CEYLON CITIES LONG BURIED.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIX, Issue V, 24 July 1897, Page 154

CEYLON CITIES LONG BURIED.

It may still be counted among things not generally known that in the luxuriant forests of Ceylon the ruins of cities are concealed not inferior in boldness of conception and richness of design bo any in the world. They He in the northern half of the island, almost buried among vegeta tion, and in some cases still difficult of access. They were visited and described by Sir Emmerson Tennant in his classic work on Ceylon, in which also several small illustrations were published, and from time to time they have received notice from other travellers, but now many of the most remarkable ruins are accurately depicted in the reproductions of photographs which adorn H. W. Cave’s new volume on the 'Ruined Cities of Ceylon.’ They have been smitten in bygone ages by the fury of conquerors; they have suffered yet more severely from the hand of time. Trees have taken root on walls and roofs and have wrenched them asnnder; the rank forest vegetation has buried ornamental carvings and sculptured figures. Yet what remains is wonderful, and what would reward excavation may easily be inferred. The ruins belong to very varied dates, some going back to well before the Christian era, others to three or four centuries after it, while one very beautiful and extensive group belongs mainly, if not wholly, to a comparatively late period in Singhalese prosperity, the middle of the twelfth century. Their connection with Buddhism is very close, the most conspicuous remains at the present time being commonly temples, monasteries and dagabas—huge, dome-like structures which in magnitude are nob unworthy rivals of the pyramids of Egypt. One of the most remarkable of the groups of rains is Mimintale, the mountain city. A rocky mass arises abruptly

from the plain to a height of 1,000 feet. The slopes are now covered with dense forest from the base almost to the top, except on the space where a gigantic stairway of granite slabs leads up to the summit. This might well be taken for a part of the natural MH ; In reality it is a huge ruined edifice, the remnant of a dagaba, in the construction of which millions of bricks have been employed. Near it are other dagabas of great size, and, besides these, rock-cut chambers and many other remains of the ancient monastery. The city is associated with sacred memories in the history of Ceylon. Here it was that the nation, in the third century before Christ, adopted Buddhism. Gotama himself is said to have visited the island, the inhabitants of which were then snake worshippers, and to have converted the king. On a second visit he left his footprint on the rock as he rose into the air from the summit of Adam’s peak. But this sign is appropriated, aa is well-known by the followers of different creeds to diverse personages. The Mohammedans attribute it to Adam, the Portuguese Christians were divided in opinion aa to whether it bad been left by St. Thomas or by the eunnch of Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians. Indeed, some critics go so far as to doubt whether Buddha ever visited Ceylon at all, whatever may be the origin of the footprint.

All the railway stations in Sweden at which meals are served are known by a sign bearing the suggestive emblem of a crossed knife and fork. It is now declared that ths X rays cause dangerous palpitations of the heart. People in weak health, if experimented upon, are advised not to expose their vital organs to the rays.