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THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



patches of land which were cleared for them in 

 the forest near the beach. Cottages were built, 

 fruit-trees were planted, and seed was supplied. 

 Education has here made some progress, and as 

 the result of missionary enterprise the majority 

 of them have embraced Christianity. 



The principal weapon of the Veddas is a big 

 bow 6 feet long, the strings of which they prepare 

 from the tough bark of the upas-tree. They 

 occasionally use their feet as well as their hands 

 in manipulating the bow; but it cannot be said 

 that their skill in archery is great, for they appear 

 to bring down game rather through luck than by 

 any adroitness. 



Formerly the country was regarded by Euro- 

 peans with some apprehension. This was due to 

 absurdly exaggerated misrepresentations on the 

 part of the people of Kandi, who attributed to 

 them a savage disposition, so that none but armed 

 parties ventured to pass through their fastnesses. 

 Of late years, however, this delusion has been 

 entirely dispelled, and travellers now feel them- 

 selves as safe in the neighbourhood of these people 

 as in the villages of the Singhalese. They are 

 constantly visited by traders in search of deer's 

 horns and ivory, also supplies of dried deer's flesh 

 and of honey. The Veddas have to a large extent 

 lost their former shyness and timidity, so that 

 now they not only come with confidence into the 

 open country, but even venture into the towns 

 for such commodities as they can purchase with 

 their slender means. Mr. Atherton, formerly 

 Assistant Government Agent, spoke in favourable 

 terms of the gentleness of their disposition. 

 Notwithstanding an apparently almost complete 

 indifference to morals, grave crimes, he said, were 

 rarely committed. In cases of theft the delin- 

 quent, if detected, must make restitution. Thus, 



if a girl be carried off from her parents, she is claimed and brought home. The husband 

 of a faithless wife is content to receive her back, while his family punish the seducer by 

 flogging him. Murder is almost unknown. In a general way these people may be described 

 as gentle and affectionate one to another. They are strongly attached to both their children 

 and their relatives. Widows are invariably supported by the local community, receiving their 

 share of fruits or grain and the products of the chase. Altogether they appear to be a quiet 

 and submissive race, obeying the slightest expression of a wish, and being very grateful for any 

 assistance or attention. They consider themselves superior to their neighbours, and are unwilling 

 to. exchange their wild forest life for any other. Their intellectual capacity is very low; they 

 cannot count, even on their fingers, and their memory is most defective. They never wash, 

 thinking it would weaken them! and they never laugh! With regard to their moral character, 

 it is only fair to add that another writer, Mr. B. F. Hartshorne, who contributes an interesting 

 paper on these people to The Fortnightly Review for 1876 (New Series, Vol. XIX., page 406), 

 says that they think it perfectly inconceivable that any person should ever take that which 



Photo bij Doctors Paul and Friiz tiarasin, tiasle. 



A VEDDA MAN, WITH LEAF GIRDLE. 



