32 JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XIII. 



or a Republican. He expresses his views of the Kandyan 

 king's tyranny, but no opinion as to monarchy in general. 



Although he tells us very little of what he had been, he 

 relates frankly enough what habits he picked up during his 

 captivity, and the appearance he presented at the time of his 

 escape. On his arrival at Mannar he says — 



It seemed not a little strange to us who had dwelt so long in Straw 

 Cottages among the Black Heathen and used to sit on the Ground and 

 eat our Meat on Leaves, now to sit on Chairs and eat out of China 

 Dishes at Table. 



And in Colombo — 



We being bare-foot and in the Chingulary habit, with great long 

 Beards, the People much wondered at us, and came flocking to see 

 who and what we were ; so that we had a great Train of People about 

 us as we walked in the Streets. 



And Batavia — 



We finding ourselves thus kindly entertained and our Habits changed,, 

 saw that we were no more Captives in Cande, nor yet Prisoners else- 

 where ; therefore cut ofP our beards which we had brought with us out 

 of our Captivity, for until then we cut them not ; God having rolled 

 away the reproach of Cande from us. 



Knox adopted the Sinhalese habit of chewing betel, and 

 he also smoked a pipe, or, as the Sinhalese say, " drank tobacco."" 

 I have not been able to find many Sinhalese idioms in the 

 English of Knox, but he does say " tobacco is used by both 

 men and women, but more eaten than drunk in pipes." 

 To "drink tobacco" is a literal translation from the Sinhalese, 

 but I am not sure that the expression was not used in 

 England in Knox's day. I fancy I have seen it, but cannot 

 remember where. He also speaks of "this country butter," 

 " my own country fashion," " a fathom high," " a span 

 high," which he may have picked up from the Sinhalese. 



Speaking of the skill of the native doctors he mentions 

 one who would set a broken bone " with that speed that the 

 broken bone after it was set should knit by the time one 

 might boyl a pot of rice and three curries." 



These I think are about the only Sinhalese idioms to be 

 found. 



