No. 29.— 1884.] 



AN-KELIYA, 



381 



Yatipila party busily preparing for the struggle by cutting the kon* 

 socket (into which the horn itself was let), so as to allow the two horns 

 to meet closely. Here the " horns " consist of two pieces of hard, well- 

 seasoned wood, tarana-f and andara% respectively, — six to eight inches in 

 length and one and a half or two inches thick, — tapering slightly towards 

 their points. These had been fitted into the sockets, and bound down 

 fast with the tough bark of a shrub (beli pattd§ J, to add to their strength. 



Meanwhile the Kapurala was performing an initiatory service in the 

 shed (" maduwa J common to both parties. At the side of the tree ( an- 

 gaha ) and cocoanut stump (henakanda ) to which the horns were to be 

 attached prior to the actual " pulling," stood the mal-pela, or small 

 cadjan-roofed shed for flowers and other oflerings of either party. In 

 these were kept, till wanted, the horns and bark strands (madu) 

 used for tying up the horns when finally adjusted across each other. 

 Festoons of young cocoanut leaves connected the three sheds together, 

 bein» carried across high poles, at the top of which rag torches were fixed 

 — a proof that all were prepared to carry on the stern, if bloodless, 

 fray " till utter darkness closed her wing." From time to time 

 the Kapurala might be heard muttering some incantations in the maduwa, 

 where he was assisted by a Udupila and Yatipila boy. On a shelf in the ' 

 maduwa were ranged chatties, in which the money offerings (panduru) 

 of both sides were placed, a chank, and an old horn (hero of many 

 a gallant fight) carefully wrapped in white cloth and decked with flowers : 

 panduru were noticed, too, hung to the roof of each mal-pela inside. 



When the Yatipila horn socket had been shaped so as to satisfy 

 the very scrupulous ideas of both sides, the Yatipila party brought 

 their madu (five skeins of belt pattd) and placed them to the best 

 advantage round their horn, — a most important part of the business, 

 and closely watched by the Udupila faction, it being quite possible so 

 to arrange the strings as to put the " enemy " at a serious disadvantage 

 in the ensuing u tug of war." Much time was wasted, more Indie o, in 

 the adjusting of the madu, strong language being freely bandied with 

 friends and foes alike. When the Yatipila party had at length finished 

 placing their madu to their own satisfaction, it seemed as if the Udupila 

 men would decline the contest on the score of some fancied unfair 

 arrangement of the strings. Undoubtedly, they had been laid with great 

 skill, skein by skein, — nay, strand by strand, — and beaten down by careful 

 hands, so as to leave no weak point for the opponents to profit by. 

 Ultimately the Udupila party consented to take their chance and try 



* Schleichera trijuga, or Ceylon oak, Willd. 

 j- Debera corymbo&a^ Willd. 

 \ Dichrostachys cinerea. 

 $ Hiibcus tiliaceus. 



