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PLATE X. THE ROCK OF MULKIRRIGALLE.

This extraordinary mountain of rock, called by the Dutch Adam's Brecht, or Adam's Berg, is about twelve miles from Tangalle (which is 120 from Colombo), by a wretched cross-road, through narrow lanes, overgrown in places with jungle, and continually up and down hill. At Kattawatta there is a stream, about twenty yards broad, with a bridge over it. The traveller cannot fail to remark that the outward signs of respect shewn to him by the natives increase in proportion to the distance from Colombo; but in these parts, seldom visited by Europeans, especially on horseback, the author and his fellow-traveller found that their appearance actually excited fear, the natives whom they met throwing down their loads, and running to hide themselves in the jungle, most of them, probably, never having seen a horse in their lives! In one of these narrow lanes they met a drove of pack-oxen laden with bags of salt, when the frightened animals scampered in every direction, some backwards, others up the steep banks at the side of the road, from whence they were near falling down upon them.

The first view of the rock, with the whitewashed temples near the summit of it, is most striking and picturesque, but the near approach to it is difficult for horses, having to ascend and descend several flights of stone steps hewn in the rock. Here is the principal wihare, or college, for the Buddhist priesthood, in the Island, and the author and his friend received every attention and hospitality from the superiors that their scanty means could afford - intimation of their proposed visit having been kindly sent by the collector of the district.

The night was clear and serene, the stars shone brightly, and the moon, which was nearly full, rising in all its majesty, shed its soft and silvery light, with peculiar effect, on the still and lovely scene; the white walls of the temple stood out conspicuously, relieved by the dark-coloured rock and foliage behind, whilst the leaves of the graceful areca, Palmyra, and cocoa-nut trees appeared tipped with silver; a solemn silence reigned around, and it seemed as if Meditation had marked this sequestered spot peculiarly for its own.

The summit of the rock is gained by a succession of flights of steps cut in it, and at one part, where it is steepest, there is an iron holder to assist the ascent, which should be made in time to enjoy the full beauty of sunrise from the top, and see the glorious orb of day issuing, like a globe of fire, from the sea. The country at the foot of the beholder is richly wooded and verdant, and watered by winding streams; this splendid view being bounded to the southward and eastward by the sea and Tangalle, and, in the opposite direction, by a fine chain of mountains, some of the Kandyan ones being just visible in the distance. On the summit of the rock is one of the white bell-shaped monuments represented in the ornamental Title-page, and called, in Cinghalese, Dagobah, which are attached to almost every Buddhist temple, and are said to cover some precious relic of that god. There are four temples on the side of the rock, two adjoining, about a third of the way up, and two others also contiguous, about a third higher; the image in the principal temple is said to be the largest in the Island, and measures thirty-six feet in length. The cieling of one of the temples is covered with figures representing the twelve signs of the zodiac, and they pretend to have had a knowledge of astronomy amongst their priesthood from a very early period, and that they can, at the present day, calculate eclipses and other heavenly phenomena. In the temples are offerings of various descriptions, made at different periods, some of them of great antiquity. Amongst the most remarkable were a curiously wrought cup, with a Cinghalese inscription, and a very large elephant's tusk, presented by one of the former kings of Kandy. The chief priest said that the governor sent a bag of salt every month as an offering to the temple.

An interesting scene occurred on this occasion in the principal temple. An elderly woman, with her daughter and grandchild, came to make offerings to Buddhu, and implore his assistance for the husband of the young woman, who was dangerously ill. Their offerings consisted of newly-gathered flowers, and they knelt down in prayer by the image with a fervent devotion worthy of a purer faith.

The head priest stated that Sir Thomas Brownrigg, at a visit which he made to Mulkirrigalle, caused the height of the rock to be measured, when it was found to be 678 feet above the level of the plain below.

There are 545 steps cut in the rock, but in several places, where the ascent is not very steep, there are no steps for some distance.