TIIE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
151 
lent with those of the men, and they are equally capable of 
taking the most terrible revenge. If their European para- 
mour offers them the slightest neglect, or if lie is suspected 
of having formed another attachment, they will not hesitate 
to revenge themselves either by stabbing him, or the equally 
fatal method of administering poison ; a practice to which 
they arc very prone. 
The habits of the Malays in their infancy, are calculated 
to render them hardy. They go naked till about twelve years 
of age ; and are shortly after married. As they are of the 
Mahometan religion, the higher casts marry as many wives 
as they can maintain ; while their poverty restricts the lower 
classes to one wife. 
Their usual food consists of fowl, fish, rice, and vegetables. 
The better sort also eat beef and mutton, when killed by one 
of their own race, and prepared in their own manner. When 
the Governor of any of our forts in Ceylon is to give an en- 
tertainment to the officers of the Malay corps, lie sends for 
some of their own people to kill and dress the beef and mut- 
ton intended for table. They adhere very strictly to the Ma- 
hometan prejudices against swine, which they hold in such 
abhorrence that they will not so much as touch their flesh. 
I have seen servants of some of the Malay casts, even young 
boys, refuse to carry away a plate which had ham or bacon 
on it. 
Their common drink is water, or the juice of the palmyra; 
although some of them make no scruple to drink arrack when 
