Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-01-23
MANS RsAL paoTorvpf.
DISCOVERY or rmE MISSING LINK IN
the vEppAs ov cEyLox.

TIE latest discovery Of the mlsslns
link, says German magazine. has Jus'
been made known BY two Swiss sclent
lists, brothers, Who declare that the We'd
das Of Ceylon al the void betwern MAJ
aud ape.
Ths brothers have spent several years
In Ceylou In order to study this llttls
known hat Interesting race of plgmIes
and, quite apart from the theory which
they put forward, the facts which the,
publish concerning the veddas are ol
sufficient Interest To command genera
ATTENTION.
The veldas are quite . distinct race
aud are more like apes than any otheI
human beings. The skeletons aud the
general Organization Of their bodies arv
| greatly similar "a those of the chlmpan
sees. The vetlia IL the best preserves
specimen of the curly-hslr-si race. Thess
black plgmies lived In lndl, many cen
turtles before BuddA or Jesus Christ.
Historians of the early centuries of the
Christian era speak of the veidss and
describe their mode of living, which u
slmo.t In every respect the same ~ Al
the present time. We find In the Ma
hsyanso, the most Important % the Tin.
esle.e chronicles, details concerning the
Yakss, people ~ho are exactly lik'
tho.e whom We call the veddss, aud ths
ssnscrit poem, "Isamsvans," the iliad
of lndis. uses the word "ape" When
speaking Of the lakas.
The number of the veddss does moi
now EXCEED 2 100, vet they occupy a.
Immense tract 20 land, situated between
{; degr~e. and degrees latitude and NJ
degree. aud - degves longitude. u
YOU wi.h Ia see the veidas Ia their pur'
state, free from any mixture With tb'
other races 81 Csylon, you must 90 u
that part 81 the island. They live II
.m,li groups, ar In families, apart frou
each other, each family having its owl
part oi the forest "a hunt In.
when the rainy season (October.D--
csmbcr) come. around aud the forest u
Inundated. they take refuge among tn
rocks aud live IN grottos. They are thu
brought together and become socisble
they arrange marriages aud talk abou
things In general. They recognize %,
chiefs. kno~ M Laws, aud they are quits
devoid 80 any Ideas.
n has bsvn said shove thst the Ncdds'
rr.emhl- chimpsntses in ceftaiu ~
/ .pe,t. 10 rrm,lp. to be- sddei th,t the,
| ,rv sboat four feet In height, their hall
10 very thick and vsry bl,ck, and ~bet
In trouble or sric,ed they hang th.il
head. down upon their breasts In q wsy
~hich gives them very peculiar aP
pearsnce.
Among them.cl,e. they 20 sbou
/ n.ked, hat when strangers are Abou
they adopt . covering of leaves or cloth
They do not knos What ted. are. bal
pass the Night naked upon the mol.
ground without the slightest covering
Their onlv wc.pous av their wooden
toss aud arross aud their aNe.. which
thew sissy. hs,. besr them. Alcoho
and salt are both unknown To th-m.
Their communication Nth Oh. tn
ssie.e b. reduced To thlsi Daring tn
nIsht they ~ili place In front 10 th'
door % q Cingsless blacksmith SONS
money and dri~d meat. With = rougi
model, made 10 leave. aud t~igs, % tn
az ~hich they require. 4 few plsht'
| afier~aris they will 90 10 the door aud
take awsy the ~ which the blacksmith
has plsc-d outside for them. This sbos'
~hst 9 dl.like they ha'. Ia mixing viii
other people.
Th-ir language IL very simple, ans
consist. 10 Cingslese words so alters
that the n ,iivr. of C-yion cannot under
stand them. and partly 10 ~"rd. shlci
are sppsrn,ly the rmains ~ som'
primitive Language. az course there sr'
10 family nsme.; they ssy 'ih- .r-a
man." tie little man," "the younI
woman," "ihc old man. etc.
They know nothing % numbers. Wher
they are talking 81 many persons al
thing. tb-y repeat several tunes . ~ori
shlch indicates . single thing. Th.'
therefore cannot ssy hos old they ar.
Division. 90 time cannot IT, expressed
and the dimension. of objects are indi
Gated by sections.
when they fr.t see q looking-glsss al
q firrsrm they act just a monkeys ID
under similar circumstances.
Religion, belief Ia good az evil spirits
/ q fear Of death, sr. sll unknosn u
them. When q v~,ida dies the other
leave him where h. Ia. died. aud shut
the plsc- for Ion. time, during whIci
the body disappears.
Vet, Nth slI TIL. lack of intelligence"
they are honest aud trustworthy. The,
live pesccsbly and have No ln'-rna
t.ud., which 10 probably due Ia ID. fact
tbs, they live apart, except 10 III. rain'
| season.
The English government has on sever
| al occssion. tried to establish school
Tor their children, sni underworld o.
Chri.tianlse the veddss, bat without
| sue,ess.