2 72 
THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
they were driven out from the society of the natives, and 
forced to take up their abode in the most unfrequented 
forests. Some imagine that the Bedahs are merely a part 
of the native Candians, who chose to retain their ancient 
savage freedom, when the brethren of the plains and 
vallies submitted to the cultivation of the earth, and the 
restraints of society. This opinion rests entirely on those 
Bedahs, who are most known, speaking a broken dialect of 
the Cinglese. It is, however, by no means ascertained that 
this is the universal language of the Bedahs; nor is any 
account of their origin supported by the slightest shadow 
of proof. 
It will not seem strange that the origin of the Bedahs 
is so little known, when I inform the reader that I had 
lived a considerable time in the island of Ceylon before 
I even heard that there was such a race in existence; and 
numbers residing there to this day know nothing of the 
fact. The first time I understood that the Bedahs inha- 
bited Ceylon was in consequence of a party of them 
being surprised by our Sepoys in the beginning of 1798, 
while up the country against the rebellious Cinglese; they 
were brought to Columbo, where I had an opportunity of 
examining their appearance. They seemed to be a race 
entirely different from the other Ceylonese : their complexions 
were fairer, and inclining to a copper colour : they were 
remarkably well made, wore long beards, and their hair 
tucked up close to the crown of the head ; their bodies 
