384 THE SINGHALESE CHRONICLES. [Part III. 



A.T>. Mahawanso. It was crowded, lie says, with nobles, 

 302. magistrates, and foreign merchants ; the houses were 

 handsome, and the pubhc buildings richly adorned. 

 The streets and highways were broad and level, and 

 halls for preaching and reading hana were erected in all 

 the thoroughfares. He was assured that the island 

 contained not less than from fifty to sixty thousand 

 ecclesiastics, who all ate in common ; and of whom from 

 five to six thousand were supported by the bounty of the 

 king. 



The sacred tooth of Buddha was publicly exposed 

 on sacred days in the capital with gorgeous ceremonies, 

 which he recounts, and thence carried in procession to 

 " the mountains Avithout fear ; " the road to which was 

 perfumed and decked with flowers for the occasion ; and 

 the festival was concluded by a dramatic representation 

 of events in the life of Buddha, illustrated by scenery 

 and costumes, with figures of elephants and stags, so 

 delicately coloured as to be undistinguishable from 

 nature.^ 



^ Fa IIian, Foe Kom Ki, ch. xxxviii. p. 334, &c. 



