The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-31

full night moths appear. lowering with tremu
lous nutter among the flowers, while through
the darkening foliagea thousand hreflies nash
II the eye is incessantly rejoiced BY the
myriad Vaccinations OF the landscape. tho sense
| OF taste is equally delighted. Tho author waf
| bewildered by the variety Of tempting fruits
laid out in piles on cool green banana leaves
large, luscious pineapples. heaps OF very bright
green ripe oranges. golden mangoes. custard
apples. melons. Hne Gourds and splendid pump
kins. pun eloes tshaddocksl. limos, guavas. ba-
nanas. papaws. lovi-lovis. durians. rambutans.
buliocks' hearts. soursops. figs. and grapes.
One new and very insinuating fruit was the
rambutan. When ripe It's rough skin changes
from green to rich scarlet and within lies a
ball Of cool. pleasant jelly, very refreshing.
Another very attractive little fruit. with mo st
fragrant blossom. is tho loquot, which be-
longs to the medlar family.
A people for whom nature has done so much
ought to be content. and We are assured that
they look like embodiments OF contentment
In the crowd Of brown men. however. one
quickly learns to distinguish three distinct ele-
ments. representing totally different branches
Of the human family. Tho clear sicnna-col-
ored Singhalese. who number about sixty per
cent. OF the total population. are OF pure Arian
stock. and are the descendants OF the conquer
ors who adopted "Singha," lion. as their
emblem. and who In far back ages swept down
from northern India. The dark brown Tamis
hail from the Malabar coast in southern India.
and are OF the Dravidian family Some are
descended from early conQuerors. others are
recruited year by year from the mainland to
do tho hard work OF the isle. and to-
gether these constitute about thirty-three
per cent OF the population. There are finally
the so-called Moormen. who though numeri-
cally very inferior to the races aforesaid form
ing only six per cent Of the wholel are So
cially strong. being the most energetic traders
In tho island. They claim to be descended
from Arabian merchants who settled in Ceylon
1000 years ago. and 80 represent third
great branch Of the human tree. namely. the
Semitic. In complexion they are pale copper
colored. and the majority have black boards.
Their shaven heads are crowned with high
straw hats made without brim. and these are
often covered with q yellow turban. They are
peculiarly well-built men. taller than either
the delicately formed Sipghnlese or the sturdy
Tamis. One may readily. 1t seems. dis
tinguish between Tamils and Singhalese. ow-
ing to tho fact the former bear on their fore
head the symbol Of the heather god at whose
shrine they have last worshipped-a spot q
circle. straight or curved lines. in white. black.
red. or yellow: and also because the Tamils al
most always retain their national head dress.
the very becoming turban. Onthe other hand.
the low country Singhalese OF every degree
GO bareheaded. their long. glossy black hair
OF very nne quality being turned back
from the face. held by o semicircular
comb round the back OF the head and
coiled at the back in knot. often secured by
means OF very large tortosesheil comb.
which. together with the fact that the men are
beardless. helps to give them a
feminine appearance. A newcomer. indeed.
Is rather apt to think that all the Singhalese
are women and that the stalwart Moormen
and Tamils are the solo lords Of creation. The
mistake Is natural. seeing that the Snghalese
men and women dress almost alike. with neat
white jackets and q long white cloth wrapped
around the waist SO as to form a very tight
skirt down to the ankles. The men. moreover.
are almost as slender and delicate in shape as
The women. and have very small hands: the
'act OF most obvious distinction between
he sexes Is that the tortoiseshell comb
Is masculine monopoly. the women gener-
ally fastening their hair with silver pins. They
,re. we are told. a very comely race, with
heir slender figures. we'll chise!lod fea-
lures. and splendid dark. dreamy eyes. Like
III other European observers, our author was
Tally moro attracted by the extraordinary gem
;eness Of the Singhalese. They are never ex-
,ited. but seem always quietly happy and are
Always polite. Even the pretty. graceful chill
lren play gently. noisy romping appearing to
30 wholly foreign to their nature. The girls
ire early taught to stay most OF the time in
]oors. and by II years Of age they are usually |
married.. occasionally becoming grandmothers |
n1N ~ =
he singhalese are cleanly to a mmendable |
ieRree. They resort every morning to the |
nearest stream to bathe their bodies and |
o wash their long. glossy black hair. whose
Floss afterward. however. they renew with I'M |
fragrant cocoanut oil After bathing. the men |
ire apt to dawdls. but their wives are busy |
With the morning task OF preparing curry-no |
iery curry powder. but q delicious compound |
If many pleasant vegetables. seasoned with |
copper. turmeric. green ginger. chillies. &C.. |
out. above all. made fresh and wholly different |
very day. and served with cocoanut. prawns, |
ucubas and all manner OF other dainties set |
,ut in different dishes, as we serve vegetables,
md forming combinations 10 rejoice the henrt |
II an epicure. Every man. woman. and child |
n Ceylon lives on curry and rice; indeed. ito |
'at rice" is the recognized form Of describing
very meal. and wonderful is the amount con-
umed by each individual.
The only disagreable habit OF the Singhalese |
"A habit shared by the Tamils-is that Of
hewing betel. This is most obnoxious to the
pectator. rs it Is accompanied by continual
ptting OF dark-red juice. which gives you
he impression that the whole population are
n the last stages OF consumption and that the
round on every side is stained with blood.
Tho betel leaf Is rather like ivy. but more
leshy and glossy. In 1t the people wrap up bits
4 u mixture OF hard areca nut and limo Of
'urnt shells to give pungency. 1t dlscolors
he mouth for the moment and an habtual
newer is betrayed by tho deep reddish-or-
nge stain which has become ineffaceablc.
lon and women alike seem to delight in bctel
hewing. though the author never met IN
European who could endure 1t. She is in
lined. however. to deem 1t a wise instinct
'hich teaches these practical vegetarians to
onsume so much lime. and 1t 10 suggested
hat the perpetual chewing OF betel may COM
onsate for tho deficiency Of animal food In
heir diet
Before following Miss Gordon Cumming to
ANDY. VIC would pause moment to see what
he has to say about tho trees OF Ceylou, OF