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



5 . — Hibbitalana-gala . 



The next mountain that I visited the summit of was Hibbita- 

 lana-gala. This point is about one mile due west of the 

 provincial boundary, and can only be approached from 

 Panama— a sea-coast village about twelve miles to the south 

 of Arugam bay — from which there is a thin trail-path going 

 towards Uva. 



Hibbitalana-gala consists of a mighty rock, rising at a mod- 

 erate angle with its base, to an altitude of probably 800 ft. 

 above the sea. Like all the other points I visited, it shows 

 abundant traces of occupation. Near its base is the ruin of a 

 shrine, while higher up the traces of brickwork in abundance 

 indicate vihares and dagobas, all of which to-day are in 

 ruinous confusion. The foot of the rock stands practically in 

 a wide belt of magnificent ironwood trees , pointing unmistak- 

 ably to their origin. I also obtained an example of a most 

 exquisitely beautiful sterculia, the juices of which are said 

 to be of great value in healing cuts and wounds. 



6. — Kudimbiya-gala. 



Proceeding further south to Okanda, where there is a modern 

 devale, I next ascended Kudimbiya-gala, which is a mass of 

 rock among rocks facing the sea on the east and south. Here 

 a crumbling dagoba crowns the apex of stone, up the slope 

 of which a few steps have been cut and pokunas conserved. 

 The country here is very dry and vegetation is — where exposed 

 — proportionately stunted. Traces are not wanting , however , of 

 a once abundant population, as is evidenced not only by this 

 poJcuna-cut rock, but by the remains of cave dwellings both 

 there and throughout the country to the banks of the Kum- 

 bukkan river that forms the southward limit of the Batticaloa 

 District . At Bagar e-gala — an enormous table-like rock — and at 

 Kiripokuna-gala I found the same patient system of preserving 

 the rain water supply, both with natural as well as artificial 

 stone cisterns. The plains below are dotted with long since 

 abandoned tanks, while the rapids in the Kumbukkan-ar to 

 this day indicate the spots where water was taken both on the 

 north as well as the south banks of that perennial stream for 



