130 THE ISLAND OF CEYLON, 
they never altogether lose sight of their native habits. The 
chief trait of the original Dutch character which those in 
Ceylon retain, is their fondness for gin and tobacco : in other 
respects they adopt the customs and listless habits of the 
country. A Ceylonese Dutchman usually spends his time as 
follows. He rises early, about six, and either goes to walk, 
or sits down by his door in a loose robe and night-cap to 
smoke a pipe. This with a glass of gin, which is called a 
soupkie, fills up the interval to seven. A dish of coffee is 
then handed him by his slaves, and his lounging posture and 
tobacco-pipe are resumed for another while. lie then gets 
up, dresses, and goes to business, or more frequently to 
pay visits; a mode of spending time of which his country- 
men are particularly fond. In these visits the Dutchmen 
usually take a pipe and glass at every house to which they 
go. In their salutations they are wonderfully ceremonious, 
and make a profusion of bows with a stiffness peculiar to 
themselves. If they have leisure to prolong their visit, they 
take off part of their dress, and put on a little night-cap, 
which they bring with them on purpose, and then set them- 
selves to smoke and talk till noon. Their dinner hour is 
about twelve. On their tables they have very gross and 
heavy food, and are particularly fond of having a great 
quantity of butter and oil mixed with their fish and other 
victuals. At some of the Dutch houses however, and in 
particular, at Mynheer Conrade's, at Colombo, I found the 
dishes extremely well dressed, and the fish in particular 
