120 



JOUKNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. X. 



NOTE ON THE " HIL-PEN-KANDURA " AT 

 KANDY. 



By J. P. Lewis, Esq., c.c.s. 

 (Read December 23, 1887.) 



HE recent heavy rains carried away a portion of the 

 banks of the stream which falls into the Kandy 

 lake at the Ampitiya end, and laid bare some stone- 

 work which evidently belonged to an old bathing-place of 

 some importance. 



This consisted of a massive stone conduit about 14 ft. 

 long, a stone basin of about the circumference of a cart- 

 wheel, a stone pillar a little over 5 ft. high, on which this 

 basin had evidently stood, and a large flat stone at the foot of 

 the pillar for the bather to stand on. (See plan of restored 

 work.) 



The only thing found actually in situ was the pillar, but 

 the basin was found close to it. All this stonework was 

 found some feet out of the course of the present stream and 

 in the bank above it, so that the course of the stream must 

 have been diverted since the bathing-place was used. Scat- 

 tered about were found several cut stones. In the bank 

 behind the site of the pillar there appear to be the remains 

 of a wall. 



The basin is a contrivance to allow of three people bathing 

 at the same time, each standing under a spout, the water 

 flowing into the basin through an aperture on the fourth 

 side, which was no doubt connected with the conduit ; the 

 pillar is square at the back and rounded on the outer side, so 

 that it probably stood against the masonry wall referred to. 

 It is just high enough to allow a person to stand underneath 



