Visit to a Buddhist Templf. 355 



drop a piece of silver by way of present. Adjoining such a 

 temple are always to be found tbe wiharas, or residences of 

 the priests {hamaduruhs'), and the spot where preaching and 

 teaching are carried on. The priests wear long wide vestures, 

 yellow or white according to their rank, or else only a single 

 yellow outer garment, which falls in the form of graceful 

 drapery over the naked shoulders ; their heads are shaved, and 

 they walk about quite barefoot, with a parasol of Talipot palm 

 in their hand, and observe with strangers a reserved, dis- 

 trustful demeanour. 



We were conducted all round by a young priest, of about 

 20 years of age, who spoke a little English, which is not 

 a very common accomplishment, since the Buddhists have a 

 great dislike for all that is foreign. Only at the conclusion of 

 our visit did the old, grey, half-blind superior priest make his 

 appearance, saluted us, but immediately left us to snatch from 

 a boy a shaddock (Citrus decumana), which is especially 

 prized by the Cingalese on account of the refreshing qualities 

 of its juice. 



The priestly office, however, does not deter a native from 

 indulging the disgusting habit of chewing the betel-nut, and 

 this aged liamaduruh became much more sociable on receiving- 

 some. 



Adjoining the temple, which stands in a charming cocoa-nut 

 grove, we first got an idea of the extraordinary luxuriance of 

 the vegetation of this island. In a single enclosure, not much 

 larger than an ordinary house-garden, we saw opffee-trees, 



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