7 



.-amongst those who had originally accused him ; but if 

 there was a difference of opinion among the soothsayers, 

 ■ a large number were summoned, and the truth determined 

 by a majority of votes. In case the verdict went in favor 

 -of the accused, the persons by whom he was first charged 

 were put to death, with certain formalities, the prospect of 

 which must have imparted a feeling of great uneasiness 

 'to the discharge of the function of divination. Whether 

 -the result of the inquiry affected the king's health in any 

 way it is not recorded. The Scythian method of swearing 

 to a treaty was attended with a ceremony which is not, 

 we believe, without a parallel among other barbarous 

 nations of later date. It is thus described by Herodotus : 

 4 ' They pour wine into a large earthenware bowl and mix 

 " therewith the blood of the parties who are entering into 

 " the treaty, by striking a part of the body with an awl or 

 "or cutting it with a sword. They then dip into the 

 " bowl a scimitar, and arrows, and an axe, and a javelin. 

 " After this they recite their solemn vows at length, and 

 then the contracting parties themselves and the most 

 "" worthy of their followers drink off the libation." 



Herodotus says that without doubt the Scythians 

 were masters of Asia for twenty-eight years, and we have 

 heard it alleged that there is ground far the belief that 

 some remnant of that ancient race found their way to the 

 South of India. It is more probable that the course which 

 they took lay in quite the opposite direction. At any 

 rate we look in vain for any trace in Ceylon of the cus- 

 toms or traditions of that people. It would, however, 

 be ^interesting to know if among any class of the inhabi- 

 tants of this Island such indications may be observed. 

 It is to be remembered that this is a country where special 



