30 THE SPORTS AND GAMES OF THE SINGHALESE. 



house. The game is won by the party whose pieces by 

 regular progression, go out of the board at the last house. 

 The loosers are bound to give the winners a treat called 

 merende. The cowri es used in the game are usually load-^ 

 ed. When a piece gets into the thirtieth house it is in the 

 same danger as the ninth hole in whist, and can only go 

 out by the throw of an ace, or fiver, or sixer, and not uiv 

 frequently the player who has got thus far, is outstripped 

 by the other who may have recommenced from the first. 



Another favorite game with women, especially young 

 girls is called Pettikit tan. It is played with Cashew nuts, 

 or more commonly small stones or pebbles,, sis or seven to 

 each player being the usual number. Any number of 

 players can join in the game, Each player shakes up his 

 pebbles in the hollow of his right hand, and throws them 

 Up, gently trying to keep them as much together as possi- 

 ble, and are caught as they descend on the back o,f the 

 hand, The player who so catches all, or most of the stones, 

 has the right to begin, the others following in order ac- 

 cording to the number they have caught. Should two 

 have the same number, the tie is decided by throwing 

 again. After the order of the player has been thus set-, 

 tied, the first player gathers up all the stones and throws 

 them up as before, catching as many as she can on the 

 back of her hand, but if it happen to be too many she 

 may drop some of them. She next throws these up again, 

 and if she catch them all, she takes one stone towards, 

 game. The next thing is to throw up one stone, pick up 

 one or more on the ground, and catch the stone thrown up 

 as it comes down. If in this manner she succeeds in 

 clearing the ground she counts another stone towards 



