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



437 



south as Puttalam. It is not to be understood from this, 

 however, that they live even now wholly separated from the 

 Sinhalese. On the contrary, they are found in no small 

 numbers mixed with other races, especially in the towns, 

 as the description of Colombo by Sir E. Tennent* very 

 clearly testifies. In this city they form a large fraction of the 

 labouring population. It is of special interest to us that in 

 the east they are immediate neighbours of the Veddas. 



In fact Wolf,t who found no sort of resemblance between 

 Malabars and Sinhalese, calls the Veddas "another species 

 of Malabar." He describes the Malabars as black, long- 

 haired, and without calves to their legs. Beyond this I find 

 very few statements regarding their physical peculiarities. 

 Most of the writers limit themselves on this point to ascri- 

 bing to them a stouter physique and greater activity than 

 the Sinhalese.^ Mr. Pridham says they either wear the hair 

 carelessly fastened up in a coil upon the crown of the 

 head, or on one side above the ear ; sometimes the whole head 

 is shorn with the exception of a single lock upon the crown. 

 Sir E. Tennent§ describes the children of the Tamils as 

 perfectly naked, with glossy black hair and graceful limbs. 



To the Tamils, as already stated, belong " the Mookwas, or, 

 as they call themselves, Mukuger." If we may really 

 impute to them a separate origin, as Pridhamll does, who 

 traces their descent from the Nairs and Mookwas of the 

 Malabar coast, all observers nevertheless agree that from 

 their physical appearance they must be very nearly related 

 to the Tamils, if they are not actually Tamils. The fact that 

 the Mukkavar are Christians, and part of them also Muham- 

 madans, whilst many of the Tamils adhere to the teachings 

 of Brahma, has made the first a special object of attention. 



* Tennent, I. c, II., p. 156. 



f Wolf, a. a. 0. II., s. 156, 167. 



% Selkirk, I. <?., p. 68. Pridham, 1. c, I., p, 165. 



§ Tennent, I. c, II., p. 511 



|| Pridham, I. c, I., p. 166. 



