The colours on the
southern wall of the temple are remarkable for their fine state of
preservation.
Here, likewise, there is a funeral monument, like that of the Temple
of Dagoha, not however, in the building itself, but under the lofty
firmament of heaven, and shaded by noble trees.
Attached to the temples are frequently schools, in which the priests
fulfil the duties of teachers. Near this particular temple, we saw
about a dozen boys - girls are not allowed to attend school - busy
writing. The copies for them were written very beautifully, by
means of a stylus, on small palm-leaves, and the boys used the same
material.
It is well worth any person's while to walk to the great valley
through which the Mahavilaganga flows. It is intersected with a
countless number of wave-like hills, many of which form regular
terraces, and are planted with rice or coffee. Nature is here young
and vigorous, and amply rewards the planter's toil. The darker
portions of the picture are composed of palms or other trees, and
the back-ground consists partly of towering mountains, in a holiday
suit of green velvet, partly of stupendous and romantic rocks in all
their gloomy nakedness.
I saw many of the principal mountains in Ceylon - giants, 8,000 feet
high; but, unfortunately, not the most celebrated one, Adam's Peak,
which has an altitude of 6,500 feet, and which, towards the summit
is so steep, that it was necessary, in order to enable any one to
climb up, to cut small steps in the rock, and let in an iron chain.
