8l2 
A Defcriftion 0/ C E Y L O N. 
rsJ^-^ " ded they are indued with due Zealj as 
?i^rsj " * ^®P^ ^^^y ^^^1 benefit of the 
tt Ce^/ow, and the places there- 
unto belonging. We have alfo fent a 
*' Minifter to Negapatnatrt: fo recom- 
" mending you to the Protcdion of 
Almighty God, I reft 
From the Caftle 
of Batdvia. 18 
Sepe. 1^62. 
Your afFedionate 
Friend, 
John Maai^tiyhf . 
CHAP. XLVII. 
The Nature and Qtialifcations of the Inhabitants of Jafnapatnam. The Bcllales, 
and their manner of living. The Brahmans, their Doifrines fiewn and 
refuted. 
QuaUficit- 
tions of the 
Inhabl' 
tants of 
Jafnapat- 
nam. 
The Habit 
4 the Bel- 
lales. 
Are rich in 
Caitet. 
Their man- 
ner of 
threfJjing 
lb: Cam, 
IT is time to fay fome thing of the 
Inhabitants of Jafnapatnam ^ ^vhich 
done, vve will return to Batecalo, and fo 
leaving the Ifle we will turn our felves 
another way. 
In Ceylon are divers Clans, or Families, 
as well as on the Coaft of Coromandel, 
The Generation of the Bellales is the 
chiefeft here fmce Chriftianity has been 
introduc'd, the Brahmans challenging the 
firft rank among the Pagans. 
The Bellales vftav a kind of Garment 
from above the Navel, turning betwixt 
the Legs like a pair of Drawers. They 
alfo make ufe of Seripous ( or Soles ) tied 
to the bottom of the feet with Leather 
Straps, the upper part of the feet being 
bare, to prevent their fweating. Upon 
the Belly they have a kind of a Bag (call'd 
Maddi) being part of their Garment 
roll'd together, wherein they keep their 
Areek and Betel^ and fome Paper to make 
ufe of upon occafion. On the right 
fide they carry a kind of a Knife in a 
Sheaf, and an Iron Pen pointed with 
Silver, as is likewife the Sheath, in which 
they keep alfo a piece of Steel to (harpen 
their Knife upon. They make holes in 
their Ears from their Infancy, which be- 
ing adorn'd with Golden Pendants, draw 
them down to their Shoulders. They 
live upon Husbandry, and are rich in 
Cattel, fuch as Cows, Oxen for the Plow, 
Sheep, Goats and Bufflers. Their Ha- 
bitations are both convenient and neat, 
with pleafanc Gardens, well planted with 
Betd^ and furnifli-d with excellent Springs, 
which turnifh them (during the dry 
Summer Seafon) with Water for the 
watering of the Gardens. Their Har- 
veft is in January and Fehruary^ their 
Winter, or rainy Seafon being in Novem- 
ber and December. In fome places, viz.. 
in the low marftiy Grounds, they have 
Harveft twice a year : They threfh their 
Corn (after the ipanner of the Jfraelites) 
witli Oxen, riot muffled ; thefc tread the 
Seed out of the Ears. 
During the rainy Seafon it rains with 
fuch violence, that the Fields are all over- 
flown i and I remember that in my time 
a conliderable part of the Conin of the 
Caftle was walh'd away by the Rains. 
This continues for two months, and Greaf 
it happens oftentimes, that for tight Rains. 
months after it rains not above three 
times, which is the reafon that they are 
oblig'd even to water the Coco-Trees 
till they are fix years old. If you dig 
about two foot deep you meet with 
rocky ground, fo that if you will have TheCroimi 
a Spring you mufl cut thetn out of the rocky. 
Rocks with vaft Charge. 
The before-mention'd Bellales make 
likewife Butter, but not after the fame Their way 
manner as we do in HoUand. They/ ^nctking 
take a kind of a Mill made like a Star ^"^^f"'* 
at the bottom, this they roll betwixt 
both hands (as we do with our Choco- 
late) till the Butter comes. Some of 
our Dutch Women make alfo good 
Cheefe, but it is not regarded among the 
Inhabitants \ but Butter is in great efteem 
among them as well as among the Moorsy 
nay the Family of Commety ufe Butter 
like Drink. Milk turn'd to Curds ( call'd 
by them Tayf ) is alfo in great requeft 
with them, and ufed like a cooling Me- 
dicine in Fevers, and the Small-Pox, 
which are very frequent here. 
Their Cattel they keep both day and hoxv thcj 
night in the Field, tho towards mght manage 
they drive them into a certain Enclofure : 
They are never hous'd in the Winter, 
but feed in the Grounds where the Corn 
firfl fprouts forth, and afterwards are 
fed with Hay till Harveft time. If the 
Cattel happen to break into a Neighbour's 
Field, the Owner is oblig'd to make good 
the Damage. The Bellales are generally 
the richeft of the Country ; they don*t 
marry except in their own Family, and 
^ com- 
