170 
Malays of Ceylon. 
one end drawn through between their legs, and tucked up at 
the lower part of the back. It is fitted close to their bodies, 
and the arms are left completely bare. Some wear a kind of 
vest or jacket without sleeves; and most of the slaves in the 
service of Europeans, instead of the piece of cloth, have breeches 
of some coarse stuff given them by their masters. None of 
tlie Malays suffer their beards to grow, but pluck out the 
hairs as soon as they appear, it being against their religion to 
allow them to remain. 
The dress of the poorer classes of the women consists simply 
of a large piece of coarse calico, or cotton called a sarow. It 
is folded and wound round the body above the bosom, which 
it partly covers, and reaches down to the ankle or the middle 
of the leg ; the -upper end of the cloth is tucked up, and fas- 
tened immediately under their arm pits. Their hair is twisted 
up behind like that of the men, and fastened with' a fillet, or 
condes, those large pins or skewers which I have already des- 
cribed. * 
The women of a superior station dress with much care and 
splendor, and sometimes a good deal of taste. They wear the 
saroiu I have just mentioned, but of a finer stuff, and folded 
louver down on the waist. They have also a kind of boddice 
or close waistcoat, with sleeves reaching below the waist ; it 
seems intended to cover the bosom, which at the same time 
it compresses, and prevents from having its full and natural 
appearance. Over it they wear either a coloured silk, fine 
muslin, or calico garment of a wider shape and longer, witlx a 
girdle of the same finely embroidered drawn three or four times 
loosely round the waist. Over the whole is thrown the badjou, 
or loose robe, nearly resembling that worn by the men. Some, 
