Cjiap. II.] NAVIGATION OF THE MAHAWELLI-GANGA. 423 



as the Thames at London, and of sufficient depth at all 

 times to be navigable for small vessels. Valentyn states 

 that so late as the beginning of the last centmy, the 

 kings of Kandy had establishments at Bintenne for 

 building galleys and tsampans.^ The strongest feehng 

 awakened at this remarkable spot is that of deep regret 

 on seeing this prodigious agent of enrichment and 

 civihsation roUing its idle waste of waters to the sea. 

 It sweeps through luxuriant sohtudes, past wide ex- 

 panses of rich but now unproductive land, and under 

 the very shade of forests whose timber and cabinet 

 woods alone woidd foi-m the wealth of an industrious 

 people. 



At one time the possibihty of rendering this noble 

 river navigable from the coast to the interior eno;ao;ed 

 the attention of the government, and in 1832, Mr. 

 Brooke, the Master attendant at Trincomahe, was di- 

 rected by Sir Eobert Horton to explore its course, as- 

 cending it from the sea in the direction of Kamhj ; in 

 order to ascertain its probable value if employed for com- 

 mercial purposes ; the size of boats for wliicli it was 

 really available ; and how far its impediments were sus- 

 ceptible of removal, so as to determine the extent to 

 which it might be employed for the conveyance of troops 

 and stores.'^ 



About forty miles before it enters the sea, the Maha- 

 weUi-ganga separates into two distinct branches, — one, 

 the Kooroogal-ganga, continuing a noitherly course till 

 it falls into the bay of Trincomahe, west of Cottiar ; 

 the other, the Vergel-aar, diverging almost at right angles 

 at a point called Koorangemone, and reaching the coast 

 by several mouths north and south of Arnetivoe, or the 

 " Island of Elephants." The tradition of the natives 



^ "Ilier werden de beste galeyen 

 eutsjampana des keysers geniaakt." 

 — Olid en Nicuw Oost-Indien, ck. iii. 

 p. 40. 



'^ An abstract of iMr. Bkooki;"s 



Eeport on the navigation of tlie 

 Mahawelli-ganga was publislicd in 

 the Joiotuil of (he Ji<>y. Oeot/r. Soe. 

 for 1833, vol "iii. p. 223. 



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