172 
Malays of Ceylon. 
tions, than from a Jealous husband. The passions of the women 
are equally violent with those of the men, and they are equally 
capable of taking the most terrible revenge. If their European 
paramour offers them the slightest neglect, or if he is suspected 
of having formed another attachment, they will not hesitate to 
revenge themselves either b}^ stabbing him, or the equally fatal 
method of administering poison; a practice to which they are 
very prone. 
The habits of the Malays in their infancy are calculated to 
render them hardy. They go naked till about twelve years of 
age; and are shortly after married. As they are of the Maho- 
metan religion, the higher casts marry as many wives as they 
can maintain; while their poverty restricts the lower classes to 
one wife. 
Their usual food consists of fowl, fish, rice, and vegetables. 
The better sort also eat beef and mutton when killed by one 
of their own race, and prepared in their own manner. When 
the governor of any of our forts in Ceylon is to give an en- 
tertainment to the officers of the Malay corps, he sends for 
some of their own people to kill and dress the beef and mut- 
ton intended for table. They adhere very strictly to the Ma- 
hometan prejudices against swine, which they hold in such ab- 
horrence that they will not so much as touch their flesh. I 
have seen servants of some of the Malay casts, even young- 
boys, refuse to carry away a plate whioh had ham or baco 
on it. 
Their common drink is water, or the juice of the palmyra; 
although some of them make no scruple to drink arrack when 
they can procure it. All day long they chew the betel or pe- 
and smoke ^ang. From this last herb a species of opium 
9 
nang. 
