142 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XIX. 



NUWARA-GALA, EASTERN PROVINCE. 



By F. Lewis. 



About the middle of 1906 I had occasion to examine the 

 forests to the south of the Badulla-Batticaloa road in connec- 

 tion with forest matters. I had with me the excellent 

 topographical maps prepared by the Surveyor- General to 

 assist me in the location of certain points. Among others 

 a large group of hills is shown to the southward of Maha-oya 

 that from their situation indicated that as a whole they were 

 of importance with respect to water supply to a system of 

 irrigation works further to the eastward. I decided therefore 

 to make a preliminary inspection of this cluster of mountains, 

 and with that object in view I arranged a short expedition 

 in company with my Forest Ranger, the Ratemahatmaya, 

 and the Arachchi of Pollebedda village. 



Starting from the Maha-oya resthouse, we first crossed the 

 dry bed of the oya of the same name, and proceeded through 

 a very superior forest for about six miles, when we reached a 

 little tank that the Arachchi explained was for the irrigation 

 of a small plot of fields owned by the people of Pollebedda. 



We reached these fields by about 11 a.m., and camped for 

 breakfast on the banks of the Rambukkan-oya, that at the 

 time of my visit was perfectly dry. This is a broad stream 

 when in flood, and takes its rise beyond the group of hills 

 called Sitala Wanniya, which I shall have reason to mention 

 later. The banks of the stream are lined with a curious 

 mixture of plants, leading me to suspect, on finding the green 

 bamboo and enormous dadap trees, that they were " escapes " 

 from earlier plantations and inhabited lands. 



After breakfast we followed what seemed to be a " game 

 path " that ran eastwards, through very large high forest, 

 broken here and there with large masses of rock. After 



