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JOURNAL, E.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. IX. 



their dogs. They cut the flesh off the larger animals 

 into steaks, and dry it in the sun. In this state it is 

 eaten raw, seasoned with honey or salt, when they can pro- 

 cure it. They eat the flesh of the iguana fresh, but broiled. 

 They also pound to powder the rotten wood of a tree called 

 bala, which is said to be like the kekuna, or country walnut. 

 This they knead into a paste with honey, and then bake into 

 cakes. They are, however, said not to eat this unless they 

 are in want of something more nutritious and palatable, and 

 they explain the addition of the rotten wood to the honey 

 by saying that it is required to fill the stomach. They do 

 not eat the flesh of the ox, the buffalo, the panther, or the 

 bear. Some of the more civilised of these Veddas cul- 

 tivate small patches of kurakkan (a small kind of grain) 

 and Indian corn, and a little tobacco and cotton. They flay 

 the deer, but not the elk. The skin of the latter they dress 

 and eat after singeing the hair. When they have the flesh 

 of these animals in plenty they dress it by boiling, but more 

 frequently by roasting, and the flesh of recently killed 

 animals thus dressed appears to be considered a luxury. 

 When all other means of sustenance fail them, they boil the 

 leaves of the kora and tora trees, which grow in abundance 

 everywhere in the jungle. 



They never kill or catch the elephant. They do not use 

 firearms, and their bows and arrows are not intended for so 

 formidable an animal.* They always avoid him in conse- 

 quence. The bear and the panther are their most dangerous 

 enemies, the former especially.! Many of the Veddas bear 

 the marks of conflicts with it ; but with his axe, which with 

 its short handle is an efficient weapon of defence against an 

 animal that closes with his enemy, the Veclda generally 



* They are very bad shots with the how, and they never " fire" until 

 they are within three or four yards of their game. 



f They have a number of charms against these animals, the principal 

 ingredient in them being noise. 



