No. 33.— 1886.] the veddAs of ceylon. 



389 



vity, which is the usual consequence of hunger and ignorance. 

 The children were unsightly objects, entirely naked, with 

 misshapen joints, huge heads, and protuberant stomachs. 

 The women, who were apparently reluctant to appear, were 

 the most repulsive specimens of humanity I have ever 

 seen in any country." Pridharcr gives the report of 

 Mr. Bennett, who, during his residence at Hambantota, had 

 two village Veddas brought before him. The latter says 

 of them : " They were not more than 5 ft. 2 in. in height, 

 their hands small, but their feet were long and flat ; 

 hair matted and tied in a bunch at the back of the 

 head ; a large bushy beard, almost covering the face ; eyes 

 small, piercing, and constantly in motion to the right and 

 left, and their ears seemed almost as restless as their 

 eyes." 



If from these general descriptions we come to details, we 

 observe that all the accounts agree first in this, that the 

 average stature of the Veddas is small, not to say very small. 

 Dr. Davy (in the citation by Prichard) says of them : " They 

 are well made and muscular, but of a spare habit ; and in 

 person they chiefly differ from the Kandyans in the slightness 

 of their limbs, the wildness of their looks, and their savage 

 appearance." Gillings declares: "The Veddahs are mostly 

 low in stature, but some of them are strong, active men, and 

 most of them appear to be healthy, and little subject to 

 disease." The description of Mr. Baileyt is to this effect : 

 " In appearance the Veddahs differ materially from the 

 Singhalese. They are smaller in every respect, and rather 

 dark, or, more properly, more dusky in complexion. They 

 are short, slightly built, yet very active. Though far from 

 being muscular, their limbs are firmly knit together, and 

 they are athletic and capable of enduring great fatigue. 

 Though spare, they are generally in 'very fair condition, and 

 look more healthy than many of the Singhalese in the adjoin- 



* Priaham, I. c, I., p. 460. 



f Bailey, I. c, p. 282. 



