•204 
THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
the clay. There is no figure too ridiculous to find a 
place within : besides Swammies of all constructions, there 
are representations of wild beasts, birds, pieces of con- 
secrated armour, and some very indecent figures of men 
and women. 
The priests of the inferior deities, though dressed in the 
same manner with the Tirinanxes, are easily distinguishable 
by the smaller degree of respect which is paid them. 
They are continually met in their wandering excursions 
over the island, and, like all these of the same class in 
India, are a set of lazy, impudent vagabonds, who, with- 
out any exertion or industry, are enabled to live well by 
the extortions which they practise on the people. Even those 
who supply their demands are conscious of their vices ; 
but superstitious fears have taken too deep a hold on the 
minds of the votaries to permit them to withdraw them- 
selves from the yoke. 
The superstition of the Ceylonese serves instead of 
regular endowments for the support of their religious esta- 
blishments. The Candians indeed allow certain portions of 
land and particular taxes to maintain their priests and 
religious houses, particularly those of Buddou. The inferior 
priests however are left to support their temples and them- 
selves by their own dexterity, and in this task they are 
very successful. As all sorts of diseases are accounted 
immediate indications of the divine wrath, the priest and 
the temple are the constant remedies. Hence all the religious 
