ON SECLUDED TRIBES OF UNCIVILIZED MEN. 337 



comes out with a cord of her own twisting, and ties it around the 

 bridegroom's waist. The man always wears the string, and when it 

 wears out the woman twists another. The string is useful for sup- 

 porting a small dirty rag which hangs in front. This practice ap- 

 pears somewhat analogous to the use of the ring in marriage amongst 

 civilized people. As to polygamy, it is not, according to Mr. Bailey, 

 poverty which prevents its practice, but a complete indisposition on 

 the part of these people to enter into such alliances. That they 

 have no idea of a Grod, in the light of an individual Supreme Being 

 may be correct, but Mr. Bailey tells us that when it thunders, they 

 say a spirit or a Grod has cried out, and in one of their invocations 

 the expression " Ma Deya " — My God^ — actually occurs. To say 

 they have no idea of a future state is almost too much, when they 

 are continually invoking the shades of their departed children. Mr. 

 Bailey relates an instance of a Veddah who aimed a shot from his 

 bow, and having missed the mark, exclaimed in chagrin, " That was 

 because I did not invoke my Belindoo Takkon ! " This expression 

 meant "the shades of his children." They also believe in a host of 

 other spirits either harmless or benignant. They have one malig- 

 nant spirit only in their mythology, which is supposed to lie in wait 

 for women. It argues an instinct of worship that they fix an arrow 

 in the ground, dance and chaunt around it, promising at the same . 

 time native offerings to spiritual beings. They certainly, according 

 to Mr. Bailey, have charms to protect themselves from wild beasts, 

 and if they do not use direct prayers, they are in the habit of invo- 

 king the shades of their ancestors, the sun and the moon, and beings 

 of whom they knew nothing but their names, which leads to the 

 supposition that they formerly were connected with a people which 

 had a more systematized religion. 



It is exceedingly interesting to recognize in the belief and the 

 usages of these unsophisticated people a striking resemblance to the 

 creeds and customs appertaining to an early period of society, as re- 

 corded in the works of ancient Greece and Eome. It is probable 

 that from the conditions of human existence and the aspirations and 

 passions of the human mind, there must in all cases of primitive 

 society be a resemblance in these respects. The Veddahs attempt 

 to propitiate the Manes of their ancestors. They promise votive 

 ofierings to those spiritual beings in whose existence they believe, 

 and in the time of sickness present garlands to an imaginary afflict- 



VOL. IX. X 



