ClIAP. 1.] 



THE PALACE OF POLLANARRUA. 



587 



rectioiis ])y tlie rending force of the fig trees, whose 

 seeds germinating in the roof, have sent dowii their 

 roots, penetrating the masonry and streaming over tlie 

 walls and terraces as if the wood had been congealed 

 from a state of fluidity. The roof, which consisted of 

 brickwork, has partially fallen in, but several chambers 



THE PALACE AT POLLANARRUA. 



are still entire. From exploring these, however, we were 

 deterred by the heat and the intolerable stench of the 

 bats. Its superior state of preservation leads to the 

 conjecture, that this remarkable structure is of a some- 

 what later date than the reign of Prakrama Bahu. But 

 in addition to this its site and elevation do not cor- 

 respond with the description in the Mahaicanso of the 

 palace erected by him. It stands near the southern 

 extremity of the city, and cannot be said to consist of 

 more than one story, whereas the royal residence of 

 Prakrama was in the centre of Pollanarrua, and was 



