No. 40.-— 1890.] account of cbylon. 



321 



-visible many high mountains and gardens, rich in cinnamon, 

 -watered by gently running streamlets, tanks, and rivers. In 

 front of Dondery surges the salt ocean. The inhabitants 

 were better clad, and showed themselves favourably and 

 friendly disposed towards us. 



The empty stomach now began to crave ; so we made 

 ourselves comfortable in the verdure, and got the natives to 

 pluck some cocoanuts, fresh and green, from the towering 

 ^rees ; and on these we feasted, as well as on other agreeable 

 Ceilon fruits. We should not have found in Dondery any 

 house to take refreshments in but those of prostitutes and 

 smugglers. We found ourselves, however, somewhat upset 

 in the midst of our pleasant meal, for a noxious snake of 

 unusual length came suddenly out of the jungle beside us, 

 reared itself with many a curve and bend, and interrupted our 

 repast. We jumped up incontinently when we saw it, and 

 the noise caused the snake to hide immediately among the 

 houses of the Cingalese. The people living in these houses 

 were not frightened, and so indifferent that they did not 

 attempt to catch the reptile, and even laughed at our 

 discomfiture. 



This impressed us very much with the reprehensible 

 idolatry of the deluded Cingalese, who, as we were informed, 

 actually worship snakes, tigers, crocodiles, apes and baboons, 

 and the like monsters. They humour them, and even 

 provide them with food, so that snakes and beasts, generally 

 dangerous to men, do them no hurt. In truth one rarely 

 hears of Cingalese meeting with harm by them. 



Some Hollanders are led to conclude from appearances 

 (but who can speak with certainty on the point ?) that the 

 Evil One sometimes appears to the idolatrous Cingalese in 

 the form of snakes, tigers, crocodiles, and baboons. This 

 much is proven, that the Ceylonese sorcerers, as well as other 

 East Indian nations, in catching and conjuring them, know 

 hew to bring about supernatural phenomena, just as has often 

 been reported to us as likely. On this I shall enlarge when 

 an opportunity offers. 



