No. 34. — 1887.] POLONNAKUWA. 



65 



exception of the trees, &c, which are within the rampart of 

 the Nissanha Dana Winoda mandapaya the rest of the 

 land he made to belong to the almshouse. With the 

 exception of such beggars as receive alms from the alms- 

 house, [namely] ripe and unripe fruit of charity, no one 

 else is to take [such produce], whether for his own consump- 

 tion or for any pecuniary motive ; and to ensure this, he 

 erected this stone inscription. Any stranger of any sort, not 

 mentioned in the proclamation, who shall take for himself 

 or give to others even the smallest twig from it, shall be 

 likened to dogs and crows, and shall be classed with beggars 

 who go about with earthen bowls in their hands [i.e., 

 " unattached " beggars of the lowest grade]. 



(Notes.) 



This inscription is in excellent preservation, as it was 

 almost completely buried in earth. It is to the east of the 

 so-called Vishnu Dewale. 



Kamboja wdsala. — This is perhaps the most interesting 

 allusion in all the new inscriptions. I append the passage 

 from Fergusson's "History of Architecture," which appears 

 to me to lend it especial importance: — 



The first assertion in the traditions of the Cambodians is sufficiently 

 startling. "In the country of Rome, or Romaveise, not far from 

 Takkhasinla (Taxila), reigned a great and wise king. His son, the 

 vice-king, — Phra Thong by name, — having done wrong, was banished, 

 and after many adventures settled in Cambodia," &c. The time is not 

 indicated, but we gather from the context that it must have been 

 about the fourth century. It may at first sight look like catching 

 at a nominal similarity, but the troubles which took place in Cashmere 

 in the reign of Tungina, and generally in "Western India about the 

 year 319, look so like what is recorded further east, that at present 

 that seems the most probable date for the migration, assuming it to 

 have taken place. Many would be inclined to doubt the possibility of 

 any communication between the two countries ; but it must be borne 

 in mind that the country around Taxila in ancient times was called 

 Camboja ; that it was the headquarters of serpent worship ; that the 

 architecture of Cashmere bears every considerable resemblance to that 



48—88 f 



