, 1876-01-15
THE WEDDAS OF CEYLOy.
A Ilnco OF SnvuEes-1diotio Athlpt,
nnd Their Customs.

At tho opening tnao:in8 Of tho Anthropoiost.
cal Institute last night. saya the London Stand.
ard OF Dec. i5. M Interesting paper was rea4
" .; y. 1artanosue, Esq.. n. A., on "Iht
in tho scalc Of intelligence In tho world. 8o,nt
OF theae singular ,psoplo-two men aud thret
womon-wofe oxhibitcd to tho p1incs OF Wale1
before leaving tho Island. Tho remnants OF tht
Wod los occupy tho caatern portion Of an island,
and hro spread oycr N area Of 30 n,lIos BY 40 ID
c1ttnt. They arc divided into Jnngto Weidas.
aud tho Remi.cyiizsd or Village Weddns, and Il
"as 10 tho habltn Of the former that the au.hu
Of the paper had moro particularly directed htt
attention: Their non'adso habits mato est
nation OF tlcis numbers moro uuosiwo:k, but
they were not Bupposol to oxcaod $50 10 1859
IIey have no sort Of dwellings,, but pass thor
lives roaming about In tho open air, takInl
sheltcr from stnfma unler rocks or In holEos
monkeys. deer, aud wild boar. Tbeir arms art
tho bow and atrow, aud they aro nssated Ia ths
chssn.6J dogs, uhcl arc t!loir only domcstcated
nuimals. Thoy drink nothing but water, which,
however. IL mover usoa for ablation thev havina
~ idea that washing *ouid tako away theii
strength. They chow tue bark Of certain troos
but DO nos use tobacco In my shapc. Tie tall
est Wetldas described were about feet inches
and tho shortest feet iuoh but Mr. Harts
srn h aa atnod ssoq 91s iyons mo
Ing their au,al! etzo apd Night physique tat
g!yeugEh which thoY ptBseas tn tho arms, aud
especially In tho loft arm, Ia very rcmatka.
BILE. This II duo 10 their constant use Of tut
So pounds, will an ar4or . feet 9 incbes IT,
length. This IL pulled to tho head, and thet
dwell on thoir nl1, sometimes for couple d
minutes withou! thc slsgb.ess tremor OF the !en
Ar,n Icing rorcept[ole. On ono occsstou th&
author saw Wcdda st,ooi, dag 85 yards OF.
tho nrrow passing through noarly tho who'll
length OF tue animal. entersny the hini-luar:os
aud coming out 1T tho shoulder. Thor oul
othor weapon ID small M. Fire Is still occa
sioua'ly produced b. tho lre-s!tck. which is madt
OF tho hamo wood as their ARROWS. but moro fra
auooty By lint nna atcol. winch they obtaln ii
exchange for hllos anl bopawlx. Photograph
Were exhibited to shon thor general appear
aicc, and thoso brought int tlaoir mott str.k
tho thumbs aud sharply pointed elbows
Thclt countanancos ara .aoso'uselY. dovoid d
my expression OF Intelligence, and their utta
tioSltct OF thcir persons Ehvo M air OF extreml
baroarsm. Tho woman woro necGlaceB aud or
nanaents In thnr cars, for which beads and
eupty cartridge cases aro om ,!oyed. THEFT
fa"os woat ~ expression Of gsoat .nnhspp[nosA
sud they nevor lnuBh, all attoufpta to induc.
thom 10 laugh uttory failing; indeed, tlIo q,
hibitioa OF laughter By another person produce.
asked why they DO not laugh. thc3 reply. Wnl
should we7 What ID thore to laugh at I" ToeI
havn no worda to convoy tho Idea OF cooss Of
numbers, ani thoY cannot count on their hngess.
oHu VI tAo Wo5t u tHb HUI usu
utterly forgotten tho names OF hts father and
motl.or, who were dcnd, aud laa great dlncuityit
recalling tho numo of lnB wife, whom hc hal
seen only three days before. 4 village Wedds,
confined for tia tnugdos of 4 porBon whom hd
thought hnd boWi!cAed htsn, aftor thsea months
Attendance ht school had only been ab!o 10 loatu
nlne lettera and eighteen numbers. TAoy haH
no Idea Of soul. or Of tutura state. and
though thoy sneak Of . superior bciug, a mar
quost,0n0l on this point did not know Whethcl
II wan good or an owl bstng. lilo WAS uol
afraid Of it. nor did ho pray to IL. When
death occurs tho body IL wrapped tn hido and
huriod by the mon, who dig grave NTH thetl
llatchets and pointed stakos. No womo1
arc allowed to bo present at tho inter
mont. Nothing Is put mto tho grave no,
Is tho apot aSer revisited. An offering 0!
food ia u,hdo to tho DEAL with tho adjuraIton;
'Ye daad petson, ta:te 70 tlla foods" but tho
yiands arc then divided and CONSUMED by thoss
proseut, They Layo no tdea OF stealing. and
polygamY and polyandEy ase unknown. Though
thoY marry their sisters, thoy toyeE marry tho
eldest Blstor, mud there Ia no marriage csremoa!
beyond = presentation OF fuotl to tho parents 0!
tho brido. WHO has no choice Ia tho selection ol
her husband, the aubtoc1ioa OF women betns
complete. Tho Oldest naRlo Wedda is regarded
With patriarcla' soapect, bat all others arc oqntl.
casto boiug unknown. Very littio information il
10 b. derived from the:r language. oxcept that u
seetns to be ag.oed among pntlologlsta that It Il
Tho only savage language Which Is OF unnllsas'
ablc Arynu origin.