1847.] formerly the capital of Ceylon. 221 



the removal of the seat of government to Pollonaruwa, which completed 

 its desertion. 



The stone pillars on which it stood are a little to the north of the 

 Maha Wihare, on the south side of the trace leading to Aripo, and 

 near them, are shewn the tomb of Gaimono, and the mound of earth 

 on which the kings were usually burnt. A little to the south of the 

 Maha Wihare and about five hundred yards from the remains of the 

 brazen palace, a mound of earth, formerly a small dagobah, points out 

 the place where the action between Gaimono and the usurper Ellala 

 commenced, as also the spot on which Ellala fell. 



On the road to the Thupharamaya dagobah I have already men- 

 tioned that the visitor sees on his left hand the conical mass of the 

 Ruanwelle dagobah rising like a mountain near him. The entrance to 

 this, as to most others of the ancient buildings, is through an erection 

 of modern structure, chiefly formed of wood. The site on which it is 

 erected is said to have been hallowed in various ways, and the prophecy 

 to which I have referred in the case of the Maha Paya, also mentioned 

 that Dutugaimono should construct a Maha Thupo, or great dagobah. 

 A long and tedious account is given in the Mahawanso of the miracu- 

 lous manner in which the materials for this erection were formed and 

 procured. When every thing had been obtained which was requisite, 

 the monarch commenced the structure by digging a foundation which, 

 tradition tells us, was a hundred cubits or two hundred and twenty-two 

 feet deep. This is most probably exaggerated, yet as the dimensions 

 are in general given with great exactness, I should hesitate before pro- 

 nouncing it false. Certain it is that the stone platform on which it 

 stands is massive and of enormous dimensions, being five hundred feet 

 square, thus giving us a superficial extent of solid masonry of 250,000 

 square feet, or upwards of 27,000 square yards. This platform is sur- 

 rounded by a fosse seventy feet broad. On the sides of the platform 

 are sculptures representing the heads and fore-parts of elephants as if 

 in the act of emerging from the mass. Unfortunately Dutugaimono 

 did not survive to see the completion of the dagobah which he had 

 spared no pains to erect, and in order that he might have some idea of 

 what it would be when finished, he had a spire of wood placed upon it 

 of a similar form with that intended to be subsequently added of more 

 durable materials. He is said to have expired in the act of gazing on 



2 H 



