Chap. III.] THE VEDDAHS. 447 



on the same plan were afterwards formed at other 

 places, the principal being in the Bintenne Distiict, at 

 Oomany and Villengelavelly. The teachers, however, 

 at the first locahty misconducted themselves, the neigh- 

 bouring Kandyans were unfavourable to the measure, 

 and the settlement at Vippam-madoo was eventually bro- 

 ken up, and the Veddahs again dispersed. But the good 

 effects of even this temporary experiment were apparent ; 

 not one of the Veddahs returned again to his cave 

 and savage habits, but each built for himself a house of 

 bark, on the plan of the one he had left, and continued 

 to practise the cultivation he had been taught. The 

 other colony at Oomany continues to the present day 

 prosperous and successful ; twenty-five famihes are resi- 

 dent around it; rice and other grains are produced in 

 sufficiency, and coco-nuts are planted near the cottages. 

 The only desertions have been the departures of those 

 in search of emplojTiient, who have removed to other 

 villages in quest of it. The school was closed in 1847, 

 o'sving to there being no more cliildren at the time re- 

 quiring instruction ; but the missionaries have been so 

 successful, that the whole community have professed 

 themselves Christians, and abandoned their addiction to 

 devil dances. Their former appellation, derived from 

 the pecuharity of their habits, can no longer apply, and 

 it may thus be said, that the distinction of the Eock 

 Veddahs has ceased to exist in that part of the country ; 

 all having more or less adopted the customs and habits of 

 villagers. 



Amongst the Village Veddahs also, the efforts of the 

 Government have been even more successful ; their dispo- 

 sition to become settled has been confirmed by permission 

 to cultivate land, and encouraged by presents of tools and 

 seed-grain ; and upwards of eighty famihes were located 

 in villages under the direction of ;Mi\ Atherton. A few 

 refused all offers of permanent settlement, preferring their 



