, 1876-02-12
A Strange Race Of Savages.
THE wEDDAs - -IDIOTIC ATHLETES AND
THEIR CUSTOMS.

At the opening meeting of the Anthro-
biological Institute, last night, says the
London Standard of December Is, an in.
teresting paper was read by B. f. Harris
horne, NJ. A, ON "The Weddas of Cey.
lon," perhaps the savages lowest in the
scale of intelligence in the world. Some
of these singular people-two men and
three women-were exhibited to the
Prince Of Wales before leaving the island
The remnants of the Weddas occupy the
eastern portion of the island, and are
spread over an area of ninety miles by
forty in extent. They are divided iAto
jungle Weddas, and the semi-civilized OF
village Weddas, and it was to the habits
of the former that the author Of the paper
had more particularly directed his atten-
| tion. Their nOmadic habits make esti-
nation oftheir numbers mere guess-work,
but they were not supposed to exceed $3.50
in 1858. They have no sort of dwellings,
but pass their lives roaming about in the
open air, taking shelter from storms under
rocks or in hollow trees. Their food con-
sists of honey, lizards, monkeys, deer and
wild boars. Their arms are the bow and
arrow, and they are assisted in the chase
by dogs, which are their only homestead
ed animals. They drink nothing but
water, which, however, is never used tor
ablution, they having an idea, that wash
ing 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 about four
feet one inch; but Mr.. Hartshorne had
seen one, young male, apparently about
eighteen, who stood five feet four and
three fOurths inches. Notwithstanding
their small size and slight physique, the
strength they possess in their arms, es-
pecially in the left arm, isvery remarkable.
This is due to the constant use of the bow,
which is six feet long, and pulls from
4S to SO pounds, with an arrow feet
inches in length. This is pulled to the
head, and they dwell on their aim some
times for couple Of minutes without the
slightest tremor of the left arm being
perceptible. On one occasion the author
saw Wedda shoot dog 80 yards off,
the arrow passing through nearly the
whole length of the animal, entering the
hind quarter and coming out at the shoul-
der. The only other weapon is small
ak. Fire is still occasionally produced
by the fre-stick, which is made of the
same wood as their arrows, but more fire.
quently by flint and steel, which they OBJ
tain in exchange for hides and beeswax.
photographs were exhibited to show their
general appearance, and these brought
out their most striking characteristics,
VIZ, extreme shortness Of the thumbs and
sharply pointed elbows. Their counte-
nances are absolutely devoid of any ex-
preston of intelligence, and their utter
neglect Of their persons gave an air of ex-
treme barbarism. The women wore neck
laces and ornaments in their ears, for
which beads and empty cartridge cases
are employed. Their faces wear an ex-
preston Of great unhappiness, and they
never laugh, all attempts to induce them
to laugh utterly failing; indeed, the ex-
hibition Of laughter by another person
produces unmistakable expressions of dis
gust. When asked why they do not laugh,
they reply, "Why should wei What Is
there to laugh stln They have no words
" 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 mother, who were dead, and
had great difficulty in recalling the name
Of his wife whom he had seen onlv three
days before. A village Wedda. confined