and the Hill Temple of Mehentélé. 493 
colonnes d’un marble trés fin et dun travail merveilleux ; un temple su- 
perbe qui contenoit trois cens soixante-six pagodes, dont il y en avoit vingt- 
quatre d’une grandeur extraordinaire et @une pierre trés belle et trés rare. 
Ces trois cens soixante-six pagodes répondoient aux trois cens soixante et 
six jours de l’année, ce qui feroit voir que ceux qui l’ont batis avoient 
Vannée solaire 4 peu prés comme nous.* Autour de ce temple étoient des 
étangs qui recevoient l’eau par des aqueducs trés bien batis, que Pon desse- 
choient et que l’on remplissoient d’eau selon le besoin que l’on en avoit.” 
In this note, or, as the author calls it, « Addition au Chapitre douziéme,” 
reference is made to the “ Vie de Constantin DE Saa,” page 13, as to the 
name being derived from ninety kings having resided at Anardjapura. This 
description evidently includes Mehentélé, as well as Anarddhepura ; and if 
granite be substituted for marble, would give by no means an inaccurate 
idea of its present state. From the circumstance of the Portuguese having 
had possession of Kandy about this time, the particulars are probably 
derived from actual observation ; but whether this be the case or not, the 
manner in which the Emperor Craupius and ALEXANDER THE Great are 
mentioned, show that the ruins had excited attention, and that a remote 
antiquity was assigned them. The description and drawings which I have 
been enabled to give of the buildings, and particularly of the pillars, are 
I think conclusive, that they are not either of Roman or of Grecian origin. 
These are the only notices which I have been able to find of this city, 
with the exception that its position is laid down with tolerable precision in 
relation to the rest of the island, under the name of Anurogramum regia, 
in the district of the Anurogrammi, in the “ Theatrum Geographiz Veteris. 
Cl. Provemar,t Avexanprini” (F. Berttus.) 
* The number mentioned to me at Mehentélé was three hundred and sixty. Which of the two 
is correct I do not pretend to decide; but it appears from Sir Wa. Jones that the lunar year of 
the Hindis is of three hundred and sixty days only, and is a more ancient mode of reckoning 
than the solar year. 
+ It may not be uninteresting to observe here, that the position of Anurogramum is not only 
laid down by Protemy with great accuracy, but that of Dondera-head, under the name of 
Dagana civitas, sacra lune, and several other places, as well as that the part marked Pascua 
Elephantum, in the south of the island, is still that in which elephants are most abundant, as was 
proved during my stay, by the capture, near Bentolte, in one kraal, of upwards of three hundred. 
‘The intimate knowledge which he managed to procure of this island, is further proved by his 
describing the men as having the hair of women. The men (on the sea-coast in particular) at 
the present day wear their hair long, turned up, and fixed with a large comb, such as is only 
worn by women in Europe. 
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