, but am under the impression than the name Tapa Rama, 
which I found among my memoranda, belongs to it. 
The remaining six may be divided into two classes, viz. those of moderate 
height, and having rows of pillars around them; and those of considerable 
height, surrounded by granite platforms of great extent. Of the first class 
I have selected the most perfect as a specimen.* In its present state it is 
modern, or nearly so, having been repaired about seventy years ago by a 
powerful chieftain who resided in the neighbourhood. The sketch was 
taken from the spot which offered least difficulty, as the weather was op- 
pressively hot and I was much hurried; it will however serve to convey 
some idea of its general character. The entrance is on the opposite side. 
The dagoba, is surrounded by a platform paved with granite, and the pillars 
are disposed in rows around the dagoba; several are broken, others have 
fallen, but many are still standing entire. ‘The name which we were given 
for this dagoba is Lanca-rama. 
The other, which belongs to this class, is said to have been built by king 
Dewan! Parissg, and to have been originally twenty-five cubits of twenty- 
seven inches each, or about fifty-seven feet, in height.+ It is much dilapidated, 
and the top appears to have been removed by force. It is placed in the 
centre of a platform, which is raised about twelve feet from the ground, 
and which is paved with granite. The pillars surrounding it are very 
elegant, and appear to have been placed in three parallel rings or rows, one 
about two feet from the dagoba, the others about ten feet from each other. 
* See Plate, No. 18. 
+ There are two measures which have been translated cubits; the one a ian, which, accord- 
ing to Ropert Knox, is from the bone on the inside of the elbow to the top of the fourth finger ; 
the other, or waddow rian, is the carpenter’s rule, said to measure twenty-seven inches : it is as 
much as will reach from one elbow to the other, the thumbs touching one-another at the tops, 
and stretching out both elbows. The ordinary cubit I always heard estimated at fourteen inches : 
it is probably the half of the other, as I found that to be the case with such as I measured. 
