No. 40. — 1890.] ACCOUNT OF CEYLON. 



353 



ropes passed round them covering the whole belly, and a large 

 number of sailors, winding them up with the windlass, hoist 

 them inside the vessel. 



They swim well, keeping their trunks above water. They 

 delight in bathing themselves, and can show their swiftness 

 by running very quickly. They lie down like other animals, 

 roll over occasionally, and get up with great dexterity. A 

 child can order them about, but they want to be praised. 

 Nobody must despise them or abuse them. The driver sits 

 a straddle upon the neck of the animal, and steers it easily 

 with a small hook, wherewith he pricks it behind the 

 ears. 



In Arrakan^Pegu, and other places, the highest personages 

 travel upon elephants to show their wealth and position. 

 The animals have tents upon their back, wherein the nobles 

 can sit, lie down, sleep, eat, and drink in comfort. 



Many apes, baboons, and cunning monkeys are found in 

 the forests of Ceilon, which, whenever we went out for a 

 walk, amused us very much with their queer grimaces and 

 long jumps. They have an intelligent way of taking the 

 young ones hanging from their neck with them, without 

 letting them fall when springing cleverly from one tree to 

 another. They make the roads very amusing for those who 

 take a walk, but they do great damage to trees and fruits. 

 They pluck kokes nuts from the trees, drink the water, eat 

 the kernel, and throw the remainder down upon passers-by. 

 They also drink the extracted sury out of the bourboesen, 

 which are hung up in the trees for this purpose. 



They are caught with klappus nuts in which a small hole is 

 made, whilst the kernel inside is loosened. The monkey 

 arrives, puts his hand into the nut to get a piece of the 

 kernel, but then the natives rush up and catch them. There 

 are so many, that they are often sold to our people for 

 two stivers apiece. 



Some of the Indians, who worship the monkeys as some- 

 thing divine, have wonderful fables and stories to relate 

 about them, and they tell them with the gravest face. 



