﻿or THE PEOPLE OF CEYLON. 42<) 



introduced by Europeans. The ruff and coat are to 

 be seen in many of the portraits of the \6th and 17tli 

 centuries ; and the covering over their hips, resem- 

 bles the large Dutch breeches of those days. They 

 have two kinds of slij)pers, one made of leather or 

 ornamented cloth, and turns at the end ; the other 

 is a piece of wood, about the size of the foot, raised 

 from the ground by the means of two supporters a 

 few inches in height; near the end of it are two' 

 small curves, between which they place the great 

 toe. They never use slippers where there is cere- 

 mony. V 



Those that are of an inferior rank to the fnst class 

 of courtiers, only wear the lower part of the dress; it- 

 being strictly forbidden them to cover the upper 

 part of the body. — -The Vellale cast lias the privilege 

 of wearing a white hat. — The petty chiefs of the 

 other casts can M^ar black hats. — The people of low^ 

 cast cannot wear a petticoat, but simply a piece of 

 white cloth, v/hich is not to reach below the knees. — 

 Their head is uncovered. 



The women of the lower orders wear a petticoat of 

 white cloth, wliich passing between their legs, is 

 thrown over the right shoulder, and is fastened to the 

 ligature about the waist : It has a very pretty effect. 

 This is the dress in Candij. — In that part of the island 

 which is under the European dominion, the black 

 chiefs wear a kind of embroidered surtout, with an 

 immense quantity of large buttons of gold or silver 

 on it. — The women wear a quilted vest of the very 

 worst taste. — The Singakse use a large leaf of the 

 Talegaha tree to sheltc^r them from the rain ; it is 

 called by Europeans talipot'^'. — It is made to fold up 

 like a fan. xVnother species of fan is used in Candij; 

 it is a leaf of the same tiee, its folds are open, and 

 form a wheel, which is fastened to a stick, seven or 

 eight feet in length. — It is only used to keep off the 

 sun. Men in place alone, are entitled to the bene- 

 fit 



* L'tcuala ffmofa. 



