No. 57.— 1906.] 



PROCEEDINGS. 



17 



schools, even with elementary vernacular instruction, got lasting 

 benefit. 



Another Paper bearing on a subject much before the public 

 in the present time was " On the Rise and Fall of the Kelani 

 River in 1843-4-5-6," by Mr. John Capper, illustrated, by rather 

 primitive diagrams, the whole being in strong contrast with the 

 elaborate, valuable, and specially illustrated report recently 

 issued by the Surveyor-General, backed by the Commission's 

 report on soil denudation in the Kelani Valley. Mr. Capper 

 remarks on destructive inundations in 1844, and how the injurious 

 effects in successive years were mitigated by constructing sluices 

 towards Grandpass. In this connection may we not expect from 

 the Dutch Records now being examined and translated, some 

 light on how to deal with the periodical floods around Colombo ? 

 Surely the Hollanders, of all people under the sun, must have had 

 some effectual means of coping with the troublesome overflowing 

 of the Kelani- and Kalu-gangas ? 



The Great History of Ceylon. 



But there are Papers in our J ournals of far more general interest 

 than those thus referred to ; Ceylon and Sinhalese literature are 

 pre-eminently rich in ancient monuments and ancient records. 

 There is nothing in Hindu or other Eastern literature to compare 

 with the Mahawansa or Great History of Ceylon, and although 

 there is much in it that is truly childish and ridiculous — oceans 

 of ghee, mountains of flowers, thousands of monks travelling 

 through the air — and although Mr. H. Parker especially has shown 

 in our Journals that many of the figures require correction, yet 

 as an historic il record from the time Buddhism was introduced 

 into Ceylon, 250 B.C., it stands unimpeached and unimpeachable. 

 Nevertheless, how few of us take a real interest in this " Great 

 History." 



Although there are English translations available, not many 

 perhaps can find time to read through the whole Sinhalese history. 

 Let me commend to such a perusal of the special and discriminating 

 report on the translation of the Mahawansa by the late Mudaliyar 

 L. C. Wijesirjha, which will be found in our Proceedings for 1886. 

 As a means of interesting the ordinary reader and of introducing 

 him to the " Great History," nothing could be more admirable. 



With this I would couple the Address " On the Verification of 

 the Ancient Chronicles and Histories of Ceylon," which was 

 delivered by our President — the present Metropolitan of India — in 

 March, 1892. This Paper has a double value: first, because of 

 its critical acumen in dealing with Ceylon history ; and secondly, 

 as pointing the way in which even ordinary Members (not learned 

 Orientalists or linguists )may aid in verifying our ancient chronicles. 

 Curiously enough the Bishop suggests one " possible test connected 

 with trees," which has a bearing on our after-proceedings this 

 evening. His words are : " I do not know when the coconut was 

 introduced into the Island.' ' But our historian says a good deal 

 about coconuts in connection with the reign of the same Prakrama 



C 43-06 



