+4

.rouRNArJ, R.A.S.

(CEYLON). [\'OL. xl\'.

lncnruor,ocrcAr' SURVEY' srGrnrYA' No. 40.-1895.]

45

1, A first hurriecl visit hatt

Jrne 22,1E93'"

treen made

to

Sigiriya on

INTERIM REPORT ON THE OPERATIONS OF TIIE

AR,CH.iEOLTOGICAIJ SURVAY AT

SIGIR,IYA

IN

1895.'*

By II. C. P. Bnr,r,, c.c.s., -A.rchreological Commissioner. Fon a general description of Sigiriya reference may be maile to the following, the only known accounts (a few brief notices excepted) :-

(I)

lfahcitoan.sa, chapter XXXIX. (2) Sigiri, th,e L'ion Rock, near Pulast'ipwra, Ceylon,lbc., by T. W. Rhys Davids, late of the Ceylon Civil Service (R. A. S. Journal, vol. YII., art X., 1875). (3) On,tlte Ru,insof Sigi,ri inCeylon,b;'T. H. Blakesley. Public \Morks Department, Ceylon (R. A. S. Journal, N. S., vol. YIII., art. II., 1876). (4) TIre Fortress Roclt of Sigiriycr,, a,ncl i,ts Anc'ient
Irescocs, by A. Murray, Public \Yorks Departrnent,

Subsequently correspondence was started with the public Works Department to secttre, by the early months iron ladilers and an iron hanil-rail,of 1894, the erection of prelirninary to carrying on operations on the an essential wiih safeiY't summit of the Rock to change of Public \Morks Department officers 6. Orving anil other causes, protracteCl ilelay ensuecl, clespite reiterateil protests; ihe only suitable season for work passeal; and not

5.

Ceylon. (l\fanuscript Paper : extracts printecl in " Black and White," No. 189, 1891.)t 2. " Sorne systematic examination of the interesting
remains at Sigiriya "-to quote from the Message to Council of His Excellency the Governor Sir A. H. Gordon, l{ovember 2O-rn-as first specialiy contemplatecl in 1889. 3. In 1893 the Archreological Commissioner receivecl definite orders from the Goverrirnent to commence in 1894, and" car,rry to completion the survey of either Sigiriya, in the Central Province, or Ytlpahurva, in the l{orth-Western Province. { I selected Sigiriya as of higher antiquity and tlistinctly greater interest.

11til the end of 1894 were the iron laclders, &c.' flxeil in posiiion.{ Thus a whole year was lost. 7. l\feanwhile, on April 15, 189,+, I again visited Sigiriya ancl made an ascenb by the jungle-rvooil ladd ers, and 6-irr. rock grooves beyond, to the top of the Rock, rvith a view of gaining somo notion of the probable amount of rvork to be rlone on the summit.$ 5. The summit of the Rock rvas then (April, 1894) covered rvith foresi trees antl a dense undergrowth, neck high. This, ri.ith the undulations of the grounal anil free outcrop of briclc, satisfied me that the clearing of thetimberand. scrub, and thorough excavation of the mounds of cldbris, woulcl entail heavy labour. S). In August, 1894, my Assistant (Mr. M. tr'. Maxfielil), acting on r,vritten d"irections from Kalutara, ll employecl a gang of Siphales'e villagers to fell and. burn the trees on the top of the Rock, as well as close rouncl the base of the western ancl southern scarps. Nothing more could be ilone in 1894.
" f t

* fn illustration of the Report, plans,

architecbural drarrings, and

vlen s of the Rock and its surroundings, done by the Archmological Survey, were exlibited in the room; also an album of photographs taken.by the Archnological Commissioner. t Reprinted" in tine Ccyl,on L.iterary Rc1J.isterr 189l, vol. II., p. SD. Commissioner, September 13. f 89J.

f Letter from the IIon. the Colonial Secretary to the

Archaologicai

Album, C t7B-tBB. Copies of the correspondence'were forwardeil to Government. To guard against all possibility of accident during the continuance of rvotk in 18{},'r thc iron hand-rail was supplementecl, by order of the ArchnoL'giual (Jommissioner, with upright and cross fence-sticks. (Album, C 474.) :\ Alburn, C :i(i:-;170. This was l]ne last of some half dozen ascents to lhu no*nlit, matle by Europeansprior to the fixing of the iron laclders ancl nantl-rail. TLe rock was first, ascenclecl by a tad,y on April 14, 1895. . ll.Ilr. Rell actcd as District Juclge, Kalutaio, ruhil*t also directing 'uch{tolosical Survey operations, between May I antl December 7, 189+.

JOURNATT, ri.A.S.

(CEYT,ON). [YOL. xIV.

No; 46.-1895.] ancuanor,oGrcAr, sun]rE].,

sicrRryA.

17

10. A third visit to Sigiriya in January of this yar, iq company with Mr. G. S. Saxton, Assistant Govern Agent, M6tal6, enabled. me to select sites for the immed erection of temporary " cooly lines " anrl huts (rvattle, andthaich) for overseers and labourers of the Archreol Survey. Tho " lines " were built betrveen the south en of the Rock slope ancl the tank: the rice anil tool and tent of the Archreological Commissioner placed on a plateau a hundrecl yalds from the " gallery." 11. Tamil labour-the Si4halese cannot, or rvill not, di

force-a strange anil ieniaikably unpleaL6. sant expelience-was for quite a fortnighi harassed by the l,taltlnL-u, or rock-bees,* rvhose hives line the ciiff. These aggressive littie pests (rvith a sting corrsiclered almost as severe as that of llae dcborri,, or horcret) t lay in wait for
The whole tlre appr<-rach of the coolies, ancl more tha,n once,
sLro

r_rniloubteclly traceable to the bad

return to Anurriclhapura many of the coolies have been i'cq,pacitatecl for rvork flom a crop of u]cerated sores,
tank u'ater: at Sigiriya.

-is but to move a force from Anurddhapura to Sigiriya, native This I succeeded in doing, not rvithout consid.erable

not obtainable locally. Thele rvas, therefore, no alter-

difficulty, clue to the place having a bacl name from iis forest seclusion, the d.read presence of countless yukku o
ltisci,chilnl, (demons), the unrvholesome tank tl'ater, ancl the scarcity of food. 'I'he latier objection I pariially overcam by allanging for aclvances of rice and cocoanuts, in addition io a slightly enhanced. rate of \\'ages.

liieralty chased them dorrn to their lincs, inflicting stings thai half blinded some of the men antl laid them up for dars together'.f Hardly one escaped,, and n oi:k on the summit hail io be temporarily suspended. After sevelal ineffectual attempts to ilestroy the hives by riddling ihem r,vith shot ancl ball, rve at last succeeded by sio-w_bulning flre balls (Silhalese, uecli rloirnt) in burning them o*t fr.om their main hive:r, hu'clrecl feet or more up the *,est cliff. The rest of
the l:ees then gave comparatively

more,

17. Briefly, lhe rvork done at

liiile

anuoJance.

12. tr'inally, on February 24 a force of 37 men and boys left Anur6dhapura for Sigiriya under my Head Overseer. This inad,ecluate gang rvas graduall;. raisecl by irreg
drafts to 75, but the total strength continued. to fluctua orving to srrclden and unavoidable " disappearances." 13. I joined. the labour force on l'farch li anil remainecl in personal charge of operations until l\{ay 12, rvhen the season's v'ork had to be closeil, strong rvinds and generally inclement rveather having set in. 14. The veather broke on April 26 l'ith a succession of very heavy thunilerstorms followed by gusiy days, which graduall;r uslrered in the high wind that on the fi,ock's summlt resembles a gale. b. The heatth of the coolies during the two and a half months they rvere at Sigiriya 1!-as on the whole good. L few cases of fever and clysentery in a mild form were the chiel ailments, next to sores-a real plague. Since their

logical Survey during the season of 1gg5 comprisecl

Sigiirir.a by the Archreo_

(l)

Olearing

ancient nu,wurcr, (city). (2) Ercauattons (ct) on ilre summit ; (D) below. (3) Otlnru:ork. (4) Detailett nzeaswring rqt cttr.d d,t.cr,rtitig the walls. steps, &c., laid bare by axe ancl s1,ade. plans, &c., are reservecl for my r\nnual Report. ,.,tU; .l.ott |he follo\.ing, for.rvarded .with this preliminary report, rvill give a goocl general idea of the nature ancr. amount of u,ork carried 61f

:* of trees and und.ergloyth (a) on the slunm,it, half done in 1gg4 ; (ll behtw tlte Rac/i,, rvitliin the outer bent.ntct, or rampart, of the

;_

commits himself as ilotiou.s :__,, I have never hd;;;;j':"',11:lince of persons being atracked by the bees of Ceyron, arJ ^ "v 'ric rritrl,rves assett, that those most productive of honey :lre"d"stitotu 0r slings...
^,,.)!1,,

f..1."^'lii*i ((tylon, L 258)

tt

(l,ilLta or

oifiini.s.

Eurnrne^- 7tttti.tlnta.,

48

JouRNAr,, R.A.s. Blakesley's Plan).

(cnyrroN). [Vor,. XIV.

(adapted

(L) Plctn of Sigiri Nwuaru

from

Mr.

(B) Snruey Plctn of the str'm,m'it of Sti.giri-gala (made

by the Archmological Survey), showing the

terraces, &c., and the excavations cornpleteil

in

1895.

(C) Eleucttion Dra,uing (sample) of one mound and trench on the summit. (D) Plrotctgraphs taken at Sigiriya.x

(1)

Cr,nenrNc.

19. (a) On tke Sumnti't -The numerous trees felled in August,1894, hail to be cut up, thlol'n ovei: tho Rocl<, or burnt, anil a tangleil gr:orvth of md,nct, grasst andcreepels removed.
This rvorh aLone occupied a fortnight.

20. (b) Bclow tlLe RocA;.-Starting from the south-west

corner of the llock and rvorking northrvard down the steep terraced slopes, the unilergrorvth-in places tholny and close-was gradually swept as far as tlne malui betnnzo,, ot great ramp, the path to Pid.urirgala being kept as the westevn limii at first, ard subsequently ihe Talkot6 viliage path. The area embraced covers roughly half a mile by one-thircl.{ It is strervn with scores of boulclers, large and small, markecl by grooves and mortice holes innumerable, that formerly held. walls ancl pillars of the city buildings. All clearing was done by Sighalese labour. 2L. As rvill be seen on reference to Plan (A), there remains to be clearecl the area rvest ancl south-rvest of the Talkot6 path up to the mcthti, bcnznta, and an unknown extent round the north ancl east siiles of the Rock, to say nothing of the jungle along the huge stone embankment stretching south from the present tank.

22. A proper survey of the-miles of-rubble-faced$ banhs, rvhich hold. up a successit,n of tei'races to the south,
Album, C 419-478.
See Pla,n A.

Anrlrnpoqttn Z $ Album, C 470'

'ttlatt'icu,s

No,46.-1895.] encn.aor,ocrcArr suRvEy,

siernrye.

+g

west, and north of the Rock, can be effected only after the rvhole area of the ancient nwward is freed of undergrowth.

23, In addition to the large area within which the wholo of the low jungle has been cut and stacked into heaps for fourning, a considerable number of trees was felled. anfr. cut up along the west face of the Rock and round the principal groups of boulders (,, Audience Hall," ,,Cistern
Bock,"

24. It is now for the first time practicable to get a

('Preaching Rock," &c.) to better open out the view.

comprehensive view of the western sicle of Sigiri-gala from the commencement of the app, \ch near ,, Cistern Rock."

comlrleted equals an acre cir more.f

(2) ExceverroNs. 25. (a) On the Summi,t.-survey plan (B) shows that the general fall of the ground-cloubtless following the slopo of the living rock below-is from west to east, and less abruptly from north to south. This natural declination was eviclently turned to account in the aclaptation of the ground for the terraces and builclings which once occupiecl it. The terraces along the high ground bordering the west ed"ge and stretching inwards to about the axis of the hill, fall away very gradually from north to south, as clo those from the central gtokuna or pond, to the south and east verge of the Rock. The steepest bank runs longitud.inally south from the north encl of the Rock (marking the high ground off from the lorv level area excavated this year) to tine pokuna, where the slope must be 40 ft. high, and upwards. The only high bank lying east and west adjoins the Rock's north-east ec[ge,* but there are low banks south of the poncl. 26. l'he ground worked this year lies between (i.) tho high back-bone slope d"own the centre, (ii.) ihe north-east verge of the Rock and (iii.) t\re pokwna, with (iv.) a portion on ihe south-west around the rock cistern. The whole area
*
Album, C 429. 480, ancl Drawing (C). See PIan (B).

15-95

50
27.

JouRNArJ, R.A.s.

(cnyr,oN), [Vor,. XI\r.

No. 46.-1895.] ancn.aor,ocrcAr, suRvEY,

sfGrRrYA. 51

28. Progress was necessariiy slow. The intense-almost unbearable-heat on the exposed and shadeless Rock; only impur:e rvater frorn tlne TtrLku,na to slake thirst; and an ttnusual depih (15 ft. in places)v. to deal rvith of cakecl brick anc[ sione d,ibris helcl together by tree-roots, all renderecl the daily task no light one. 29. It soon became patent that we had to face rui.ns of nt least two periocls. 'Walls -nvere found to run over rvalls, pavement above pavement, and stairs below stone ramps. I therefore deemed it advisable to sink the trenche s dttwn to the ba,re rock in most cases. i 30. As, too, the internal arrangement of rooms varied., every rvall had to be followed along its inner as rvell as its outer face. 31. Further, the certainty that builclings, passages, &c., covered the entire summit to the ueru ed,ge of the ctiff ail c"orlnd, made it necessary to carry every basketful of earth, &c., to the eastern verge a,a:rd throrv it to spoil below. 32. Broadly speaking, the buildings (so far as can at present be judgeat) seem to have containecl spacious rooms separatecl by passages paved with quafiz flags and uniteil by 1 quartz stairs-quarfe everywhere-a strikinE feature of the Sigir.iya rnins.t 33. One botdly-carved asanaya (g tt.10 in. by 4 ft. 6 in.), or throne, hewn out of line tnahc{-ga,ta (the gneiss rock core), has been exposeil. It fronts east, and lies at the foot of the high ground v'est of the area excavatecl.$ 3+. A liiile useful work was also done near the south_ 1 west edge. Tihe cistern sunk here into the solid rock, measuring 13 fi. 2 in. by 9 fi. 10 in. and g ft. 6 in. in depth,
t
* Drawing (C) anct Aibum,
SeePtan 1B).
C +7b. +76.

Excavations were started from the heaC of the steps which still mark the point where the ((gallery " reached the summit at the north-east edge of the Rock.

was cleared of some 7 ft. of brick and mud, and scrubbed clean for future use, the ground round about being dug up
ancl levellecl

off to prevent the wash of the rains finding its rvay again into the cistern.*

ihe ladders on the north side of ihe Rock had been wiileneil and strippecl of tt'td'na grass and loose brick-bats, that made the approach additionally arcluous from the difficulty of picking one's rvay with secure footing, only two parties were kept belon', except clur:ing the time that the bamha't"w held' the Rock against us.
was ro settle the moot point as to the approach, or approaches, to , \ "gallor)'" from the lorver terr:aces. A step or trvo peeping out here and there from

35. (b) Betow tha lloclt:.-Lfter the path from the tank tc

36. My first object

strewn with bricks, which falls t'galleryr" away westward from the present entrance to the pointed. to stairs in this clirection.
line mcl,na-covered. mound,

few yards south of the existing ascent into the " gallery" at the wid.e grooves which once helil the "gallery" walls, the parties very soon struck two sets of stairs (c1u,arta here again) branching off south-west ancL north-rvest anil descencling by a series of level land.ings and flights of steps. These stairs have been siowly follorvecl-each with its flanking brick wall to the right of the ascent-dorvn to the terrace immecliately above the " Audience Tlall " ancl " Cistern " rocks'

37. Working from the

Rock scarp a

descent manifestly runs along the slope of a south-westerly spur of the Great Rock, and finally

38. 'Ihe southern

curls inwards at the bottom, fully grounii level.t

+

10

nft' below

present

;1 Albrrrn. A 4.77. 1TB,

lower clown, south' See Plan (B)' pots, recovered from the bot'tom of the Tn,o ancient. kata.gedi, or rvater cistern, have beeit senb to the Colombo Mnseum These may be 1''100 yeals old. f Album. C 460, +61. Album, C 368.

A snall

cut:e lies

E2

52

JouRNAr,, R.A.s.

(cnyr,oN). [Yor,. XIV.

No. 46.-1895.1 encuaorJocrcArr suRvBy,

sfcrE,ryA.

5Z

39. That on the north-six flights of steps at least; with intermediate landings-mounts straight up d.ue east from the ground just outside a stone gatewaya little north-east of the '( Audience Hall, " until, nearing the Rock, it converges to the south-east, ancl probably met the termination of the south approach at the " gallery." * 40. Sorne of these quartz staircases had as many as twenty to ihiriy steps, beautifully dressed, and several are siill in excellent preservation.
41. What buildings, &c., lay between the two approaches must be lef b for another season's excavation to settle. 42. Between the ((Audience Hall" and the (,Cistern" rocks runs a narrow gorge or passage, and below their north-west and south-west angles respectively are two caues formed by the overhanging rock. Both these caves as well
as the passage have been excavated.

the ('Auclience Hall " rock was sirnilarly dug out, and a semicircular brick wall, with middle entrance, exposeal in front. This cavo probably

45.

Opposite this cave, that uncler

once served. as a uihd'rcl.*

46.

The connection between

the area immediately

east

of the "Audience Hall" rock ancl the upper terraces has yet to be traced. Some trial trenches were dug near tbe gal6,sanaya,l which lies lower than the Aud ience Hall boulcler, before work ceased for the year. 47. '( Fincls " have been so Jar few, anal somewhat

disappointing : clay lamps, and water pots, a variety of potsherds, pieces of a white china bowl, a small stone figure of Budd.ha, a tiny cr;--'1! karand,uua (relic casket), a flowereil kwra (hafupin) of copper, a small and hopelessly corroaleal coin, and half a bushel of iron and copper nailsthese complete the list.

43. A flight of steps leads down into the gorge,t

rock.

and

there is an exit flight at the back (west) of the ,(Cistern"

44. The cave under this rock-erroneously

si;yled the

" Queen's Bath," from a supposed connection with the cistern above, equally misnamecl the (. King's Bath "-has evidently been restored at some period. This was obvious from the low wall of wrought slabs rn,ith mould.ings vhich surrounded the central rock-cut asanaya having been built up irregularly in trrick rvalls. These had to be demolishecl and the cave
freed. of a heavy accumulation

(3) Orunn Wonx. 48. (a) Whilst cligging out the caves above mentioned we lighied on four workecl slabs, which, upon measurement, fortunately provecl to be the stones missing from the parapet wall of the rock cistern above. They must have fallen, or been thrown, over the rock centuries back. 49. With infiniie labour these heavy stones were rollecl first along the gorge, then up a steep bank, ancl finally, by
improvising an inclinecl plane of tree-trunks, draggecl to the top of the rock, and once more accurately replacecl. .Thu cistern (16 ft. 2 in. by 8 fi. 1 in. and 5 tt.I in. deep), now properly restored, is not ornamental alone, but can be turnetl to practical service.f 50. (D) In the course of my personal exploration of ihe

of ddbris,. the removal of which brought down part of the rock roof that had been loosened by damp and age, necessitating cilutious blasting and a fresh clearance. During the last week of work the cave was finally emptied of fallen stone, brick, and. earth; the mouided slab wall properly re-set ; and a neat brick wall built on two siiles to hide the fi.ssures running back into the bowels of the rock.{
* A1bum, C +58, 459, 46{,

forest around Sigiri-gala I climbed a strangely-shaped rock pitted with sockets for pillars, anil with an eastward slope at a steep angle. This boulcler is situatetl about 300 yards from the north-west end of the Great Rock. The
* Album, C 468. A small ma,rble Buddha was exhumed here,

Album, C 4ti6

Album, C 467.

t Album,

469.

Album, C 431, 432, +62,

46&.

54

JouRNAr,, R.a.s.

(cnvr,oN). [Vot. XIV.

clearance of the r:ock revealed threo incisecl seats (the largest 9 fi. by 7 tt. + in. by B ft. 9 in.) orre above the oilrer, dorvn its centre, and on every side of them innumerable grooves aucl mortice holes. 52. This ner.v discovery I have provisionally named the o'Preaching Rock."* Its rvest and north_west faces overhan-g and form lofty caverns, trvo of which bear short inscriptions in cave character.t

surface of the boulder when first seen was buried beneath (-waterfall " of eltatu-tnul (trailing roots of the Focws Ts,ieln.a ---- '"'looQ1 Roxb.) and a thicl< crust of vegetable mould.

No. 46._1995.] ancrraor/ocrcAl suRvEy,

sicrnryA.

Js

deeply

51: A thorough

year,* Mt:. D. A. L. perera, First Draughtsman, , Archreo_ logical Sur,vey, has made drawings to scale of.'(,

(e) Cave be.tow (!) @tan and sectionsj. (.f) 4 prcaching Hall Rock ,, (plan and sections) (g) Gat_t1,sanr4:/r on the summ'tt

(d,) Cave below (b) (plan ancl sections).

(/) .,Arrdien,.e Flrll llock ,' (nlan anc1 sections). (r) ..Cisteln Rocl< ,' 11rlan ond secl,ions).

(ct)

Gallery

" (plan).

57. [Il.
f or
c

(plan and sections).

"f-;;"4;;, il".nt
llT:l--l,THxT
;;;;
these caves

Per.era

op

yin g

the ('galler;.

projects, so ihat a plumb line from " rvall.

situated neerrly 50 fi. above the ,6gaile1y,, and some 160 fi. from the glound. ,I.he bi.orv of

,.pockets

"

in oi,s ilT

;,i:i,:ffilh

i1i

it

falls only just rvithin

(4) MEASUREMENTs arvo Dner,vrNcs.

my Overseer (A. p. Siriwarclhana), a careful pi:ismatic com survey of the summit and the portion excavatecl
* Album, C

55. 'I'he measuring up and taking levels of the trencl walls, steps, &c., excavatecl on the summit, as rvell as bel the Rock, has been thoroughly done, ancl occupied much til It u'as essentially necessary to clo this rvork before leavi ligirifa for the )-eay, as the brickwork where exposed is friable thai ihe nor,th-east monsoon will mosi assurel bring dorvn a great ileal of it. Even the heavy but b rain I'hich fell in Apr,il rn'ashed away o1e yall ancl a fli of steps in a single night. 56. Besides completing, in conjunction rvith I

Deparrrnent, by the aid of a tresile and rope laclder, gained access io the larger ,.pocket,, anrl made drawiags of tire figures (portraiis /acj.siim.t,te tr"acings ancl ,I.hese were done in cr.a)-{rns, and are ", q.."""_1. oor,, hoog.-";;; the staircase in the Colornbo _Nluseum. t?: I have always held the vielv that, most admirable as ale these dras'ings in themselv"*,

5E. Li

1999,

IIr. A. Mulray,

of ihe public Works

1t:': original

to-" vividness, and secondly,

, a make.shifr ladder of jungie_sti"ku hugging the concave fu.u oi ih" and

tnuy ao ,rot exhibit fulry, in" *rrui coarseness of the colouring. A r.isky s""amfl* lnro ,O" ,,pocket ,,

j;J;;

i,o jumpers,g and

up

llilTJ
+h,

r.ock, confirmed this upirrion' The nortraits a'e "".r.;;;;;g painted in br'riant corours, \-ith that coarse ,, dabbiness ,, characterisiic of $cene_

Nhich'enders rhem so

"i*-l*

soft, from

dT.

..iifi:?::
i

Jl:1l;;ric".

rhis, the fi"*t .oro.y made of ihe sunnuit of. Sigiri-gala, j ili;'"1":":H:.
LDrirce s1l0
fl

46F.

Albuur, C 418.

These

wiil

be given

in my Annual

Repor"i,

^;l! sisi'iv"lo'n1ff.f, l'iTiTlol.i-:1,-;il,i"o-1i.:l;a,'r;-?l:,Tu:.'

f II ll "i{,ltrl;#ll,::lt*,yifl:tl H ; Ir82, Tll;+ ;i rsj, jiz.

t ;i:".,c

i 1'J ;, i"1if,

ii."jr.

or sigiri-gara rrom rhe nerds on ;';-Jii.li?; tr "i

:f

ff

q uir.ins ff i;.iJ_:Xr,iffi iltil$:i:,i,"""":tH|,x;#i r

cl,,oveLr berore

56

JouRNAl, R.A.s.

(cEYLoN). [Vol. XIV.

No. 46.-1895.1

PR,OCEEDINGS.

:tl

60. A lengihy

correspondence with the District Engineer,

Mital6, has so far failed to result in the carrying into practical exeiution of any plan for enabling my draughtsman to ascend and copy the frescoes. I trust' horvever, that the Public Works Department will solve the difficuliy (not great) before 1896, and thus permit of my securing enact cogties i,n oils of these unique specimens of ancient chromatic art, before swallows and bees together complete their destruction.*

61. In conclusion, I should. acld that the huts and "cooly lines " have been placed, by the Assistant Government Agent, Mri,ial6, in charge of the Arachchi and village headman, and
will be available for occupation next year, with fresh leafing. 62. I propose, with the approval of the Govetnment, to resume work at Sigiriya on or about February 1, 1896, ancl to continue operations until the high wind commences about the end of April.
haclbeen reacl exhibited in a conspicuousdegreethelaborious, exhaustive, ancl able way in which Mr. BelI always clicl his work. An opportunity was now given to anybody present to supplement, or to illustrate, what

4.

Hrs Excnr,r,nNcv rup Govsnxon. remarked that the Paper which

hacl been already saicl acquaintecl

some

with Sigiri Rock, more particularly as w?s shown by his copies of the frescoes now hung in the Museum harcl by; ancl he was sure they would all be very glad if Mr. Murray woulcl give them
further descriptive remarks on that interesting subject.

saw among those present 1\Ir.

by further ilescriptions ancl remarks. IIe

A.

Murray, who was iltimately

Mr. A. Munnl.v said that he had hacl the active assistance in the copying of the frescoes of Mr. F. J. Pigoit, of the Public Works Department, ancl also the co-operation of Mr. S. M. Burrows, then Assistant Agent, M6,tal6. But in spite of the aiil of those two gentlemen, it was most ilifficult to get the natives rounil Sigiriya to render any assistance, on account of the great superstition that existeil. The headmen and priests hail warneil fhs villagers that any one assisting him in any \eay would be utterly annihilateil. He hacl then to fall back upon two Canarese, one of whom on getting to the overhanging portion of the rock, found that he was thrown over the precipice as it were. He declineil to work any further, except on the condition that he should be allowecl to fast for three days. Thinking this woulcl make the man lighter (laughter) Mr. Murray allowecl him to fast, and then he successfully resumed work. While he was copying the

* I noticeil that the execrable (and by no means moclern) mania for scribbling names and initials, which has already so greatly disfigureil the ttpockets," where names of "gs,Ilery" walls, has even reachecl the fresco Tarnil workmen may be seen scrawlecl on the very paintings !

i,i"t.i il..uppg.! of hi. T::,1::l of the primitive Sinhalese. ;;?i;;rio#,egarai,,g ir," "-riJi" racurtles felyent, Mr. F. 3. Ror,rs. a.frrer.^commenling on Mr. Murray,s historical references to the rock ror-tlncaiion*l;d".ib.d il; difflculties ancl discomforts of the journey. He hr,d heard the "u*" of c"ro""ibrtut"rriir
f'Th-e first .Ewropeans to reach the surnmit *ere tr[essrs. A. and J. Bailey, who r:nade rhe ascent in lbJj._B.
I

others, the arri val of Mairindo, rt u I f,u"i;ng oibu"onr-pjil Ti,,-.; and the incidents of thar monarch,s. ,.*ign in-C.yton. "f U" Sii

rvas- found that there were painling. r*p"e."niinE _"ll"rrJ in real life during rhc fifth cbnturvZf t[" ah"l*;ir;';;":;; . tle alio spoke of the t6mpre !S:::-t liqi{1":prctures simitar to tbose in-srgiriya "weie i"-ir," "r-e;r,.t,l found. illllll l}.re Accordtng co .Dr. .t'ergusson. the A.i;rr.rti temple was'rich in frescoes I:Tresenrrng, the rnciclenls of r,he history of Buddhism in Cevlon. r"ors. certalnty he thorrghL con6r.mcd the stntements of the "14th chapter of thc Mohawanlo. The flescoes i" Aiuulat"pi"i,";;";;_;

was somerim-e*;uitlh; ih" sGh;G; l;; ll:l*Pq :l Ceylon. Ir arts. According ro the earhi histor, .i notnlng.a.bout the fine

suomrt[ecr that those frescoes were of great interest to the students of

Bell ancl,Murray for the interesting nup"r*

* l{.

frescoes,.Mr. Burrowq ancl the galla!.t Major of the C. M. I. visiteil him at his work. Concerrring Mr. Bell,s" remarks ,h;i;"-;;i;i;;i colours had not been imitatecl, he might sav Lbar n" ffft.. ni;i";i had taken up thc_ colours and mixed cheir nimsetf un tt e'fi1r, "'*pot. the co_pying had_been accomplished_Mr. Burrows thought it *""fa t" good thing to leave somethlng in the shape of a memento. Thev sot a abottle, and in thab they_pub soqe o-f ile papers otthe clay;"Ji"i;; of local , currency and deposited rhe botr,le there. A- i[;t- ;;;; leavrng bhe rock a lluddhisr and a siviLe priest came up rnd aJked to be rllowed to pray for Lhe preservarion 'of the botile.' (Laushter.i Permrssron was given, and while lhc nalives prayed lie un? tft.'. IJurrows,,wondering^what they-could do in the wiy of dedi"ation and sentrnent,._slng ,,Cod Save the eueen.', BeFoie concJudinE. Mr. Murray said he_must menrion that ]re was simpry ".r""i.r,.J-ii iilu amount of solid good n-ork done bv Mr. Be[. Hrs Excrllclcy said he hatl himself Leen up the Sieirivarock. toa. point called the end of the (.galler.y,., from which th; ?;;;;;;;"1"; !yJI; Ioryy.were visibte, arid.he cou rd d r lttcu lty and rrsk one ran in achieving even that poti ioi (t l re,, gallerv,') of iheascent of the Rock. Even looking up ai, tf. t...""i,. one shudder from fear of falring orr""ihb pre"ipice .ro*" "1r"?-t*ia6 r"r.i"a, ,"a posiLion rhere, lying on his'bacli- represented io' His Ytll l/Tir1a{'s -r]xcellency's qlnO 1r@b could only be described by t6e word,,heroic.,, i nquired . 1 :.ply to .tvl_r. J. _b'erguson, _whothe rock i f th-at gen Lleman was the [rso -uurope_an who had ascended this cen-turv. Mr. Murrav sard tnat lvtr. L. Ureasy and General Lennox had"'reached thL top eighteen monihs bef6re. He may h"o;-t;;;- tfr"' nr*t t"- g*t"*t. the pocket containing t,be frescoes. - Mr-. J. Henwann iemarkecl that Colonel Meaden had told him that $ay that he visited sigiriya in r856. ancl tho;gh i[" weaiherp"evenled his ascent, EngJish pe"optb had undoubtecrly d?-;;";" before that.r!

hi*;"ii;;.aiiy;;;;;"rr:;;

C,

M. F"enw,r'lto.i ."ia ir,ut uil-of

i;d. ;;; indebted to Messrs. u"i ih;-i;;-;;;--li;

ueyton,tt
womerr

y.

Adams

58

JOURNATT, R.A.S. (CEYT,ON).

[Vor,. XIY.

apology was that it was through a desire to, inscribe it close to thai o? one of IIis Excellencv's illustrious preilecessors, who hacl not ^ruled the Presiilency of alone been Governor of Cevion, but had Madras. Mr. Ievers confessel embarrilssment in fulfitling the wish of the Committee that he shoulcl propose a vote of thanks to Mr. Bell for the valuable Paper thev had iusi heard reacl. It was due to the Covernor th'r.t Ltiey ha.l an opporr unity oF hearing the Paper, which hacl been f urnishecl-by Mr.8ei1 as an ofiicial Repolt. While acknowIedqing IIis Exceltency's benevolence to the Society, the Meeting might oon"" ih. Iess thank I4,r. Bell for the care and pains he had taken in one of the chief branches in which the l{oyal Asiatic Society was

mentioned as one of the Europeans who hail sc;r,led Sigiriya before the ricketybamboolaclders hail been repiaced by iron ones and an iron rail. 5. "Mr. R. W. Invnns said he had some rlemerks to offer in a spirit of contritic,n, as he hacl visitecl Sigiliv& svarrrl times,- but more witlla view to bear-shooting than the #q,ii*itiott of archreolog-ical lo-le' --IIe hacl a'nother matter of self-abasenient and apology to offer. Mr' Bell hail justly complained of the vandalism of visitc,rs who hacl inscribecl their obscure ,turn"*oo t,he beautiful chunam of the galler.y' IIe was, alas ! a vandal. FIe hed place,l his obscure nrme [hcre. His only

ilterestecl, namely, Archreology. He had therefore no further hesitation in moving ihat a vote of thanks be accorded to Mr. Bell. Mr. SuNrronrn GnenN seconcleil tlre motion. Hrs Excolr,pxcr, in putting the motion to theMeeting, spoke again of the thoroughness i.itn wnicn Mr. BelI had done the work entrusted to him. The motion was carriecl with acclamation. 6. Mr. .f . FnneusoN said the pleasant duty hail just been committed to him of moving a corilial vole of thanks to Ilis Excellency the Governor for presiding over the Meeting. An a4ditional reason was affordecl in the fact mentioned by Mr. Ievers that the Society was inclebtecl to the Governor for Mr. Bell's Paper. But he believeil the olclest Member would bear him out in saying that no previous Governor hacl nrore readily and consistently given his countenance-ancl support to their Society'than hacl Sir Arthur Havelock. (Appiause.) Tbi* might be a fareweil appearance of His Excellency at_a_Meeting of the Societv, though he hopecl not; but if it was, an ailditional interest was lent from the fact thai the Paper reacl hail to clo with that Archreological Surve;r which His Excellency hail macle it hls special object to promote. It was also of interest to them, that in Southern -Governor woulil be in a land closely connected with the India the past history of Ceylon, anil when matters arose of local interest His hxcellency n"ould" probably not forget the Ceylorr Branch of the Royal Asiatic Socieiy. He moved a very corclial vote of thanks. (Applause.) ' $fr. f. li. M--rcr<wooo seconcleil the motion, which was carried with
annlause.

way in which he has proposecl this vote of thanks, and the Meeting for the very cordial way in which you have received ii. The fact that my Jeaving Ceylon will not take me far from you is some little consolation to me in the great feeling of

Mr. Ferguson for the very kind

' i.

IIrs Excnlr,pNcv, in acknowlecling the vote, saicl : I beg to thank

regret wi[h which I anticipate my departure from amongst you.

(Loud applause.) ' The Meeiing then terminated.