Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-02
THE VEDDAS ARE MEN
More About the Strange Pigmy Race Of
Ceylon.
A Student Who Offers Facts Against
the Theory That They Furnish the
Missing Link - Their Origin.

Mr.. William Morey, jr.. writing to The
Star. says:
In the Saturday evening issue of The Star
on the 3oth ultimo. under the title. Man $
Real Prototype: or Discovery Of the Miss
ing Link in the Neddas of Ceylon," You
quote what appears to be the descripti IN OF
wild race of humanity peculiar to Ccylon,
from publication in German magazine.
according to which two Swiss scientists
have made the discovery that the Nedias
of Ceylon fill the gap between man and
ape
In this connection allow me to place a
few possibly interesting facts before Ire
readers of your valuable paper relative 10
the race of Neddas, while that portibl of
the article referring to the missing hrk
feature is ignored for the simple rea son
that its theories have been carried to their
ultimate conclusions by the greatest sci
entists of modern times. with very un.iatis-
factory results, long before the discovery
by the two so-called Swiss scientists, whose
very illusions ID the historical works OF
India anu Ceylon are Ct such a charac ter
as TO stamp them as mediocre cleaners of
facts, wn.cn once OBTAINED cannot be prop
cry comprenelred by themselves any
BODY else.
To make this point perfectly clear. a por-
tion oI tne ar.Icle heren referred 10 IL
quoted follows:
'-ihe Ne1das are quite distinct race aY.f
are more lSe apes tnan any other human
beings. The skeletons ana general CIeaai-
zatiCn of their bodies are greatly similar 10
those of the chimpanZee. The ejaa j. tie
preserved specimen of the curly haired
race. These black pgmies lived ia india
many centuries before Budoha Jesus
Christ.
Historians of the early centuries of the
Christian era speak of the Neddas and de-
scribe their mode OF living, winch IS almost
in every respect the same a: the present
time We find in the Mahavanso. the most
important of the Cingalese chronicles, de-
tails concerning the lakas people VINO are
exactly like those whom call Neddas.
ana the Sanscrit poem, "Ramayana," the
Had of India, the WORD ape when
speaking of the Yakas.
The statements quoted above are a tooth
some scientific morsel, indeed. and the con-
illusions drawn from them. that the We'd
das, many thousands of Years ago were
apes, is. to say the least. delightfully."- anus
ing, though somewhat absurd and more
worthy by far the creations OF an oriental
Imagination than the exact ideas which
generally e:nanate from the temperate oc-
cident. Likewise, the evident inference that
the word APE" is synonymous with Va
kas'' is supremely ridiculous ana fnanifestiy
incorrect, when ii is known that Yakima
means devil or demon. and not ape.
To get a better idea of the matter and to
arrive at the most probable origin of the
traditions and the greatest written histories
of the east, let us go back to the early his
tory of Ceylon, the first notice OF which is
probably that contained in the famous
Hindu epic, the "Ramayana," in which Il is
stated that Rama. son of the King OF OUdh.
is said to have married the beautiful Sta.
Forced afterward to wander abroad re
dwelt with her in the forests of DekSan.
Ravana, King of Ceylon or Lanka. carried
off Sta to Lankapura, his capital. Subse-
quently Rama, aided by the wild tribes OF
southern India. took Lankapura after a
siege of twelve years. slew Ravana in single
combat, and recovered his wife.
The poet. to render his verses more inter-
esting, described havana gigantic
fakkha OF demon. and his army con-
sisting of monkeys and bears.
So much for the traditions of the Rama
yana.
The oldest historical books of the Sim
halese however. do not contain any ,ac-
count of Rama's invasion. ana the best
authorities now regard IL as a mere tale.
On the other hand, according TO Sinhalese
traditions, Ceylon was first inho bited by
Zakkhos or demons, and Nases or serpents,
and they are said TO. have possessed some
form Of government
To what nations the Zakkhos and Nagas
belonged is not yet known with certainty.
but they were probably TWO distinct races
living together side Ly side. Ike the Sin
halese and Tamils, who inhabit the island
at present. The SInhalese being the de-
scendants of the ancient Aryans. while the
Tamils emanated from the Ora yidians who
originally peopied the southern tableiand
Of India.
Some authorities advance the theory that
the aborigines of Ceylcn received their
names from their worshiping demons and
serpents.
That the Zakkhos and Nagas were ordi-
nary men is shown by their c0ncuerors
clothing themselves with their dresses in
termarrying with them and dwelling to-
gether in the same cities.
The traditions meagerly sketched in the
foregoing paragraphs refer TO a period ante
dating Buddha by more than J,W years and
The beginning of the Christian era by more
than 1000 years. and yea it is noticeable
that no reference lis made 10 the Neddas.
From traditions let us descend through
what modern writers would term the
dusty corridors of time" to the pages OF
written history of a later date.
According to the ''Mahawanso. the great
est historical work, not only OF CeyIon.
but of the orient, we have a record OF the
opening events in the history of the sin
halese race, among which the landing OF
Wijayo on the coast OF Ceylon with an
army rom India, is entitled TO recosni-
ton as fact.
WiJayo was descendant OF the rajas of
Wangu and the royal Family Of kanlcs.
IL appears that his grandmother had
connected herself with some man of low
rank. named Sinha, which likewise sig
nifies Hon" hence II was tabled that
sinhababu the father of Niiayo. was de-
Sinhababu established himself in i-ala, a
district Of Magedha. the capital OF which
Was Sinhapura. About this time NNslayo.
the eldest OF his sons, became q iawless
character, and attended by q Train OF fol-
lowers as bad as himself. was guilty OF
the greatest oppression and violence The
people, wearied by his crimes, complained
II SinhabaoU. who was forced TO send him
away with 100 followers to seek his for
tunes the sea.
After failing in attempt TO land upon
the coast of India, Nijayc proceeded to
Ceylon, where he landed in the year ~.
before Christ, il is claimed, or the very
day that Buddha died.
Wijeyo is said to have married i.uweni.
the daughter of one of the crie-s al the
island, over which he subsequently, -lined
complete control in the following manner.
Through the assistance of his wife ne
ana his followers obtained access 70 a mar
riage feast celebrated NY one OF the nm
cipal chiefs of the island. AID al = signal
given by kuweni fell upon the enterta iners
and massacred every one likely TO oppose
his ambitious schemes
The deceitful kuwcni. however was mt
allowed to enjoy the fruits OF her crime
very long, as EiJayo. wishing 10 assume The
regal Office. thought /. Necessary to have n
more noble consort. He. therefore sent an
embassy to the king of Pandya. asking MS
daughter IN marriage. The application Vas
successful The princess arrived with a
large train of female attendants. and ku-
Ts.