legible on the dark ground of the stone: by tracing them in this manner, I was enabled to sketch out the appearance of the whole with tolerable exact

ness.

But of the causes of engraving it here, or of the history of the place, I could get no account from the natives, except some incoherent traditions of its being formerly struck by lightning, whence it is called Pelnucallu, or split-stone.”

At Calanee, about six miles north-east of Columbo are two temples of Boodhoo, which were visited by Mr. Harington, on the 7th of February 1797. "The images," says our author, "are of stone, representing a man in a sitting posture; the right leg supporting the left; the right arm and breast uncovered; and the left side and the waist covered with a folding vest, the end of which hangs down before. The complexion is fair; but no conclusion can be drawn from this, as two images in the two temples at this place differ considerably in these respects, one having a fair round face, the other darker and more oval. Both appear to have long pendant ear-rings, and their heads are crowned with a sort of tiara, somewhat resembling five fingers joined to each other.

"In one of the temples three images of the above description were enclosed in a glass-case, which the officiating priest readily opened, to satisfy my curiosity, and allowed me to approach as near as I wished, without even desiring me to take off my shoes, as is usually required in other parts of India. Before the glass-case, which extended the whole length of the temple, stood a wooden table; on which are daily presented oblations of flowers, fruit, or noney. From the surrounding representations of devotees, the lotos appears to be the favourite flower of the god; and I also obs

served the keyosa and gool-acheen, two of the most fragrant flowers in India. Images of Boodhoo and some other deities, are painted on the walls and roof of this temple; but chiefly Boodhoo, sitting or sleeping, and his devotees bearing each a nagisur flower; with sixteen sketches of daghopes, said to represent the sixteen temples, or monuments, of this description, on the island of Ceylon.

"The idol temple I am now describing, is called a Veehar, or college, and consists of one small apartment, of an oblong square, composed of common brick and mortar materials, with a tiled roof. It is said to have been built time out of mind, but from, its structure, cannot be very ancient. I saw nothing peculiar in its exterior, and have nothing further to remark on its interior, but that it contained a lamp said to be kept perpetually burning, and a curtain that is occasionally drawn across the middle of the apartment."

On each side of the entrance, enclosed in recesses, are two large statues, the door-keepers of the god; and several others are sculptured round, bearing a club, and crowned with a high tiara. In the passage, which leads from the above mentioned temple to a second of the same construction, are two gigantic figures, cut in alto relievo, and said to represent two attendants of the local deity.

The second temple contains a single figure of Boodhoo in a sitting posture, and somewhat larger than those already noticed. A large elephant's tooth, presented by the king of Candia, is fixed in the ground near this image, and a small elephant of brass forms the ornament of a lampstand.

Both the above structures stand on an eminence, surrounded by trees, and by a low wall, which

also encloses a third building, called Daghope wahumsee! This building is a solid mass of earth and brick-work, about sixty feet high, and shaped somewhat like a dome, with a cupola above. The inside is a mound of earth, and is said to contain twenty images of Boodhoo buried below it. At the foot of the eminence is the house of the priests, who have been appointed to officiate at the cere monies performed at this place daily at noon, and annually at a great festival, when numbers of pilgrims are said to assemble here.

The temple at Oogulbodda is an oblong square building, with a veranda, supported by square brick pillars, and covered with leaves of the cocoanut tree. At a small distance, on the east side, is a triple-roofed building, constructed in form of a pigeon-house, in which the precepts of Boodhoo are read to his votaries at festivals and other times of assemblage. The veehar, besides two large figures of door-keepers, and various historical and mytho logical paintings, contains a colossal statue of Boodhoo, composed of earth and cement, in a sitting posture, or rather reclining on his lotos throne; his head resting on a pillow, and supported by the right arm, while the left is extended on the thigh of the same side. He has the same tiara, earrings, and curled hair, as the other images already described; and with no unpleasing aspect, is painted of an azure brown complexion. Before this figure stands the principal altar, covered with a variety of brass figures, flowers, &c.

At the north end of the temple is another figure of Boodhoo, in a sitting posture; having on each side two tigers and two alligators, and over the head a fabulous animal called kimis, with three large teeth in front, and two on cach side of the

mouth. But it seems that these ornamental figures have no connection with the character or history of Boodhoo; but should have been placed on the outside of the temple, had there been room. Two figures on each side of this image, with chowries in their hands, are said to be Veeshnu, in attendance upon Boodhoo: "but I have some doubt," says our author," of the accuracy of this information, as at the south end of the temple, where there is a third image of Boodhoo in a standing posture, there is likewise a statue evidently of Veesanu, of black hue, and crowned with a high tiara, which bears no emblem of attendance." There are several other images of Boodhoo in this temple, but as they have no peculiar characteristic, they are undeserving of particular notice.

The island of Tinian has some remains of buildings that show it was once extremely populous, for in all parts of it there are ruins of a peculiar kind. These generally consist of two rows of pyramidal pillars, each pillar being about six feet from the next, and the distance between the rows about twelve feet: they are about five feet square at the base, and thirteen feet high, bearing on the top of each a semi-globe, with the flat surface upwards. The whole of the pillar and semi-giobe is solid, being composed of sand and stone, cemented together and plastered over. These were said, by the neighbouring Indians, to be foundations of particular buildings, set apart for only those of the natives who had engaged in some religious vow. But, were they originally the bases of their com mon.dwelling-houses, their number must have been very considerable; for, in many parts of the island, they are planted very thick, and sufficiently evince the multitude of its former inhabitants.-This a

count we have inserted here, from commodore Anson's Voyage, as it can no where. be better placed than in a work which professedly treats of the beauties of nature.

CUSTOMS, MANNERS, AND RELIGION OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE INDIAN ISLANDS.

THE natives of Ceylon are described by Mr. Ives as the stoutest Indians he ever saw. Mr. Knox asserts that they have various modes of disposing of their dead; some burning them, and others throwing up their limbs into the forks of trees: but other historians relate that they are cannibals, and even eat the bodies of their deceased parents, under the shocking idea that no sepulchre is so proper for them as their own bowels, since thereby they think they are changed into their own substance and live again in themselves. This horrible custom is now abolished; but even at the present day, some of the islanders are said to convert their parents' skulls into drinking cups, with a view that in midst of mirth and jollity they may be sure to preserve a respectful remembrance of them.

The Ceylonese are divided into several tribes, from the nobleman to the mat-maker, and all the children follow the same business as their fathers: nor is it lawful to intermarry with any other tribe. Their religion is Paganism; and though they acknowledge a supreme God, they worship none but inferior deities, among whom they reckon the n and moon. Their houses are small and low, alls made of hurdles smoothly covered with roofs thatched: their furniture is equally lom exceeding a few earthen vessels, a copper basons, and two or three stools.