72 District of Jafnapafam. 
tion, and are divided into several tribes, known by the names 
of Lubbahs, Belalas, Mopleys,^ Chittys^ Choliars, and a few 
Brahmins : they are distinguished by wearing a little round 
cap on their close shaven heads. There is also a race of 
IMalabars found here somewhat diflering in their appearance 
from those on the continent. These different tribes of foreign 
settlers greatly exceed in number the native Ceylonese in the 
district of Jaffna. The Malabars are ] employed in manufactur- 
ing cotton, cloths. See. The Chittys, and Lubbahs trade in 
cloths, calicoes, handkerchiefs, &c. and go backwards and forwards 
to the continent to carry on this trade. The Lubbahs are Moors 
and Mahometans. The Belalas are numerous ; they are chief- 
ly husbandmen and attend to tillage and rearing cattle. These 
are 'extremely litigious and quarrelsome ; and, although professed 
Christians, they observe scarcely any of the ordinances of our 
religion. They are in some measure Pythagoreans; and say 
when a child is born lame, blind, or dumb, that it was for- 
merly the soul of a person, who must have deserved this pu- 
nishment by his actions in a former state. They are extremely 
superstitious, and attached to many of the rites of paganism. 
The Choliars and Chivias do the hard work; are porters, 
palankeen bearers, and water carriers; though some are descen- 
ded from the higher order, and will only carry the great men. 
The Panias and Pariars are the fishermen, as also the Mokkouas. 
The Nalloaus are the blackest of all the tribes. They gather 
the toddy from the cocoa-trees, make arrack, tend the cattle 
and are labourers and Coolies. The Pariars are accounted the , 
lowest and most despicable. All these in some measure par- 
take of the Ceylonese customs and habits of life, mingled with 
their own. They inhabit various parts of the north-west coasts 
