178 AROUND THE WOULD VIA INDIA. 



circular comb of tortoise shell. The manner of wearing 

 the hair and the delicate face in the young men with 

 scanty beard and similarity in dress makes it often very 

 difficult to distinguish between the two sexes before 

 advancing age draws more distinct facial lines. The 

 young men appear very effeminate, more so than in 

 any other race that I have ever seen. Tailors and shoe- 

 makers do very little business in Ceylon. With a few 

 yards of cloth men and women drape themselves very 

 gracefully, leaving at least one-half of the body uncov- 

 ered. The combovs differ only in length from a narrow 

 strip of cloth to a petticoat reaching below the knees, 

 worn by some men and all the women. Another two or 

 three yards thrown over the left shoulder covers at 

 least a part of the chest and leaves the right arm unen- 

 cumbered. Hair and skin are kept saturated with palm 

 oil, a very important hygienic measure, as it preserves 

 the hair and protects the skin against the burning rays 

 of the sun. rain and insects. The Singhalese are almost 

 free from baldness, as they do not injure the nutrition 

 of the hair follicles by the use of harmful head-dress 

 and make free use of palm oil, which is undoubtedly an 

 important nutrient to the hair and the hair follicles. 

 (Fig. 34.) The women are much smaller than the men 

 and can make no pretensions to beauty. The flush of 

 youth begins to decline before they are 30 years old, 

 and then they are inclined to obesity. They are fond of 

 jewelry. Many of them cling to nose and ear rings, 

 toe rings, wristlets, anklets and arm bands of silver. 

 The Singhalese has many excellent qualities; he is 

 cheerful, content, honest and peaceable. Theft and rob- 

 bery are almost unknown. Willful premeditated mur- 

 der is very rare. During the year 1903, 36 men were 

 sentenced to death for murder, and of these 22 were 

 hanged : in the other cases the sentence of death was 

 commuted to long terms of imprisonment. Major de 

 Wilton, inspector of police (Prison Report, 1903) 

 makes the following comments on the crime of murder: 



