ASSAM, BURMA, AND CEYLON 197

the magnificence of the ancient Buddhist remains that are
to be found in these old-world sites, even if it afforded a
faint conception of the beauty of the highways that lead
to them. The granite enclosed temple at Matalé and the
cave at Dambulla are both typical, and attest strongly to
the vitality of the still living faith, whilst the marvellous
extent of the ruins, which occupy many square miles of
country at Anuradapura and Mahintalé, now covered
with the forest growth of years and buried beneath the
accumulations of centuries, attest yet more strongly to
the enormous wealth and influence of that faith in the
past days of its highest development. At Anuradapura
is the sacred Bo tree under which Gautama attained his
Buddhahood, the dagoba of Thuparama, oldest and most
venerated of any in Ceylon (although the pious devotion
which led a wealthy disciple of the faith to smarten it up
with a coating of “chunam” deserves scant acknowledgment
 from the archaeologist) ; and here are sixteen square
miles of ruins—grass-grown jungles in which the contemplative
 stone figures of Buddha stare solemnly through
the ages ; forests of lats and pillars surrounding the ruins
of tanks; foundations of monasteries, temples, walls,
and edifices, which must once have been the glory of
‘he Buddhist world.
Hardly less astonishing are the great tanks which
retained the headwaters of an elaborate system of
irrigation which has yet to be traced out to its full extent.
The great northern road leading to Anuradapura and
Trincomali runs through the heart of the country. It
is usually enclosed with forest on either hand, but
occasionally strikes through long open stretches of grass
land, sprinkled with clumps of trees of magnificent
growth, reminding one of English scenery. In the
winter months, when the rains are ‘still in force, the
vivid luxuriance of the landscape is very striking, and
all Nature seems alive with animated beauty. Butterflies
in countless thousands swarm in the woods till they
appear like beds of flowers, and they rise in clouds as
‘he traveller passes by them.