NO. 45.— 1894.] KOSTANTINU HAT ANA. 



139 



The great garuda-like ship,* its vanquished enemies the snakes, its 

 sails the wings of this fabulous bird, arrived at the port of Kolom-pura 

 (Colombo). 



The march of the enemy to the field is a very imposing 

 scene : we read that the General was carried in a State litter 

 gaily decked. I cannot resist the temptation to quote this 

 stanza for its beautiful versification : — 



Entering a beautiful palanquin set with gold and gems, inlaid with 

 ivory and decked with festoons of pendant pearls put in motion by 

 waving chdmaras. 



The Captains rode in palanquins amid the noise of drums 

 and trumpets. The poet says that the whole army moving 

 in this manner presented the spectacle of the mighty ocean 

 rolling on land — a favourite comparison with Oriental poets 

 for a tumultuous army on the march. The villages passed on 

 the way are graphically described, with details as to the 

 halting stations. At Sitawaka the poet introduces us to a 

 bevy of maidens disporting themselves in the river, and I 

 leave him to describe these water-nymphs in his own 

 inimitable style : — 



Dressing themselves in red cloths, taking in their hands drinking 

 horns, tying up their hair bound with flowers into a firm knot,, 

 drinking wine moderately with the wantons, in this manner the pretty 

 maidens disported themselves in the water. 



* Garuda, the bird and vehicle of Vishnu. He is generally repre- 

 sented as being something between a man and a bird, and considered 

 as sovereign of the feathered kind : he was the son of Kdsyapa and 

 Vindtd and younger brother of Aruna. — Clough. 



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