NO. 47. — 1896.] ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY, SIGIRIYA. 245 



full ; and on the Rock's summit the cistern (dug out by the 

 Archaeological Survey last year) furnished excellent drinking 

 water during working hours for the whole four months. In 

 addition to rice advances obtainable on contract rate at 

 Kimbissa (only two miles off), vegetables could be bought 

 cheaply in the neighbouring villages ; and, lastly, pay ruled 

 a f anam higher on the average than at Anuradhapura. With 

 no legitimate ground of grievance, therefore, the coolies set 

 themselves to work with a zest which commanded success. 



The bamharu, or rock bees, whose unprovoked attacks so 

 seriously interfered with work for a time in 1895, this year 

 gave us no real trouble. A few swarms arrived late in 

 February ; but being very warmly received with " fire- 

 works" left the Rock incontinently, or sought the harmless 

 seclusion of the caves and ledges of its eastern cliff. 



The one great trial — how great nobody who has not 

 experienced it can grasp — was, and will always be, the 

 terrible exposure to the tropical sun on the summit of Stgiri- 

 gala. Save for the three or four trees still standing, there is 

 no " shadow " from the heat on that " great rock in a weary 

 land." To allow the coolies to descend the Rock for a mid- 

 day meal was out of the question : it would have entailed 

 undue waste of time and energy. The working hours were 

 therefore fixed from 6,30 A.M. to 3 P.M. at a stretch — as honest 

 and hard an " eight-and-a-half-hours'-day " as could be justly 

 demanded by any taskmaster. 



Heads of Work. 



It will be convenient to deal with the season's operations, 

 as in my Report for 1895, specifically under different heads : — 



(1) Clearing the site of the Ancient City. 



(2) Survey of Stgiri-nuwara. 



(3) Exploration. 



(4) Excavations. 



(5) Copying the Frescoes. 



(6) Miscellaneous. 



