PERCIVAL’S ACCOUNT OF CEYLON. 
ravages of time and the foe, indicates 
that the arts were more successfully cul- 
tivated, and that civilization was farther 
advanced in former times than it is 
‘now. 
“ Mr. Percival devotes an interesting 
chapter to the nature of the Candian 
overnment, and its civil and military 
establishments. We must pass it over, 
as the most singular part of the inhabi- 
tants of Ceylon yet remaim to be de- 
“sctibed, the Bedahs or Vaddahs; a race 
eet who, when the Portugueze 
rst visited the island, occupied, as they 
do now, the deepest recesses of its forests. 
The origin of this race of savages bids 
_ defiance to conjecture; they are an ano- 
aa — . - 
-maly in the natural history of man; 
+ 
a 
living upon the precarious produce of 
ae chace, and exposed to the fury of 
wild beasts, they prefer this barbarous 
and solitary life to the luxuries of the 
—Cinglese, and the arts of the Europeans, 
which they are accustomed’ to witness. 
The Bedahs differ from the other Cey- 
Ionese in complexion and in language; 
in the province of Bintan, where they 
are most numerous, they are completely 
savage, holding no intercourse-with the 
other natives, and are rarely even seen 
by them; they sleep on trees, or at the 
foot of them, and climb up its branches 
' when any noise alarms them, with the 
utmost expertness and celerity. ‘This 
tribe acknowledges no authority but 
that of its own chief and religious men, 
and adhere without the slightest varia- 
tion to its own laws and customs, from 
generation to generation, There are 
some few who will even trafic with 
the Cinglese; “but the wilder class, 
Known by the name of Ramba Vaddahs, 
are more seldom seen, even by stealth, 
han the most timid of the wild ani- 
als. !? 
+ The dogs of the Bedahs are remarkable 
for their sazicity, and not only readily trace 
outgame, but also distinguish one species of 
animals fromanother. On the approach of 
any carnivorous animals, or of a stranger, 
_ they immediately, put their masters upon 
their guard. These faithful animals are in- 
‘deed invaluable to them, and constitute their 
ehicf riches. When their daughters are 
+ ee hunting dogs form their portion; 
and a Bedah is as unwilling to part with his 
‘dog asan Arabian with his horse. Some 
time before the last war broke out between 
‘us and Holland, a Dutch officer procured. a 
-eduple of these dogs, which he carried to 
Sarat, and sold for four hundred rix-dollars. 
_ * Those Bedahs who venture to converse 
45 
with the other natives, are represented to be 
courteous, and in address far beyond their 
state of civilization. Their religion is little 
known. They have their inferior deities cor- 
responding to the demons of the Cinglese, 
and observe certain festivals. On these oc- 
casions victuals of various sorts are placed at 
the root of a tree, and the ceremonies of the 
festival consist in dancing around them.” 
The Bedahs live entirely upon the 
produce of the chace, and upon the 
fruits which grow spontaneously around 
them. ‘The cultivation of the ground 
is an art which they never attempt to 
practise. 
After this ample description of the 
island of Ceylon, and the several races 
of its inhabitants, Mr. Percival proceeds 
in plain unscientific language to give 
some account of its natural productions, 
Among the animals the elephant ranks 
first; those in Ceylon are produced in 
very great abundance, and are consi- 
dered superior to any in the world. 
« These lords of the forest, though from 
their size and strength formidable to all its 
ether inhabitants, themselves live in conti- 
nual apprehension of a small reptile, against 
which neither theirsagacity nor their prowess 
ear at all defend them. This diminutive 
creature gets into the trunk of the elephant, 
and pursues its course till it finally fixes in 
his head, and by keeping him in continual 
agony, at length torments the stupendous 
animal to death. Se dreadfully afraid are 
the elephants of this dangerous enemy, that 
they use a variety of precautions to prevent 
his attacks; and never lay their trunks te 
the ground, except when to gather or sepa- 
rate their food.” 
The manner of catching elephants here 
differs from that practised on the conti- 
nent of India, but we eannot spare room 
to describe it. 
Neither the horse nor the sheep is a 
native of Ceylon: the horses generally 
used are a mixture of the Arab and 
Carnatic breeds. They are searcely 
ever castrated. Indian horses are ex- 
tremely spirited, and often defend their 
riders against the attack of other anis 
mals. ‘ I have myself been indebted to 
their prowess,” says Mr. P. “ for my 
preservation from the fury of a. buffa- 
lo.” Two attendants are. constantly 
attached to each horse: one follows him 
wherever he goes; and Mr. P. assures 
us, that some of these horse-kerpers have 
kept up to his horse for twenty or thirty 
miles together, while he was proceeding 
at the rate of five or six miles an hour! 
The oxen of Ceylon searcety exceed 
