34 journal r. a. s. (ceylon). [Yol. IT., Part IL 



north of Chilaw, at all times contains sea-water, and form& 

 a portion of the Colombo-Puttalam canal. Immediately at 

 Madampe an embankment is thrown across the stream for 

 the purpose of filling a large tank belonging to the village. 



All the above rivers, taking their rise among the Kurunegala 

 hills far to the east, are liable to sudden floods, even at times 

 when the country through which a great portion of their course 

 runs, is parched by lengthened droughts. On such occasions, 

 the channels fill up with almost inconceivable rapidity, and the 

 stream which might be crossed almost dry, becomes, in the 

 course of an hour or two, a wide, deep, swift torrent. It is from 

 this circumstance, that the Deduru-oya is termed by the Tamils* 

 the Mayawan-aru, "sudden river." 



Lakes* 



There is no natural fresh-water lake; but owing to the 

 extensive cultivation of paddy, numberless tanks or reservoirs, 

 some of them several miles in circumference, are scattered over 

 the country. 



The only salt-water lakes are those at which are situated 

 the salt-pans of Puttalam, Natch chik alii, Karativu, Tilleadi, 

 Udaippankarai, &c. ; and those which form part of the canal 

 from Chilaw to Pattalam. The Gulf of Kalpitiya, which is 

 about eighteen miles long, and from two to six broad, may, from 

 its land-locked position and its shallowness, be regarded as a 

 lake ; in fact, such is its usual designation among the European 

 descendants. 



Harbours. 



There is only one harbour in the District, namely, Kal- 

 pitiya, It is situated near the opening of the gulf to which it 

 gives the name. The channel to sea-ward is unfortunately 

 tortuous and shallow ; small native craft can therefore alone 

 avail themselves of it. About four or five miles to the north 

 of the town there is, however, a spacious bay, which can be 



