( 12 ) 
ago with the other Buddhist buildings, and tlie 
clagoba which had remained intact, spared alilte 
by conqueror, and by time, lias recently been tal^en 
in hand by an enterprising villager, and the bricks 
in the dome are being daily abstracted to build a 
house which is rising in:the neijjlibourhood. Now, 
only the basement is alone left of it and that too 
is fast disappearing. The peasant passing the 
spot by night, fancies he sees a white figure on a 
white steed holding his sword aloft, and imagines 
it the spirit of the unborn monarch, for the 
belief is general among the peasantry of the 
lowlands that a prince called Diyasena— as Bar- 
barossa or Arthur — will appear at the supreme 
moment of his country's fortune, who will alike 
be national king and Messiah, proof against shot 
and shell, and that he will revive the glory of the 
ancient capital, build its walls anew, and that 
once again a Sinhalese Prince will ride in State 
to strike the sacred Talipot and be crowned king 
of a united Lanka. Such is the national dream 
that clings to the hoary ruin ! 
The steps leading down from the ancient moat, 
and many of the stones that paved it have been 
I'emoved, and the stone lintels, nay the very 
slabs with which the public buildings had been 
paved, have been ruthlessly torn out and do duty 
as door-posts or stepping-stones in private houses. 
The mamotty of a villager now and again throws 
up a clay pipe, belonging to the system of under- 
ground pipes for supplying water to the city, and 
no sooner it is thrown up than it is broken. If 
effective steps are not taken to check this Van- 
dalism, there will, in a short time, be nothing left 
from which, as I have said before, even to trace the 
ground plan of the old capital, much less to judge 
of the style of architecture or the way that the 
pipes had been laid. 
The antiquities under notice being situate in 
quite a small area, if the Archseological Commis- 
sioner, whenever he comes up to Colombo, could 
arrange to spend an afternoon at Kotte, he would 
be able to take note of the more important ruins, 
make some provisions for their preservation, and 
even see to getting some of the stones, etc. 
replaced. 
It is high time that the Asiatic Society took the 
initiative in the formation of a Committee for the 
preservation and restoration of ancient monu- 
ments. The presence in such a committee of 
Agents and Assistant Agents — many of whom 
t ike a warm interest in the subject — supported by 
select local members, would materially add to the 
strength of the movement, for it is only by such 
agency it is possible to check villagers from des- 
troying ancient works in inhabited localities, as 
once they get some visible proof that the Crown 
is the custodian of the ruins they will be chary 
of tampering with them. 
The passing of the "Antiquities Ordinance '" is 
astep in the right direction, and it is a pity if it is 
to be emasculated in Committee. Seeingl that the 
administration of the Ordinance wil, practically 
bein';the hands of the minorpieadmen thfe question 
arises quis custocliet ii^sos custodes ? as that 
class is the greatest offenders in this respect. 
My letter lias spun itself out into an unconscion- 
able length, but knowing as I do the antiquarian 
tendencies and the art-loving traditions of the 
Observer, I make nj apology for claiming the hos- 
pitality of your columns. 
ARISHTANEMI. 
SHARP SHOOTING for SPORT AND WAR 
by W. W. GR.Ei<;NKR,Author of the Gun and 
its Deveolpments — witii llustrations. — Rl cash, 
ltr25 credit; postage 10 cents. 
Observer Bookstore, 31st August, 1900. 
Asiatic Socisty of Ceylon, and Ceylon 
Branch of Royal Asiatic Society. 
THE undersigned, having been appointed Sole 
Agents in Ceylon for the sale of this Socieiy'.-. 
I'l dications, can supply its Journal--, Proceeding! 
(SfC, at the following iates :— Journals, R2; Pro- 
ceedings, Rl, to Non-members ; Rl and 50 cents 
respectively to RIe/nbersof the Society 
Vol. 
1. 
II 
III. 
IV. 
No. 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
V 16 
Procgs. 
17 
18 
19 
Proc'gs. 
VI. . . 20 
21 
. 22 
Proc'gs. 
VII. ., 23 
24 
Proc'gs. 
25 
JOURNALS AND PROCEEDINGS 
Vol. No. 
Exti-a No. 
Proc'gs. 
VIII .. 26 . 
Proc'gs. . 
27 . 
28 .. 
29 ., 
Proc'gs. . 
IX. .. ZO . 
1845t 
1846- 47 
1847- 48 
1848- 49 
1849- 50 
1853 
1853 
isr-.5 
1856-58 
1856-5S 
1858-59 
1860-61 
1865-66 
1867-70 
1867-70 
1870-711 
1870- 71 
1871- 721 
1873 
1874 
1873-74 
1879 t 
1880 t 
1880 t 
1875-80 
1881 1 
1881 
1881 
1882 
Proc'gs. 
Proc'gs. 
XI. 
XII. 
XII. 
XIII. 
XIV. 
XIV. 
XV. 
32 , 
33 
34 '. 
35 , 
30 . 
37 . 
38 , 
39 , 
40 , 
41 . 
42 . 
43 , 
44 
45 , 
46 , 
47 , 
48 , 
1882 
1882 
1883 
1883 
1884 
1884 
1884 
1884 
1885 
1885 
1885 
1886 
1886 
1SS6 
1887t 
1887 
1888 
1888 
1889 
1889 
1890 
1890 
1891 
1892 
1893 
l.-;94 
1895 
1896 
1897 
Index and Proceedings to Vols. I to XI.~18i5-1830. 
Catalogue of the Ceylon Branch, Library of ihs 
E. A. S. 1895. 
Special Publication. 
Veddas of Ceylon 1888 
The Origi7ial Edition ot the Pablication marked 
with an asterisk is wanted to purchase for the 
Society's Library, 
t Out of print. 
mis 00 A. M, & J. FERGUSON, 
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