﻿438 ON THE RELIGION AND MANNERS 



The Singalese are very fond of hearing songs. A 

 great man, (when travelling,) has often one singer 

 before and another behind his palanquin. They each in 

 their turn sing stanzas of an indeterminate leni;th; 

 as it hapj)ens at times that the sinoer. animated by 

 his subject, gives some verses extempore. 'J'he 

 songs are either religious, in whicli case they extol 

 the virtues of Boudhou and other gods ; or they are 

 historical, and then they praise the virtuous actions 

 of some of their king-s, or relate a love adventure. 

 In all cases the air of the songs is mournful. 1 have 

 never heard what can be called gay music among 

 the Singalese ; ard I think it would be very difficult 

 to put any into note : for the measure is incessantly 

 changing, and the movement remaining the same, 

 always slo\v^. It is what is generc^Uy called the aii" 

 (lant^. 



Ahridgmoit of the History of the Chalias, by 

 Adrian Ragia Pakse, a Chief of that Cast. 



1st. After the world had been destroyed, and 

 plunged into obscurity, a BrahfnS descended from 

 on high, and made it shine with his bright light. 



2d. A GREAT number of other Brahmes descended 

 at the same" time, and inhabited the regions of the 

 air, where they enjoyed perfect happiness. 



3d. One of these Brahmes, wishing to know the 

 taste of tlie earth, pressed it between two of his 

 fingers, and foimd it possessed of the sweetest 

 flavour. From that time he and tlie other Brahmins 

 ft(\ on it for tlie space of 60,0()0 years, till dreading 

 that it would be entiiely consumed, from the great 

 use they made of it, they divided it equally amongst 

 them, that each might be sure of a certain portion ; 

 but the unfortunate idea of dividing it destroyed the 

 delicious flavour of the earth. 



4th. 



