S30 
MeIigio7t oj the Ceylofiese. 
certain festivals or seasons of devotion, to refrain from killing 
any living creature, but subsist entirely on herbs and fruits. 
1 have already observed, that the Ceylonese are much more 
conscientious in their dealings than the natives of the continent. 
This remark applies particularly to the Cinglese, who, besides 
being naturally abstemious, frugal, and free from covetousness, 
are not tempted by want to purloin the property of their 
neighbours. The Candians, though endued with much more 
pride and spirit, are by no means so conscientious or honest. 
Those indeed among them, who are guilty of stealing or lying, 
are exposed to public reproach, while just and honourable 
actions never fail to meet with applause ; but when they expect 
to escape detection, they are seldom deterred from trespassing 
by scruples of conscience. The rapacity of their governors, 
and their frequent inroads into the European settlements seem 
to have depraved their originally good dispositions. 
Their burials are not attended with any particular religious 
solemnity. Mr. Knox states, that in his time it was customary 
to burn the dead, particularly the bodies of persons of distinc- 
tion. If this practice still subsists in any part of Ceylon, it 
has entirely escaped my researches, and must be both rare and 
confined to the remotest parts of the interior. The analogy of 
several of the casts on the Coromandel and Malabar coasts, 
among whom the practice of burning the dead is general, may 
be alleged as a proof of its once having been customary among 
the Ceylonese. At .present, as far as I have been able to dis- 
cover, the funeral ceremony is very simple, and nearly resem- 
bles what takes place among ourselves. The body is wrapped 
in a mat or piece of cloth, and carried to some unfrequented 
spot, where it is deposited,. 
4 
