TIIE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
them. Barren women, in particular, are anxious to catch the 
drops, in hopes of being by this means rendered fruitful ; and 
with a view to secure the efficacy of this charm, they con- 
trive to work themselves up, during the ceremony, to the 
highest pitch of religious delirium, tearing their hair and 
shrieking in the most dreadful manner. After the sacrifice is 
performed, the devotee is placed on his belly flat on the 
ground; and two very large hooks, wdiich have been previ- 
ously fixed to the ropes suspended from the end of the cross- 
beam, are inserted deep into the flesh of his back just under 
the shoulders: other ropes are also placed under his breast 
and across his thighs, to help to sustain the weight of his 
body. He is then, by means of the ropes and pullies, hoisted 
up to the cross tree, immediately under which he continues 
suspended; and in this position he is drawn round the post 
two or three times. During this painful ceremony he repeats 
a certain number of prayers, and continues to throw among 
the crowd flowers which he had taken up with him for the pur- 
pose : these are considered as sacred relicks, which will keep 
away all disease, and ensure happiness ever after ; and the 
surrounding multitude scramble for them as eagerly as an 
English mob for money thrown among them. 
This ceremony is by no means unfrequent, and I have had 
occasion to be present at more than one, during my stay in 
Ceylon. The last I saw performed was at Columbo in 1799> 
when the cross beam broke, and the man falling to the ground 
was killed on the spot. A moor of the Moply cast had pre- 
