Religion of the Ceylonese. 
Tlie temples dedicated to the inferior gods are poor, mean, 
and contemptible; and usually constructed of clay and wood. In 
general they are mere huts one story high, wdthout wdndow's, 
and covered with cocoa-tree leaves. Elephants’ heads of earthen 
ware, little pots, &c. are hung up for passengers to make their 
offerings. At the doors of these homely edifices, a pole or flag 
is commonly placed, and near it a priest is seen sitting during 
the whole of the day. There is no figure too ridiculous to find 
a place within: their Swammies or sacred images aie of all 
constructions, such as gigantic figures of men with boars’ heads, 
&c. derived from the followers of Ram, when he came to Cey- 
lon with an army to subdue the people to his religion ; repre- 
sentations of wdld beasts, birds, pieces of consecrated armour, 
and some very indecent figures of men and w'omen. 
The priests of the inferior deities, called Gonies, though dress- 
ed in the same manner with the Tirinanxes, are easily distin- 
guishable by the smaller degree of respect Avhich is paid them. 
They are continually met in their wandering excursions over 
the island ; .and, like all these of the same class in India, are a 
set of lazy, impudent vagabonds, who, wdthout any exertion or 
industry, are enabled to live well by the extortions which they 
practise on the people. Even those who supply their demands 
are con.scious of their vices; but superstitious fears have taken 
too deep a hold on the minds of the votaries to permit them 
to withdraw themselves from the yoke. 
The superstition of the Ceylonese serves instead of regular 
endowments for the support of their religious establishments. 
The Candians indeed allow certain portions of land and parti- 
cular taxes to maintain their priests and religious houses, par- 
ticularly those of Buddou. The inferior priests however are 
