The Canton mail., 1876-02-05
Tie Weddas of CeyIon.

the scale of intelligence in the worio
Some of these singular people-tw'
men and three women-were exhibited
to the Prince pf Wales before leaving
the island. The rentifatits Of the We'd
das occupy the eastern lortiOn Of thu
island and are spread over an area o
ninety miles by forty in extent. They
are divided into Jungle Weddas ant
the semi-civilized or Village Weddas
and it was to the habits of the former
that the author of the paper had more
particularly directed his attention
Their nomadic habits make estimation
of their numbers mere guess-work, but
they were not supposed to exceed 3St
in 1858. They have no sort of dwell
ing, but pass their time roaming about
in the open air, taking shelter from
storms under rocks and in hollow trees
Their food consists of honey, lizards,
monkeys, deer, and wild boars.- Then
arms are the bow and arrow, and they
are assisted in the chase by dogs, which
are their My domesticated animals.
They drink nothing but water, which,
however, is never used for ablution,
they having an idea that washing would
take away their strength. They chew
the bark of certain trees, but do not
use tobacco in any shape. The tallest
Weddas described were about five feet
three inches, and the shortest four feet
one inch; but Mr.. Hartshorne has seen
one, a young male, apparently of
eighteen, who stood five feet four and
three-quarter inches. Notwithstanding
their small size and slight physique
the strength which they possess IN the
arms, and especially in the left arm. is
| very remarkable. This is due to their
constant use of the bow, which is six
feet long and pulls from forty-eight to
| fifty-six pounds, with an throw. three
feet.six inches in length. This is pulled
| to the head, and they dwell on their
aim sometimes for couple of minutes
without the slightest tremor of the left
arm being perceptible. On one occa-
! SION the author saw Weddas shoot a
dog tinirty-fve feet off, the arrow pass
ing through nearly the whole length of
the animal, entering the hind quarter
and coming out at the shoulder.
Their only other weapon is mall
AK. Fire is still occasionally produced
by the fire-stick, which is made of the
same wood as their arrows, which they
obtain in exchange for hides and bees
wax. Photographs were exhibited to
show their general appearance, and
these brought out the most striking
characteristics, viz: extreme sh0rtness
of the thumbs and sharply pointed
elbows. Their countenances are abso-
lutely devoid of any expression of in
| telligence. and their utter neglect of
their persons gave an air of extreme
| barbarism. The women wore neck
| laces and ornaments in their ears, for
which beads and empty cartridge-cases
are employed. Their faces wear an
expression of great unhappiness and
they never laugh, all attempts to in
duce them to laugh utterly failing; in
deed the exhibition of laughter by
another person produces unmistakable
expressions of disgust. When asked
why they do not laugh they reply ::
"Why should we? What is there to
laugh at?" They have no words to
convey the idea of colOrs or numbers
and they cannot count on their fingers.
One of the most intelligent of the
men had utterly forgotten the names of
his father and nfether, who were dead,
and had great difficulty in recalling the
name of his wife, whom he had seen
only three days before. A Village
Wedda, confined for the murder of a
person whom he-thought had bewitched
him, after three months attendance
at school had only been able to learn
nine letters and eighteen numbers.
They have no idea of the soul or of a
future state, and, though they speak of
superior being, a man questioned on
this point did not know whether it was
"a good or an evil being. He was not
afraid of it, nor did he pray to it.
When death occurs the body is wrap
ped in a hide and buried by the men,
who dig "a grave with their hatchets and
pointed stakes. No women are allowed
to be present at the interment. Nothing
is put IN the grave nor is the spot ever
revisited. =. An offering of food is made
to the aea1,.with the adjuration, /" Ye
dead7persUn, take we this food;" but
the viands are then divided and con-
sumed by those present. They have
no idea of. stealing and polygamy and
polyandry are-unknown. Though they
marry their sisters, they never marry
the eldest. sister, and there is no mar
riage ceremony beyond presentation
Of food to the parentsrof tke bride,
who has ne choice in the selection OF
her husband, the zsubjection of women
being complete. The eldest male
Weada is .regarded.with' patriarchal
respect but all Others are equal, caste
being unknown. Very little informa
ton is to be derived from their Ian
guage except that it seems to be
agreed among Psychologists that. it is
the only savage,language which is of
unmistakable Aryan orfgin.-LOndon
Standard.
Boy Heroism ON the Training-Ship. /
The burning of the British school
ship Goliath had this good effect: that
it served to show the excellence of the
system by which the boys Gall of them
mere children and gathered from the
very slums of cities) have been trained.
" No sooner was the fre-bell rung than
every boy was at his place" says Lon
don journal, "andfrom first to last the
order was as perfect as if the little work
house lads had been drilled troops"
Many instances of heroism are cited.
There was a barge moored close to the
ship, and a number of the striplings,
mostly between seven and ten years of
are had made Uood their escane tn