444 RJiMARKS ON SOME ANTIQUITIES ON TH« 



vered with the monftrous figures above alluded to; they 

 are generally plain; or atmoft exhibit a few groups re- 

 prefenting feme remarkable parts of the hiftory of the 

 god worfhipped; fuch as the adventures of Krishna, 

 his efcape when an infant, his fporting amufements 

 among the Gopia, or the churning of the ocean by the 

 Dewatas and JJfoors; which feem rather defigned to 

 convey fome moral, than as immediate objefts of wor- 

 fhip: from whence we may fufpeft that as in latter 

 times the ancient fimplicity of their religion was debafed 

 and corrupted, the cuftom of covering their walls with 

 thefe monftrous figures with many arms and heads was 

 by degrees introduced : and this furnifhes data for form- 

 ing rules by which perhaps the antiquity of thefe build- 

 ings could be afcertained, by a comparifon of the diife^ 

 rent (tyles ; when written evidence (as found in the copper 

 plates at Co?ijever-am, tranflated in the third volume of 

 the JJiafiek Refearches, and may perhaps be found if the 

 plates at Purwuttum were tranllatedj is wanting. 



Thefe might afTift, -with the extenfive knowledge ob- 

 tained of late oi Hindu literature, in illuftrating the more 

 ancient part of the hiftory of this nation, and afcertain- 

 ing the juftice of their claim to a knowledge of the arts 

 and feiences through a remote antiquity; at leaft their 

 gradual advances in the arts might be traced from the 

 firft Tude attempts; and new light thrown on the hiftory 

 of mankind in its early ftages. 



ANCIENT INSCRIPTION on a ROCK at DEO^ 

 GAMME, NEAR CALirURE, 



On my way back from Pointe dii Galle to Colombo I 

 had intimation from the Dutch clergyman of Caliiure, 



figure of Mah A DEO, under the femblance of a rough ftone, not unfre- 

 (juei-.t'y fecn under trees in the open air. The figure of Hanamunt, 

 the protestor of travellers, the companion and afliftant of Rama in his 

 famous expedition to Lanka may be ieen, cut in relievo on upright ftones 

 placed en the roads, and near the villages, throughout the CamaticL 



sj a poll 



