50 
THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
selves from the eye of every stranger, little is known concerning 
them ; and many Dutchmen have resided for years on the 
island, who were so far from having seen any of them, that 
they looked upon the reports handed about of them in much 
the same light as we in Europe do the stories of fairies and 
Lapland witches. The exaggerated and improbable tales related 
of them were indeed enough to make any one who had not 
actually seen them, look upon the whole as fabulous. There 
are, however, certain circumstances so well authenticated, that 
they can admit of no doubt; and these I shall detail, when 
I come to give a particular account of the several races of 
people who- inhabit this island. 
The road to the south-west of Jafnapatam is extremely 
tedious and disagreeable. The paths are often very narrow, 
passing through thick woods and heavy sands ; and are very 
much infested with wild hogs, elephants, and buffaloes. These 
circumstances render a journey by this way very unpleasant ; 
and those who are compelled by business to undertake it, 
prefer, if the season permit, to coast along in those large 
passage boats called Domes. The narrow sea which lies betwixt 
this side of the island and the continent, is called the gulph 
of Manaar, from a small island of that name lying off the 
coast of Ceylon, about sixty miles south-west of Jafnapatam. 
The island of Manaar is separated from Ceylon by an arm 
of the sea about two miles broad, which, at low water, is 
almost dry, with the exception of a small channel in the middle 
not exceeding thirty or forty yards in breadth, and usually 
