No. 29. — 1884.] A1VJ-KELIYA, 



375 



NOTES.* 

 (1) 



Previous notices of the Sinhalese a?i-keliya are here brought 

 together to further illustrate this semi-religious game : — 



(a) 



A Play or a Sacrifice. — There is another sport, which generally 

 all people used with much delight, being, as they called it, a sacrifice to 

 one of their gods, to wit, Potting Dio [Pattini Deviyo.] And the benefit 

 of it is, that it frees the countrey from grief and diseases. For the 

 beastliness of the exercise they never celebrated it near any town, nor 

 in sight of women, but in a remote place. The manner of the game is 

 thus. They have two crooked sticks like elbows, one hooked into the 

 other, and so with contrivances they pull with ropes, until the one break 

 the other; some siding with one stick and some with the other; but 

 never is money laid on either side. Upon the breaking of the stick, that 

 party that hath won doth not a little rejoyce. Which rejoycing is 

 exprest by dancing and singing, and uttering such sordid beastly expres- 

 sions, together with postures of their bodies, as I omit to write them, as 

 being their shame in acting, and would be mine in rehearsing. For 

 he is at that time most renowned that behaves himself most shamelessly 

 and beast-like. 



This filthy solemnity was formerly much in use among them ; and 

 even the King himself hath spent time in it, but now lately he hath 

 absolutely forbidden it under penalty of a forfeiture of money. So that 

 now the practice hereof is quite left off. 



But though it is thus gone into disuse, yet, out of the great delight the 

 people bad in it, they of Gompala [Gampola] would revive it again; 

 and did. Which coming to the King's ear, he sent one of his noblemen 

 to take a fine from them for it. The nobleman knew the people would 

 not come to pay a fine, and therefore was fain to go to work by a 

 stratagem. Pitching, therefore, his tents by a pond, he gave orders to 

 call all the people to his assistance to catch fish for the King's use. 

 Which they were very ready to do, hoping to have the refuse fish for 

 themselves. And when they were all thus assembled together with their 

 tools and necessary instruments for that purpose, the nobleman charged 

 them all in the King's name, according to the countries fashion, which 

 was by pulling off his cap, and falling down upon the ground three 

 times, that not a man of them should budge till they had paid such a sum 

 of money, which was so much a piece, for reviving that play that the 

 King had forbid. Which they were forced to do before they departed 

 from the pond side. And the money was carried into the King's 

 exchequer. — Knox, Ceilon, 1681, pp. 98, 99. 



* Added with Mr. Le Mesurier's approval.. — B., Hon. Sec. 



