74 
THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
the richest repast to the curiosity of an European. In one 
place he may see jugglers and vagabonds of every description 
practising their tricks with a degree of suppleness and skill, 
which appear supernatural to the inhabitant of a cold climate ; 
in another he may observe Fakeers, Brahmins, Priests, Pan- 
dararns, and devotees of every sect, either in order to extort 
charity, or in consequence of some voav, going through the 
most painful operations with a degree of obstinate resolution, 
which I could scarcely have believed or even conceived, had I 
not been an eye-witness. I hope it will not be thought an 
improper digression from my narrative, if I mention a few of 
those circumstances which most attracted my notice : they are 
not particularly connected with a description of Ceylon, but 
they will certainly afford one source of amusement to the 
traveller who visits it. 
The most painful acts of penance which the Indians un- 
dergo, are in order to regain their cast, when they have lost 
it either by eating things forbidden by the rules of their sect, 
or by having such connection with people of a different de- 
scription as is supposed to defile them. In this state they are 
held in abhorrence by persons of their own sect, debarred 
from all intercourse with them, and prohibited even to touch 
them. From such a dreadful state of defilement they can be 
purified only by paying a large sum of money, or by under- 
going the most incredible penances. Among those which I 
observed, I shall mention a few of the most remarkable. One 
of them will vow to hold his arm elevated over his head, firs 
i 
