THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
211 
beads, and mutter prayers as they count them and go along 
the road, in the same manner as I have seen done in Roman 
Catholic countries. I at first imagined that these were con- 
verts to that religion, but upon enquiry, I found that they 
were all staunch adherents to the worship of Ruddou. Their 
high respect for the customs of the Europeans led them early 
to adopt this usage from the Portuguese ; but the prayers 
which they mutter over their beads, have no reference what- 
ever to those used by the Roman Catholics, but are directed 
entirely to their own superstitions, and intended as preven- 
tives against the influence of the evil spirits which surround 
them. 
The immortality of the soul and the resurrection of the 
body, are tenets firmly believed among all the Ceylonese. 
They believe that the souls of the just are immediately after 
death admitted into the rank of gods, and that their ancient 
prophets and good kings are long since employed in exer- 
cising the powers of this station : while on the other hand, 
the souls of the wicked, particularly of unjust tyrants and 
impious priests, are supposed to have passed into wild beasts 
and reptiles. 
The Ceylonese are rigid predestinarians, and believe that 
people are born to their particular destinies, whether good or 
bad, without any possibility of avoiding or altering them. 
Spells and charms are indeed supposed in some measure to 
lighten the effects of appointed calamities ; and considerable 
reliance is placed on giving alms. On this account the Cey- 
e e 2 
