434 REMARKS ON SOME ANTIQUITIES ON THE 



He holds up both his hands, with the fore fingers and 

 thumbs bent; the head drefs is high, and feems orna- 

 rnented with jewels; on the little finger of the left 

 handisaring; on the arms bracelets; a belt high about 

 the wairt ; the lower drefs, or drapery, fixed with a gir- 

 dle much lower than in the Gentoo drefs, from which 

 fomething like taflels depend ; a collar and ornaments 

 on the neck and fhoulders; and rings feem to hang low 

 from the ears : no appearance of any arms or weapons. 



On the fpot I was told that this was the figure of an an- 

 cient prince called CouTTA raja, from a cutaneous difor- 

 der he had been troubled with ; that his figure was placed 

 here in memory of his being the firft who had taught 

 the inhabitants the ufe of the cocoanut, which is a prin- 

 cipal part of the food of the Cingalefe, partiularly the 

 {laves and poorer people. At Matura, the tradition 

 of the CouTTA raja was told much to the fame pur- 

 pofe, but with more amplification of circumftances. 

 They defcribed him as the fon of the fovereign of a fo- 

 reign land, who labouring under a malignant cutaneous 

 diforder or leprofy, was landed on the coaft, and left 

 to (hift forhimfelf; when he was cured by aid of a ho- 

 ly reclufe, refiding in thefe woods, and by the milk of 

 the cocoa tree ; returning home to his native land, he 

 recounted his wonderful cure, and was fent back with 

 rich prefents to reward the holy man, whom they found 

 no more. In memory of this the ftatue was fet up. 

 Whatever degree of credit we may give to this ftory, the 

 nanae of the Coutta raja feemed to be familiar to all 

 ranks, and is no doubt conne6led with fome hiftorical 

 event. 



TEMPLE OFBOODHOO ATVJLLIGAAM. 



March, 30, — Pailjng on from the figure of the 

 CouTTA raja, we came to Villigaam or Bil/igaam, a place 

 of fome confideration, near a bay of the coalls; houfes 

 arc fcattered about, .iraong the trees and cocoa woods, 



which 



