No. 44.— 1893.] knox's "ceylon." 



29 J 



" sword-stick." He also speaks of the 44 tricker " of a cross- 

 bow. 44 Trigger " is the more modern form. With 44 tricker " 

 cf. the Dutch 44 trek," to draw or pull. He speaks of the 

 Sinhalese as churning butter with an implement 44 somewhat 

 resembling a chocolate stick." This is not the familiar 

 stick of chocolate which you extract from the automatic 

 machine by placing a penny in the slot, but the 44 whisk" 

 with which the then highly esteemed cup of chocolate, so 

 constantly referred to by authors of this and the succeeding 

 age of Queen Anne, was stirred and frothed. 



The w r ord 44 punctually," now strictly limited in meaning 

 to accuracy in the matter of time, is used by Knox in the old 

 sense of 44 exactly" or 44 accurately." 44 1 knew not punctually 

 where my companions were." Cf " punctilious," of exact,, 

 orderly, and formal behaviour. 44 Let" and 44 letted," in the 

 sense of 44 hindered," "prevented," and "holpen" for "helped," 

 which we ha^e in our Book of Common Prayer, are always used 

 by him ; and he also uses the word 44 angle," meaning fishing 

 rod and line, and thus reminds us of dear old Isaak Walton. 



I cannot forbear to transcribe the passage where this word 

 is used. It is when he meets with the Bible : — 



The Boy having served the English knew the Book, and as soon as 

 he had got it in his hand came running with it calling out to me, It 

 is a Bible. It startled me to hear him mention the name of a Bible. 

 For I neither had one, nor scarcely could ever think to see one. Upon 



which I flung down my Angle and went to meet him Upon the 



. sight of it I left off Fishing, God having brought a Fish to me that my 

 Soul had longed for and now how to get it and enjoy the same all the 

 Powers of my Soul were employed. 



The word 44 naturally," in the sense of 44 by nature," should 



be noted in the passage — 



The Land is generally covered with Woods, excepting the Kingdome 

 of Ouvah and the counties of Oudipallet and Dolosbaug, which are 

 naturally somewhat clear of them.* 



"Fashion," meaning 44 shape," occurs in the description of 

 the grain tana 



The fashion flattish, the colour yellow and very lovely to the Eye. 



* Uva ; Udapalata ; Dolosbage. 



