156 THE RIFLE AND HOUND IN CEYLON, chap. vii. 



are many ruined buildings and isolated dagobas of 

 great antiquity scattered throughout the country. I 

 observed on a peak of one of the Kattregam hills 

 large masses of fallen brickwork, the ruins of some 

 former buildings, probably coeval with Mahagam. 

 The whole of this district, now so wild and desolate, 

 must in those days have been thickly populated 

 and highly cultivated, although, from the present 

 appearance of the country, it does not seem pos- 

 sible that it has ever altered its aspect since the 

 Creation. 



Descending a steep bank shaded by large trees, 

 we crossed the bed of the Manick Ganga ('Jewel 

 River '). The sand was composed of a mixture of 

 mica, quartz, sapphire, ruby, and jacinth, but the large 

 proportion of ruby sand was so extraordinary that it 

 seemed to rival Sindbad the Sailor's vale of gems. 

 The whole of this was valueless, but the appearance of 

 the sand was very inviting, as the shallow stream in 

 rippling over it magnified the tiny gems into stones of 

 some magnitude. I passed an hour in vainly search- 

 ing for a ruby worth collecting, but the largest did 

 not exceed the size of mustard seed. 



The natives use this sand for cutting elephants' 

 teeth, in the same manner that a stonemason uses sand 

 to assist him in sawing through a stone. Elephants' 

 teeth or grinders are so hard that they will produce 

 sparks upon being struck with a hatchet. 



