}(nd ihre Beziehungen zu den Nachbar stammen. 41 



den Weddas aus der Gegend von Bintenne: They all presented the same 

 cliaracteristics of wretchedness and dejection, — projecting mouths, prominent 

 teeth, flattened noses, stunted stature, and the other evidences of the 

 physical depravity which is the usual consequence of hunger and ignorance. 

 The chlldren were unsightly ohjects, entirely naked, with misshapen joints, 

 huge heads, and protuberant stomachs; — the women, who were apparently 

 reluctant to appear, were the most repulsive specimens of humanity I 

 have ever seen in any country. 



Pridhanii) giebt den Bericht eines Hrn. Ben nett, der auf einer 

 Jagdpartie auf eine Gruppe von (Dorf-) Weddas stiefs und deren Gast- 

 freundschaft genofs. Letzterer sagt von ihnen: They were not more than 

 iive feet two inches in height, their hands small, but their feet were long 

 and flat; hair matted and tied in a bunch at the back of the head, a large 

 bushy beard almost covering the face; eyes small, piercing, and constantly 

 in motion to the right and left, and their ears seemed almost as restless 

 as their eyes. 



Wenden wir uns nach diesen allgemeinen Schilderungen zu dem 

 Einzelnen, so stimmen zunächst alle Angaben darin überein, dafs die 

 Weddas durchschnittlich von kleiner, um nicht zu sagen, sehr kleiner 

 Statur sind. Dr. Davy (in dem Citat von Prichard) sagt über sie: they 

 are well made and muscular, but of a spare habit; and in person they 

 chiefly diflfered from the Kandians in the slightness of their limbs, the 

 wildness of their looks, and their savage appearance. Gillings erklärt: 

 The Veddahs are mostly low in stature, but some of them are strong, 

 active men, and most of them appear to be healthy and little subject to 

 disease. Die Beschreibung von Bailey^) lautet folgendermaafsen : In 

 appearance, the Veddahs difFer materially from the Singhalese. They are 

 smaller in every respect, and rather dark, or, more properly, more dusky 

 in complexion. They are short, slightly built, yet very active. Though 

 far from being muscular, their limbs are firmly knot together, and they 

 are athletic and capable of enduring great fatigue. Though spare, they 

 are generally in very fair condition, and look more healthy than many 



1) Pridham 1. c. I. p. 460. 



2) Bailey 1. c. p. 282. 

 Pliys. Kl. 1881. Abb. I. 



