The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-17
THE TRUTH-LOVING VEDDAS.
A00TigilGS who Do Not Lie Or Steal and Have
No Chiefs or Government.

The Veddas are the aborigineS Of the
Island Of Ceylon, and are a very remarka-
BILE people. The pure, unmiXed Veddas are
now hardly more than 200 or 800 in number,
and they therefore cut very small figure
in an island that has over 100000 p0pula-
ton. They are scattered among the forests
on the east side of the island, and are diff
cult Of access. because the traveller must
provide himself with provisions for the
journey across the island If he wishes to
visit the natives in their almost uneXpl0red
territory.
About year ago DR.. P. Sarasin, accom-
panied by his cousin, DR.. i. Saraoiu, visited
these natives for the sole object Of making
an accurate anthropological study Of them.
They took with them, says the New ork
Sun, a caravan of fifty coolies and an OK
wagon, setting out from Newara Eliya,
whittier they had arrived from Colombo.
In six days they reached the eastern foot of
the central mountain range In the plains
which slope away from this point TO the
east coast stand two small Independent
peaks, the most westerly OF which is named
Danlgalaheia. 1t Is In he holluWS OF
the the forests around this mountain
that the village NeddaS live. The plains
of CeylOn have as a characteristic feature
great open grass flats, surrounded by dense
forests. The village NeddaS are found
IN these clearings. The small huts are
constructed of the bark OF trees aud consist
OF an inner room aud yeranda. The natives
are not capable of building the huts them
selves and so they hire the CngaleSe TO erect
them and pay for their services with the
produce OF the chaSe-neat. honey ana wild
fruits. When they are unable to secure Gin
galeSe fer this work they seek shelter like
the rock Veddas who live in the mountains,
in hOtlOws, which are formed merely by de-
taehed blocks Of gness lying on one or TWO
md al off hEf
lection against the rain and wind. Three
different settlements OF the village Neddas
were visited by the explorers and they
were fortunate enough to discover band
Of rock Neddas. over 300 typical photo
graphs were taken.
The natives have a ehocolate-coored
skin. The nose is broad and tleshy. the lips
swollen and the chin pointed. The upper
lip and chm OF the men Is covered with
small growth of hair. The hair of the head
falls down to the shoulders like a dark
name and Is very unkempt. Their clothing
consists only OF cloth rag around their
loins, which IS kept in place by girdle Of
tWigS. The village Neddas have to some
extent intermlnsied with the Ciugaiese and
have acquired some of their civilization.
This appears in their domestic life ana their
plantations where they cultivate grain
The rock Veddas, however, live principally
on flesh, especially that of deer, swine,
monkeys and squirrels, while they despiSe
birds and eggs. They dry their meat over
the fire in order 10 preserve IT, They also
eat baked yams, various fruits of the forest,
certain leaves AID Oarks of trees.
They have no knowledge of the caste
system of the natives Of India, nor of any
form OF government, since they have no
chiefs. The oldest man In the community
appears often % exercise certain influence,
but Of a very limited character They possess
no form OF religion. They appear To believe,
ho. hsf h.tp
this does not prevent them from conducting
explorers TO the burial places and helping
them to eXhume skeletons, which they are
perfectly willing the white men should carry
away. Their language is that of Ciugaiese,
which the NeddaS have acquired III time.
but they still use a few words of their
original language. These words of the an
Gent language present great difference in
villages, which are often only few hours
distant from each other.
The life of the Veddas is of the simplest
kind Imaginable. A bow, arrows, hatchets,
two small pieces Of wood for kindling fires,
tortose-shell for a bowl, girdle for the
waist composed CT leaves and creepers-
these compose their whole household goods.
They buy iron blades for their ha,chets and
iron points for their arrows from the Gin
galese in exchange Tor honey, wax and
meat. No traces OF stone weapons were
discovered. though the explorers made dill
gent search by digging in the hOllows.
The pure Neddas are characterized by an
almost total absence of wants, an intense
love Of personal liberty, and a marked
sense Of honor, which regulates their nlu-
tual relations better than written laws
Theft seldom occurs among them. The
higher Indian races are iDyeterate liars
while the pure Nedda is noted for truth
telling. Murder only takes place in eases
of the infdelity of wife, and then very