184 rOLLANARUA. 



About forty miles due east of Damboul Is Pollanarua, 

 the capital a couple of centuries prior to the former, 

 and in order to reach it, especially owing to the over- 

 flown rivers, I had to undergo many trials and great 

 fatigue. Here are some very remarkable remains of 

 an early civilization, in fact an entire town is being 

 excavated in the depth of the forest. The Gal-Vihara 

 is a rock-hewn temple after the manner of those of 

 Ellora, indicating some good sculpture, but completely 

 ruined. This, and another I shall presently mention, 

 were supposed to be the only examples of that style of 

 architecture in Ceylon ; which, however, may be 

 doubted, and we shall probably hear of others by-and- 

 by, since the unearthing of several of the old Singha- 

 lese towns has been seriously taken in hand by the 

 Government. At the Gal-Vihara there Is, leaning 

 against Its outer wall, a reclining figure of Gautama, 

 forty-five feet in length, similar to those found In 

 Burmah and Siam, also an upright one of twenty-three 

 feet, and a sitting Image sixteen feet in height. 



The Aglrla-Vihara at Pollanarua is another fine 

 specimen of enormous size and excellent proportions, 

 the north side of which still exists In Its entire length, 

 and has all the resemblance of the ruins of a splendid 

 palace richly ornamented with pilasters, recesses, and 

 carvings of every description, now covered with shrubs 



