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25 February 1906 — Anuradhapura | |
Sunday. 25th [February 1906]. I am getting so used to get up early that I cannot now sleep after 5.30 A.M. & so I got up & dressed & prepared for our early drive & roused Nela. We got off in our very tiny waggonette abt 7.30 & drove first under the care of the guide Henry Dobray to the rock temple Issurmuniya which is most interesting & has its chapels cut out in the rock. The place is under the care of a stately solemn old priest who keeps it up from the contributions of the faithful. He had been put in possession by Govr Sir Wm Gregory & when he heard that I had known him & that I had seen lately his widow his joy was great. When in the most sacred of the chapels in which was a hideous figure of Buddha surrounded by many other Buddhas, the offerings of pilgrims, he put his fan before his face & intoned a hymn of blessing on Lady G. wh the guide interpreted as a prayer that she might keep her beauty and her good health & her good sense.” He then led us up to the top of the rock & had chairs & a low table brought out & caused a cocoanut to be brought & its milk to be offered to us for refreshment. We had to drink some—but I found it rather difficult to swallow—decidedly it does not please me. On taking leave of the old priest we climbed up the steep bank behind the temple & found ourselves on the borders of the big Tank—a fine expanse of water. We drove on to the Ruanvelhi Dagoba where we found another old priest who had also been put in charge by Sir Wm Gregory & was pleased to talk of him. Great repairs were being made to the huge Dagoba under his care by the contributions of pilgrims. We made a small offering & bought some figures of Buddha wh he declared were old. He also presented us each with one. At the Dagoba there are interesting figures of priests & one of a king. There is a very wide platform all round. By this time it began to be hot & we returned to the Rest House to breakfast—& then rested till 4 when we drove off to call on Mrs Vigors & had tea with her & her husband, who is Govt Agent here & her son & daughter. All very nice people. We accompanied them to evening service wh was held in an old disused hospital ward. The clergyman was a Singalese of very dark complexion who read English well but preached with more difficulty. I was startled when he gave out that next Wedy is Ash Wednesday. I had forgotten that the year was growing so old. Miss Vigors played the harmonium & led the singing. She said after service she had been interested watching a large rat snake creeping about outside the building. We dined with the Vigors & sat out in their verandah in the evening watching the fireflies. | |
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