140 JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XIII. 



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Maidens, who in beauty excelled the heavenly nymphs, plunging 

 Into the water, captivate the eyes and minds of onlookers by the dis- 

 play of their charms. 



The beauty of the original is almost lost in translation. 



The destruction by fire of Meddegam Nuwara appears to 

 have been complete — the whole town, consisting of the 

 Chitrakuta vimdna, Magul maduwa (Audience Hall), the 

 royal kitchen, the dining hall, the hot-water bath, the queen's 

 apartments, and the stately mansion of Baretto, being burnt 

 to the ground. Here is a battle-piece : — 



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Some spearing the enemies put the bodies away from them, while 

 others by one shot kill two or three at a time. Some spare those 

 who beg for mercy, while others seize and bind those who are about 

 to flee, without killing them. 



I notice that the kastdna in the days of our poet was not 

 the innocent-looking ornament which we now find dangling 

 toy the side of a Mudaliyar on official occasions, but a 

 formidable weapon used with deadly effect on the plains of 

 Lellopitiya. 



We read in the published narrative that the General " had 

 a gallant bearing added to a shapely, well-proportioned form 

 and figure, tall and strong, with an expression at once pleasing 

 and manly." This is confirmed by what our chronicler 

 rsays with regard to the hero's personal attractions. In this 



verse his person is described : — 



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