this4 b ila g ^ is a gi^t>-taùk tk p b n d y occupying a space
twenty ‘ jBH P p SWB éirthhhfeÿehôëÿ1 'd t was oyi^iî&llÿ formed
for the religious ceremonies of purification, and is similar td
thbse fbuttd on thè Çdrohtâ!WdelSLcoSst and other places -of-thd
continent of > I n d i a . I t must have been constructed a t a very
early period ; and th e i èxpehce and labour 'required1 for such
an hndertàlfihg HmuSt have been the* natives
of Cfeyldfl !ëan givev-8i.hy àecôuht of -its fâtâjjplB I t had'bëeü
originally walled 'rophd, and "its »bottom laid with .flags; b u t
great p a rt o f it haSSiSidFored ^éxtreinêlyi^röiïi. time; and it- is
now mnefa. ont of rhpaifi f € fe y em d t No rth «had^sotafe thoughts
of repairing p a rt Of -it, bütP life estimated^ÉÉpëÉéè'^was'd^
great. This'- tank, »or r a th e r lakey- th©t!%nly'a#ti#@idfi^h#Mho#
found in Cîéyloni was evidently the workmanship o f a different
religious, sect from the ;preseBt GefloiidSef^ who prefer-bathing
in running water; Numbers, hbwever, resort* *f o - th is-h abW ed
lake to wash away their sins, and déVete' a portioh of th eir
time to other rd ^ fo u s égfô®ÉffiîifestA':
We are now again returned ’ t o T r iueom alee after'-having' made
a tour of the island, and noticed Ovêf^ pîtfcè'thEtt^'hppeàrs'W’or1-
thy ©f remark in the European dominions. It .appeals kom-
thia survey, -that- the internsd wenltb, as- well as thé popnlffibÉÎ
of these possessions, lies on the west and south-west; coasts;
whïlë that secure station for ^shipping; Which renders f^plbk(df
so much importance to our other East Indian' ‘ donStóS^s>--‘:4Sè&'
aft the opposite side, and the most barren quarter- of the island.
The present state of the roads is such as almost eh-,
tirely to. preclude all: intercourse * by land between the opposite
sides oft theuslandjii-whieh are thus prevented ' fconi imparting
their advantages to each others In time* however, these defect»
may in a great measure: be remedied; ; and<#nany pepeflcial plans
have already begun h&&e*exec,u£ed b lith e intel|igedfel?li‘eeis: whq
at present command inf,the, island. I t.pp-probable*) pis©,,,. that
in- time sthe: poorer lands in thekporth and -gast, parts,jpay be
employed to rai§e-4he necessaries; qhdife,;' whilpjjJhej rick^plains
around Cerlumbo ’are entirely bevoted^todts valuable) Apices.?
-KThe- 'partS Tof. the island which ^remain io, pe. described, ar,a
under a different 'Sovereign, and inhabited by people of', different
appeatiStteb Sa«d»»'diastbms^!fobm - those on «the sea^opst. ^jjBefore
describing them', ‘thdre'fofe^ -it* will .be proper to!gfve sbme,,ajeh
©65Smt Of the »several‘ rae^s of people whq ape^fomjf}. on thb se^
as the de'scr-iptionr of the inland'country must- .necessarily:
be 'lnt®sp©ts<lfl’',with- observations on the manners, of its inhabitants.