APPENDIX  VI.
 

ANURADHAPURA  AND  THE  NORTH-CENTRAL  PROVINCE;.

    WITH NOTICES  OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY AND

    IRRIGATION WORKS.



              (By J. Ferguson.  Written in  1891.)



       Anuradhapura  and  the Archaeological Survey.



So  far from being disappointed on our first introduction to the great

works and interminable ruins which mark the site of the ancient northern

capital of Ceylon, we can only say that our anticipations in respect of

magnitude, extent, variety and  interest were far more than realised.

"The half had not been  told us," or  rather past writers seem to us to

have failed to do justice  to their subject.   True, nothing can add to the

astonishing calculations entered into by Emerson Tennent with reference

to the magnitude and capacity of the great dagabas, and the total area

probably covered by the city in its time of prosperity thirteen hundred

years ago and  more.  Nor would it be easy to improve on the brilliant

word-painting and glowing imagery of Spence Hardy in his descriptions

of Anuradhapura as he saw it ruined and jungle-covered, in contrast with

his  realisations of its ancient grandeur.   Nevertheless, these and other

writers now appear to us to  have failed to expatiate on, if indeed they

appreciated the opportunity presented, if means were made available, for

tracing out and almost  resuscitating great portions of the ancient city.

The dagabas  are wonderful  landmarks in themselves, and  the man is

surely to be pitied who can gaze on the tree-clad " Jetawanarama," with

its  pinnacle of  dark-brown brick, recalling  so many ancient Roman

towers, without  admiration of its picturesque and massive beauty, and

intense  interest  in historical facts that here is the lasting memorial of

that Sinhalese king (Maha Sen) who, 1,600 years  ago, left  his mark so

widely on the land, crowning his irrigation schemes by the construction

of the great tank of Minneri, twenty miles in circumference.  All the

great dagabas  have a similar historical connection  and story of interest,

even if, in their present forms, they fail to rival the " hill of victory " in

" glory of outline."   No  doubt it is open  to the modern critic to find

fault with the work of restoration, or rather conservation, which has been

done on  " Abhayagiri " ;  but who that has climbed and stood on the

pinnacle of what remains of this " mountain of safety "—over 2,000 years

old—to enjoy  the wonderful panorama stretching from below his feet,

can but regard with satisfaction the preservation from absolute destruc¬

tion of so striking a feature of the old world as this Sinhalese city of the

plain ?  True the height  of Abhayagiri is now only 230 feet against the

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