No. 33. — 1886.] THE VEDDAS OF CEYLON. 



367 



meat. They strike fire in the usual way in the East, by 

 placing one pointed stick against the concave of another 

 piece of wood, which they hold between the feet and whirl 

 round rapidly.* For this purpose they use the wood of the 

 same tree from which their bows are made — the velanga 

 tree (Pterospermum siiberi folium). 



It would seem, however, that of late this custom of fire- 

 rubbing had gone out of use ; at least Mr. Hartshorne asserts 

 that they now use flint and the steel of their axes or arrow- 

 points for the purpose. 



The use of any special stimulant is unknown among them ; 

 they have neither betel nor tobacco.t They drink only water, 

 and chew a kind of bark. Even salt was unknown to them, 

 as Mr. Hartshornef informs us ; but when it was given 

 them they were much delighted with it. 



Only in single places, where European influence is per- 

 ceptible, do we find a rude kind of agriculture, such as is seen 

 at the present day in Spain and in the Troas. Little strips 

 of the jungle are burnt down and tilled ("chena"), and then 

 again let alone for five, ten, fifteen years § ; with this excep- 

 tion, which really cannot be taken into account, their whole 

 existence depends upon the products of the chase. The 

 universal recognition of this appears in their name, which, 

 accordiug to the almost unanimous application of the word, 

 signifies "hunter," "archer," " one who shoots." I shall return 

 to this later. For the present I would only lay stress on the 

 fact that in the customs of the Veddas there is nothing to 

 speak of which indicates that anywhere, or at any time, 

 they have risen above the condition of a savage tribe of 

 hunters. 



Indeed, they have never arrived at even the very crudest 



* A detailed description by Sir E. Tennent, I. c, II., p. 451. 

 f In the illustration by Knox the Vedda is represented with a lighted 

 pipe, but this was an unwarranted addition by the artist. 

 % Hartshorne, I. c, p. 413. 

 § Bailey, I. c, p. 282. 



c 2 



