159 
The Dutch of Ceylon. 
character, which those in Ceylon retain, is their fondness for 
gin and tobacco : in other respects they adopt the customs and 
listless habits of the country. A Ceylonese Dutchman usually 
spends his time as follows. He rises early, about six, and either 
goes to walk, or sits down by his door in a loose robe and 
night-cap to smoke a pipe. This with a glass of gin, which is 
called a soupMe, fills up the interval to seven. A dish of cof- 
fee is then handed him by his slaves, and his lounging posture 
and tobacco-pipe are again resumed. He afterwards dresses, 
and goes to business, or more frequently to pay visits ; a mode 
of spending time of which his countrymen are particularly fond. 
In these visits the Dutchmen usually take a pipe and glass at 
every house to which they go. In their salutations they are 
w'onderfully ceremonious, and make a profusion of bows with a 
stiffness peculiai* to themselves. If they have leisure to prolong 
their visit, they take off part of their dress, and put on a little 
night-cap, which they bring with them on purpose, and then 
set themselves to smoke and talk till noon. Their dinner hour 
is about twelve. On their tables they have very gross and 
heavy food, and are particularly fond of having a great quan- 
tity of butter and oil mixed with their fish and other victuals. 
At some of the Dutch houses however, and particularly at 
Mynheer Conrade’s, at Columbo, I found the dishes extremely 
well dressed, and the fish in particular appeared exceedingly 
palatable to an Englishman. After dinner they resume their 
favourite regale of smoking in an undress, and then go to sleep 
for an hour. As soon as they are again dressed, they either 
go abroad to pay visits, or receive company at home; and 
this, with another pipe, fills up the interval till supper is an- 
nounced at nine, when the same heavy sort of food is again 
served up.. 
