344 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. XL 



ears with gold rings and fine jewels, or those who are of less 

 rank, with articles of less value. 



The women and young girls go with the upper part of 

 their bodies bare and with their breasts wholly exposed, and 

 just like other Indian women, with only a cloth wound 

 round the lower part of their body. They are, moreover, 

 bareheaded and barefooted ; their long and jet black hair 

 coiled round the back part of the head like a hood. Some 

 too (therein imitating the Portuguese women) know how to 

 adorn it in neat curls. The rich also wear necklaces of gold 

 or cheaper metal round their necks ; they also adorn their ears, 

 fingers, and sometimes toes with rings of similar metals, 

 according to their respective rank and caste. They are, for 

 the most part, well proportioned, but with dark limbs. 



The Cingalese are by nature generally ingenious and saga- 

 cious, showing this by their praiseworthy handicrafts in the 

 making of weapons, spades, critses, and a thousand other- 

 elegant articles. In war they are quick and active in attack- 

 ing an enemy, and great heroes when unable to resist : 

 but they cannot be trusted even in the smallest emergency. 

 They are prone to idleness, lazy, and lustful to a degree. 

 • «= * * # # 



They marry very young. The girls, especially those who 

 are somewhat good looking and not poor, have as a rule lost 

 their virginity before they can be considered fit to have 

 children, of which fact the men who marry take great pains 

 to be sure. Thus married women of ten or eleven years 

 are found here. 



The marriage ceremonies are simple ; they are per- 

 formed by the Br amine in presence of friends and before 

 the idol. Rich people have festivities lasting sometimes 

 three to four days, and there is no lack of delicacies, amuse- 

 ments, or strange dances. Poor girls have great difficulty in 

 finding a husband, unless some friends make up a little dowry, 

 which renders them eligible. Thus the rich have great 

 advantages here as elsewhere. 



