246 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [YOL. XL 



and do similar damage. When they heard this they soon 

 returned and brought two buffaloes, to free themselves of 

 the fear of further mishap. 



Of drinks they have not only that called sieve* which 

 is taken from the cocoanut trees, and of which I am going 

 to speak presently, but others too. There is first the 

 massack,\ which is prepared in the following way: — Accord- 

 ing to the number of those who wish to partake, they take 

 four, five, or six gallons of sieve, warm them, add two or 

 three gallons of avack% or brandy, break twenty, thirty, or 

 forty eggs into a tureen, mix them well, and then add 

 gradually some of the warm sieve, stirring it well the while,, 

 together with two or three pieces of cinnamon and nutmeg 

 finely ground. When taken warm it not only has a delicious 

 taste, but is very satiating and nutritious. Then they have 

 vinperle, half water half avack boiled together ; two or 

 three eggs are added, citrons pressed into it, and adding 

 sugar, cinnamon, and mace, an agreeable beverage is made. 

 Thirdly, they have palebunze,^ half water half brandy, thirty 

 to forty lemons (the seeds of which are spit out), and a little 

 sugar ; the taste is not very pleasant, and the drink not very 

 wholesome. 



Their religion, as is the case with most of the heathens, is 

 principally Muhammadan. Their idol is Jacka\\ made of 

 clay, of the size of a man, black in the face, ugly, as if he 

 had a mask, and sometimes with horns ; they keep him 

 standing in a corner, or under the roof, and when they want 



* Skt. sura, " toddy," the sap, whether fermented or unfermented, of 

 the palm. (Yule's Hobson-Jobson, 663.) Sin. rd, " fermented toddy ; " 

 mira, " sweet toddy." 



f Massacli ; cf . Schweitzer, I. c, p. 266. (See also C. A. S. Journal, 1887, 

 p. 168.) 



J Arack or arracli (from Arabic, barah, " sweat"), " which sort of drink 

 is distilled out of the suri that comes off from the cocoa-trees, and they call 

 it Aracky — Schweitzer, I. c, p. 253. 



§ So, too, spelt by Struys ; Mandelslo (Dutch ed., 1658,p. 24). Palepunzm, 

 See Hobson-Jobson, s. v. " Punch." 



(I Sin. Taksayd, YakhL See C. A. S. Journal, 1865, pp. 13-43. 



