The resigned, but suffering rajah, having, with all due humility, paid his accustomed devotions, and offered sweet-smelling flowers, according to the Budhoo religion,[103] and repeated the Budha-Sarana,[104] fell into a sound sleep, which lasted for several days. During his trance, he beheld a large expanse of water, which he tasted, and found it both salt and nauseous, although of a fine green[105] colour near, and blue in the distance; having on its margin immense groves of trees of a rare kind, such as he had never before seen; for, instead of branches in various directions, as other trees had in his country, a tuft of large leaves, as they then appeared to him to be, crowned the lofty summit of each individual tree, which, to an immense height, was totally divested of branches or foliage.—This tradition is believed by many eminent Tirinanses, or high priests, of Budhoo, who attach to it great antiquity. The Kottah rajah, having awakened from his trance, felt his mind deeply impressed with the unusual nature of his dreams; but, in the natural excitement which the hope of his recovery encouraged, he renewed his oblations and prayers, believing that a display of omnipotent mercy would be the result. A Cobra de capello, the Naya of the Singalese, (_Coluber naja_, Linn.) and sacred snake of the Budhists, shortly afterwards approached, and, having expanded its spectacle-marked hood, raised its head a cubit above the ground, and observed the rajah steadily for some moments; after which, the animal, extending its blue forked tongue, and thrice bowing its head, lapped water from the leaf in which it had been reserved for the rajah’s particular use. Having thrice repeated the draught, the animal, still keeping its eyes fixed on the rajah, gradually retired to the jungle. This was conviction itself of Budhoo’s[106] favour. Again the prince felt his eyelids grow weary; but, in his then state of disease, he had determined to occupy no place of shelter save that which the shady Bogaha, (_Ficus religiosa_,) the tree under which he reposed, afforded him. No sooner had sleep a second time exerted its magic influence, than his former vision recurred, with the additional appearance of an aged man, whose face bore the appearance of the moon in all its splendour. It was _Maha Sudona_, the father of the god Budhoo,[107] who stood before the astounded rajah, and thus accosted him:—