WEST AND SOUTH COASTS OF CEYLON. 439 



of a circular fhape, of about 160 feet in circumference 

 and twelve high, forming a terrace, from the center of 

 which rofe a bell-fhaped fpire, crowned with a fmaller 

 cone, on a fquare pedeilal, the height of the whole fup- 

 pofed to be thirty feet ; a parapet ran round this ter- 

 race, to which a door and ftair-cafe led up ; and here, 

 expofed to the open air, as we approached foon after 

 fun-rife, we obferved fome C'mgalcfe men and women 

 walking round, bending and inclined towards the fpire, 

 apparently praying : they retired before we afcended • 

 the fteps. A fmall thatched hut disfigured a corner of 

 the terrace, which feemed defigned to lodge one of the 

 priefts who received us as ufual with complaifance. No 

 figures, infcriptions, nor any thing eife remarkable, ap- 

 peared, excepting a fingle granite pillar four feet high 

 placed on end, perhaps intended to receive a lamp at 

 night. This ftrufclurc we were told was folid ; it had 

 no doors, windows, or any opening : they faid one of 

 the teeth of the facred elephant was buried in it. It 

 was, on a large fcale, what the fpire within the enclofure 

 at Billhaam was in miniature, and feems to be the pe- 

 culiar Thape of a fhrine or appendage of a temple of 



B0ODHO0« 



After a fhort view, we were conduced from thence 

 to the fea-beach of Dewunder-head^ fcarcely 1400 yards 

 dillant, by a gradual defcent along a walk or avenue in 

 the woods; in walking over this ground, feveral re- 

 mains of ancient buildings refembling the Carnatick tem- 

 ples ftruck us forcibly, and induced as narrow an in- 

 fpe6lion as could be made in a couple of hours. 



Ciofe to the beach we find the firft avenue or build- 

 ing, probably defigned for the ufe of the devotees, im- 

 mediately before or after ablution in the fea, which is 

 not above forty yards off; the defcent over the bank is 

 not difficult, though the coaft below is lined with maffes 

 of granite wafhed by the waves. It confifts of a colon- 

 nade of fixteen pillars of granite about nine feet high, 



the 



