Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-09
AN EFFEM|NATE RACE
The Men of Ceylon, Who Are
J More Like Women
IN LOOK AND DRESS
TAKE A PRIDE IN THEIR LACK OF
MANLY VIRTUES.
Shun Strenuous Employment - Prefe,
Work as Domestics-Cringe
at Harsh Word.
Written for The Evening Star,

Written for The Evening Star.
1.-The women of the human race"-that is
what the natives of India contemptuously
call the Cingalese, once the conquerors and
rulers of Ceylon, and the founders of a
mighty empire. They are, beyond compari-
son. the most effeminate race of men on
the face of the earth. Nowhere else can
men he found SO much like women.
They have not single manly virtue, but
they possess all the pretty little ways of
women in a caricatured form. They are
as nervous as the most timid girl. They
will scream or faint at the sight of blood
or violence. If spoken to GROSSLY, as likely
as not they will cry and go down on their
Bonded knees to beg for kindness, If, on
they will sicken the stranger by behaving
in coquettish, skttish way-just like a
young girl in dime novel.
Not only do they act like the weaker
kind of women; they actually look like
lese man, as seen in the towns of Ceylon.
or on the plantations in the interior of the
island. is hardly dstinguishable from his
wife, unless the foreigner knows the race
well.
He lets his jet-black hair grow to it's
full length, and then does it up on the
top of his head with two tortoise shell
combs, back and front. The woman does
up her hair in the same way, except that
she braids it, The man wears long skirts
reaching down to his ankles, adorns him.
self with earrings, necklaces. bracelets and
brooches, and carries a parasol to protect
his complexion from the hot rays of the
tropical SUM- In this costume, supple
mented by an effeminate look, delicate fea
lures and mincing ways, it is no wonder
he is nearly always mistaken for a woman
by strangers.
Boatmen Who Look Like Women.
The first thing the tourist hears on visit
Of mystery and romance, is a soft. musical
cry in n delicate, womanish voice:
''Matchnr' Matchli. Bahoot khoob
matchhr' C'Fish. Fish. Very good fish!'')
Looking over the taffratl of the steamer,
which has just cast anchor in the harbor
of Colombo, he sees half dozen tiny
noes manned by Cingalese, who are hold
ing up blue and silver fish which they have
just caught, and want to sell to the pas
sengers.
What fine-looking women!' passenger
exclaims. How tall and graceful they
are"
Women" says the old quartermaster
the men of this country
But they look just like women
wen, lIey are JUST IKE "olIieH- II you
cuss 'em, they'll cry hit one aboard ere
last wage, an e howled for twenty min
utes Strewth, I felt bad-just as If I'd
been walloping a gal"
Proud Of Their Womanish Ways.
The strangest thing about the average
Cingalese Is that he actually takes a pride
in looking like a woman, and in being as
much like a woman in all his ways as pos
sible. He does not admire any Of the manly
virtues, even from a distance; he regards
them brutal and detestable
The soldier-the man who Is hired to kill
and to be killed-is an object of horror to
him. In the early days of foreign rule
European conquerous tried to make native
regiments out of the Cingalese. but 1t was
no use. Portuguese, Dutch and English,