CEYLON. 



703 



Ceylon, them a a portion of their meals. In dressing their 

 ""Y"**' victuals, the Ceylonese are scrupulously nice ; and, 

 in drinking, they are careful not to touch the vessel 

 with their lips, but hold it at some distance over 

 thrir head, and pour the liquor down their throat. 

 All ranks among them chew the betel leaf; this is 

 the desert at all their entertainments, and the usual 

 supplement to all their conversation. Along with it 

 they mix tobacco, areka nut, and the lime of burnt 

 shells, in order to render it more pungent. When 

 chewed, this mixture becomes red as blood, and 

 stains the mouth, lips, and teeth, of an indelible 

 black colour. This they think a beautiful effect, 

 for they consider white teeth as only fit for dogs, 

 and a disgrace to the human species. This hot mix- 

 ture, however, soon destroys their teeth, and often 

 renders them toothless at an early age. There is a 

 wonderful degree of gravity observed among the 

 Ceylonese in company, i-ven among relatives and in- 

 timate friends. At meals they seldom converse with 

 each other ; and it is not unusual to see a party sit 

 perfectly mute for a long time, and during all the 

 while chewing the betel leaf. 



IViteness. The Ceylonese are courteous and polite in their 

 manners, to a degree far exceeding their civilization, 

 and greatly superior to other classes of Indians. In 

 their salutations they are particularly punctilious. 

 The form which they use is that common in the 

 East, of bringing the palm of the hand to the fore- 

 head, and then making a low bow. However, though 

 in general courteous and polite, if their anger is once 

 roused, it is proportionally furious and lasting. Their 

 hatred is so violent, that they often destroy them- 

 selves to obtain the destruction of the detested ob- 

 ject. A Ceylonese has been known to kill himself in 

 the company of his enemy, that the latter might 

 suffer for it. 



The Ceylonese are of a remarkable dissolute cha- 

 racter. It is common for the men to indulge in pro- 

 miscuous intercourse with the female sex ; while the 

 infringement of the laws of chastity on the part of a 

 woman, scarcely subjects her, even though married, 

 to the slightest reproach, unless, indeed, it happens to 

 be with one of an inferior cast ; an act which is con- 

 sidered as the very excess of infamy. Among peo- 

 ple of the same rank, the most unbounded commerce 

 is carried on in private ; and it id by no means un- 

 common, nor attended with any disgrace, for the 

 nearest relations to have connection with each other. 

 The Ceylonese are particularly fond of forming a 

 correspondence with Europeans ; and, instead of ac- 

 counting it any reproach, a mother, in quarreling 

 with any of her neighbours, will silence them at once 

 with regard to her superior dignity, by telling them, 

 that her daughter has had the honour to receive the 

 favours of a European. 



Marriage*. Though in Ceylon the men are not limited to one 

 wife, yet in consequence of the ease with which pro- 

 miscuous intercourse is carried on, and the facility 

 with which marriages are dissolved, together with the 

 poverty of the natives, polygamy is not general among 

 them. Indeed this is so far from being the case, that 

 it is not unusual, particularly for brothers, to have 

 om- woman in common. In general, the contract of 

 marriage is originally made by the parents while the 

 parties are in a state of childhood ; and it is often dis- 

 solved by mutual consent, almost as soon as it is con- 



Dissolute 

 ness. 



summated. It if also customary for thote who in- CeyUw. 

 tend to marry, previously to cohabit together, and """Y"*' 

 to make trial of each other** temper, and if they do 

 not agree, they break off the connection without any 

 further ceremony. In thin case, no disgrace attaches 

 to either party, but the woman is held in as high 

 esteem by her next lover a-, if he had found her in a 

 tate of virginity. If, however the parties agree to 

 marry, the man presents the bride with the wedding 

 clothes, which consist only of a piece of cloth about 

 six or seven yards in length, and with another cloth 

 which is placed on the bed. On the following night 

 he is entitled to sleep with her; and on this occasion 

 they fix the time for the celebration of their nuptials. 

 When the day arrives, the bridegroom and his rela- 

 tions repair to the house of the bride, carrying along 

 with them what they are able to contribute for the *t ' 



marriage feast. The parties then eat out of one dish, 

 to denote that they are of the same cast ; after thi* 

 their thumbs are tied together; and the ceremony 

 concludes by the nearest relations, or the priest when 

 present, cutting them asunder. This form, however, 

 is scarcely considered as obligatory. When the Cey- 

 louese wish to render a marriage as firm and indisso- 

 luble as the nature of their manners will admit of, 

 the parties are joined together with a long piece of 

 cloth, folded several times round both their bodies, 

 and water is then poured on them by the priest, who 

 always officiates at this ceremony. After the mar- 

 riage, the young couple pass the night at the bride's 

 house, and in the morning the husband takes her 

 home, accompanied by her friends, who carry with 

 them provisions for another feast. The dowry of ^ ^ 



the wife is in proportion to the ability of the parents; 

 but if they afterwards separate, it returns with her, 

 that she may be as good a match for her next hus- 

 band. Both men and women often divorce several 

 times before they find a partner with whom they can 

 reconcile themselves to spend their days. If they 

 have children when they separate, the common law 

 is, that the sons remain with their father, and the 

 daughters go with their mother. Indeed, thty often Infanticide, 

 have no family, as the practice of infanticide is com- 

 mon in Ceylon. As soon as an infant is born, the 

 father applies to an astrologer to know whether it is 

 in a good or an evil hour. If it is found to be the 

 latter, they immediately destroy it, either by starving 

 it to death, by drowning it, or by burying it alive j 

 or else they give it to some person of the same rank 

 with themselves, for they say the child will be unhap- 

 py only to the parents. In general, the women of Cey- 

 lon are much more pleasant and agreeable than those 

 in the other part- of India ; but owing to their early 

 intercourse with the other s*x. (for thi-y arc regular- 

 ly nnirncd when about twrlvr,) they sot . ote the 

 appearance of youth, and become old and haggard in 

 their looks immediately after they pass twe. 



The Ceylonese, according to Mi Knox, are of a DUttiev 

 healthy constitution, and man) of them live to the 

 age of fourscore and upwards. During the wet sea- 

 son, however, they are subject to a variety <- disea- 

 ses, particularly fevers and fluxes. Leprosy appear* 

 to be very prevalent among them, and the streets of 

 Columbo swarm wi; h Cingalese beggars labouring un- 

 der this dreadful disorder. But the disease which Small-pox, 

 particularly excites their apprehensions is the small- 

 pox. It is looked opon ae the immediate instrument 



