decorated with a few scattered shrubs. Islands extend on both sides, and one appears more remarkable than the others, being farther detached from the surrounding land. Some of these exhibit fine rocks intermingled with verdant bushes, which often seem to form their bases. Along all the borders, trees and shrubs grow amongst the water: the branches drop down, and shoot up like new plants, completely concealing the soil from which they originally proceed. The banks of the lake nearest to the sea are lined with broad belts of cocoa-nut trees; but on the inland sides none of these are to be seen. The other trees, however, which everywhere abound, exhibit a still more agreeable and picturesque appearance. On the north-west it lies about one furlong from the sea, and is separated from it on the south-east only by a bar of sand, which during the rains is washed down by the lake discharging its waters into the ocean, Soon after entering the fertile province of Matura, the country afforded beautiful and extensive prospects, terminated by luxuriant mountains. The road winding amongst wooded hills, by its ascents and declivities, added to the variety, and increased the enjoyment which proceeds from this sort of travelling. Bungaloes were erected as resting-places; and the road was ornamented by curtains of cocoa-nut leaves, in the same manner as between Columbo and Point de Galle. At all the villages the natives were drawn up by the head men, on each side of the road, many of them dressed in coats of European cloth, and armed with swords and spears, saluting the governor as he passed along. The British traveller is here struck with the similarity of the scenes which present themselves to his view to the delightful private parks of his native country, which have been laid out under the direction of the refined and cultivated taste of their noble proprietors. Sometimes venerable and majestic trees formed a shade over our heads: sometimes we travelled amidst flowering shrubs; sometimes through cultivated meadows and fields of smiling corn. The trees, the plants, and the verdure, often resemble the most beautiful species in our native country; and the combination of all these ornaments discloses an elegance of skill unrivalled by the efforts of human genius. Nature breathes around an eternal spring: flowers, blossoms, and fruits adorn the woods at all seasons. A vast wilderness of noble plants rises in ten thousand beautiful landscapes; displaying a majesty and richness of scenery, and raising emotions of delight and admiration, which cannot easily be described. About a quarter of a mile before we reached Belligam, which is half way to Matura, we went one furlong off the road to the right to see the Cingalese temple of Buddha, called Agrabuddhaganni. It is situate on the summit of a 1 little hill, to which an ascent is formed by a flight of stone steps. A body of priests invited us to enter, and seemed much pleased with our attentive observation of the images and paintings. They likewise expressed satisfaction in seeing us take some sketches from them. The sanctuary which contains the idols is enclosed by an inner wall; and both this and all the other walls within the temple are covered with hieroglyphic paintings, exhibiting the history of their kings, and their wars, their religion, and their priests. A painter reads the stories in Cingalese books, and then pourtrays the subjects on the wall, according to the pictures which they form in his imagination. The drawings are merely outlines coloured, without any shading; and a small specimen of them is given in the annexed plate over the image of Buddha, sufficient to shew the general style of these performances. To delineate all the historical paintings which the temple contains would require the labour of several months. On the left of the door a large statue of Buddha reclines at full length upon a pedestal, his right hand under his head resting on a pillow, his left hand lying by his side. A long yellow garment thrown over the left shoulder reaches down to the ankles; the feet, the right arm, and half of the chest being left uncovered. The flaps of the ears are represented open, like those of the Malabar people in Ceylon, the hair woolly or curled, and touching his head is a crown of various colours resembling a flame of fire. A red sash hangs over |