182 Rock Inscriptions, 



mention the place at which each inscription is to be found, 

 adding such information regarding the locality or traditions 

 current in the neighbourhood as may seem interesting, or 

 may give a clew to the translator. 



No. I. This long inscription is engraven on a stone block 

 about ten inches square in section, and standing five feet 

 above ground; in fact, just one of those short pillars of which 

 thousands are to be met with in the forests of the District, and 

 which from time immemorial have been used as supports for 

 Vihares, Dewales, Banna-Maddooas, and other religious edi- 

 fices. The letters are small and tolerably boldly cut; they 

 are however rudely formed and unequal in size. I think that 

 the want of skill in the workman must account for many of 

 those variations from the common Singhalese characters 

 which will be observed in the copy; thus in very many cases 

 where a <sn or other letter with an upward loop occurs, 

 a line is to be observed produced at a tangent to the curve. 

 I hardly think this stroke to be intentional, but to have 

 simply arisen from the chissel of the workmen slipping for- 

 ward instead of following the proper curve. Some other 

 unusual marks may be explained in the same manner. 



A few of the characters, however, if indeed they be letters, 

 are quite different from any to be found in the Singhalese 

 alphabet. The pillar on which this inscription is engraved is 

 at Pooliankoolum, a small village about ten miles N. N. E. 

 of Chilaw, and six miles east of the main road. It stands in 

 the jungle, close to the remains of an ancient Dehwale built 

 by Ganniwelle Bahu, who reigned at Anooradhapoora, and 

 of a more recent Dehwale. The native tradition is to the 

 effect that the pillar was erected to commemorate the seizure 

 of a local chieftain by Ganniwelle Bahu, king of Mahdampe. 

 Various places in the vicinity have names referring to the 

 same event: such are Mandelane Kumarenkatoowe, &c. 



Nos. II. III. IV. are engraved on three rocks at Parmak- 

 kande Vihare, which lies about seventeen miles from Putlam 



