NO. 61. — 1908.] AMONGST THE LAST VEDDAs. 



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AMONGST THE LAST VEDDAS. 



By Dr. Moszkowski. 



In Ceylon at the present time real genuine Veddas are only 

 found in the north-east corner of the Province of "Ova, in the 

 neighbourhood of Nilgala ; it is said though that there are 

 Veddas left in Bintenna and the Eastern Province, but these 

 are mingled with Sinhalese elements to such a degree, and 

 have abandoned their habits and language so completely, that 

 they really cannot be called Veddas any longer. They are 

 called Village- Veddas, whilst the genuine Veddas are described 

 as Hill or Rock- Veddas. 



It seems to me this way of distinguishing them is no longer 

 exact, as the so-called Rock-Veddas likewise build houses 

 occasionally and live in villages. It would be more correct to 

 speak of Sinhalese and genuine Veddas. 



The most eminent scientists, amongst others the Drs, 

 Sarasin, hold that the Veddas belong to the New Guinea race. 

 They are clearly of common origin with the Sakeis in Malacca, 

 with the Sakeis in Sumatra whom I discovered, and the 

 Papuas of the Molukka Islands and New Guinea, It is a 

 dolichocephalous race, characterized by an almost incredible 

 want of psychical and intellectual faculties. 



The first condition -for the development of a people is a 

 distinct sense of causality, the desire to ask the reason why. 

 This desire, which appears strongest in the Aryan and parti- 

 cularly in the Germanic peoples, is entirely wanting in the 

 Veddas, and, I may add, the Sakeis, amongst whom I have 

 lived for months, and whom I have studied carefully. 



We assume, from the point of view of German idealistic 

 philosophy, that our surroundings are not what they appear 

 to us, but are the creation of our intellect. We receive im- 

 pressions ; they cause sensations, which come immediately and 



