Bl 9 „ ACCOUNT OF THE 



Thefe arts, defigned to impofe on the credulity of 

 the ignorant fuperiritious crowd, Teem to have "been 

 cultivated fuecefsfully here, and the- difficulties at- 

 tending the journey, with the wild gloomy appear- 

 ance of the country, no doubt, add to the aweful 

 impreflion made on their minds. 



The Brahmens having given me the following ac- 

 count of the origin of the Pagoda, I iniert it here, 

 as it may lead to farther enquiry, and by a comparifon 

 with other accounts, however diiguifed by fable or 

 art, fome light may be thrown on the hiftory, and 

 manners of a people lb very interefting. 



Cf At Chundra-gumpty-patnum, twelve parous down 

 ei the river on the north fide, formerly ruled a Raja 

 " of great power, who 3 being ablent feveral years 

 i; from his houfe, in confequence of his important 

 * 6 purfuits abroad, on his return fell in love with his 

 w own daughter, who had grown up during his long 

 " abience. In vain the mother reprefented the im~ 

 " piety of his paffion : proceeding to force^ his daugh- 

 " ter tied to thefe deferts of Perwuttum, rirft utter- 

 " ing curfes and imprecations againfl her father ; in 

 li confequence of which, his power and wealth de- 

 Ci clined; his city, now a deferted ruin, remainsa monu- 

 " ment of divine wrath ; and himfelf, ftruck by the 

 c: vengeance of Heaven, lies deep beneath the waters 

 a of Puttela-gunga, which are tinged green by the 

 tc . firing of emeralds that adorned his neck.** Here 

 is a fine fubjecT: for a fable ; it may, however, fur- 

 rum a clue to hiftory, as the ruins of this once opu- 

 lent city are frill faid to exifl. This account of the 

 origin of the devotion here, bears a great reiemblance 

 to that of the pilgrimage to Mouferrat in Catalonia, 

 mentioned in Barcttis travels. 



," The princefs was called Mallica-rlavi, and lived 

 11 in this wildcrnels. Among her cattle, was a remarka- 

 * c bly fine black cow, which fhe complained to her 



" herdfmen, 



