THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
aig 
But although the poorer Cingiese use no more clothing 
than a very small attention to deceiuy obliges them, the supe- 
rior ranks are far from being regardless of dress. Tile men 
of the better sort usually wear a piece of calico wrapped 
round their waists, and either allowed to hang loose down 
to their ancles, or drawn together between the legs in the 
form of wide trowsers. 
The body is covered by a jacket with sleeves, which 
unites the appearance of a shirt and waistcoat, and is but- 
toned at the neck and wrists. The buttons are the articles 
on which the magnificence of this piece of dress is supposed 
particularly to depend, and no expence is spared to have 
them as splendid as possible. A great number of buttons are 
used, and they are either of silver, gold, or precious stones. 
Enormous ear-rings are another piece of finery in which the 
Ceylonese cope with their neighbours the Malabars. In order 
to prepare the ear for these unwieldy rings, which often hang 
down to the shoulders, pieces of wood are employed to keep 
open and widen the orifice which is made for the purpose 
in their infancy. As the climate hardly requires any cover- 
ing, the shoulders and body are often left completely bare. 
On their heads they wear caps of various shapes, and others 
of them coloured handkerchiefs, according as fancy dictates, 
or the rules of their cast prescribe. 
The dress of the higher ranks of women is similar to that 
worn by the black Portuguese ladies, which I have already 
described. The young Cingiese women of rank dress by no 
f f 2 
