94 JOURNAL, R.A.S, ^CEYLON). [VoL. XXII. 
and a peacock) ; underneath each makara is a lion rampant with 
face turned away from the figure. Mr. Haughton puts the 
" draggons " under the lions. 
The figure is cut in a recess in the face of the rock, and as the 
face slopes away towards the top the recess is much deeper at the 
bottom than at the top. It is about 5 ft. deep at the bottom and 
about a foot or so at the top. It is about 9 ft. long by 8 ft. in height. 
The figures being protected in this way from the weather are in 
an excellent state of preservation — as good as new, in fact. The 
head of Buddha is surrounded at the back by a cobra's hood.* 
There are pillars in front of the recess, and holes in the rock 
where the beams of the roof evidently rested, showing that 
originally there was a temple built up against the rock, with the 
face of the rock containing the recess to form its back wall. 
On the right of the recess, i.e., on the right hand side of the 
figure, are two similar figures of Buddha \sic\ about half the 
size, also cut in the rock, but not recessed. One of these is so 
obliterated by exposure to weather as to be hardly distinguishable 
as a Buddha, t Mr. Haughton does not mention these figures. 
Over the recess are three lines cut in the rock, to carry away the 
rain water I suppose. 
In the side of the large rock surmounted by the small house 
(described by Mr. Fowler in his Diary of September 23, 1886) 
there is a rectangular chamber cut out of the rock (about 8 ft. 
long by 6 deep and 6 high, as well as I remember). This I found 
occupied by a Buddhist priest and his servant, a deaf and dumb 
man, who have lately established themselves here. — Diary, 
November 22, 1890. 
J. P. Lewis, 
Assistant Government Agent, 
Vavuniya. 
VII. 
Got to Tantri-malai in the evening and had a look round the 
ruins. 
There is very little forest of any value on the country between 
the Arippu road and this. One forest about three miles long on 
each side of Tambiyawa has satin and palu, but to no great 
extent. The country was excessively dry until we reached 
Tantri-malai, where it had rained recently and rock holes were full 
of good water. 
* In reality a plain circular nimbus, similar to that behind the 
head of the sedent Buddha in the Cave Shrine at "Gal Vihare," 
Polonnaruwa. — B., Ed. Sec. 
t The figures are not Buddhas, and are cut in panelled recesses. — 
B., m. Sec. 
