KANDY, ISLAND OF CEYLON, _Sept. 20, 1851_.
I am surprised to find such remains of civilization among a people who
once had a dense population, and were somewhat advanced in the arts,
as their relics testify, but who had fallen to the darkest period of
the middle ages. The palace of the king, the hall of audience, with
its elaborately-carved wooden columns, the hexagonal tower two stories
high, and the chief Boodhist temple of the island, formerly under royal
patronage, present a front of some six hundred feet of ground, with a
wall and moat with drawbridge, supplied with water from a beautiful
artificial lake, with a long line of parapet with triangular centres
whereon to place lamps during the illuminations, and when the king
addressed the people from the balcony overhanging the canal, and
witnessed the religious processions with elephants which are annually
continued.
These buildings are now all occupied for government purposes, except
the temple of Boodh. On its archways and walls are sculptured hideous
figures of dragons, and images of gods and devils; the paintings are
rude, and bear a mixed resemblance to those of China and Egypt. The
present powder-house is in a small building in the centre of the lake,
which was a great resort for the king, while the harem-building on its
banks is the hospital for sick soldiers.
We have just had a festival day, and I have occupied some time among
the Boodhists. Their daily hours of worship are from six to eight in
the morning, and the same time in the evening, and on this occasion
the noise of the silver tom-toms, or kettle-drums, and the harsh
sound of as many instruments resembling the Scotch bagpipe, with
their discordant sounds, were almost deafening. One of the sanctums
of the temple, which is ascended by a small flight of steps, has two
immense pairs of elephant tusks, also the carved and painted figures
of devils, to guard the entrance, and the room is about twelve feet
square, hung with gold brocade, somewhat rusty. Upon a raised platform,
inclosed by railings, and hourly unlocked, is seen a figure not unlike
a huge bell, thirty-four and a half feet high, and nine and a half
feet in circumference. It is in three pieces, which are joined, and
which contain within each other seven smaller caskets; the smallest is
supposed by the people to contain the tooth of their god Boodh.
The outer casket, or figure, is ornamented with rich gold chains and
gems; the most remarkable is the figure of a gold bird, suspended by
massive chains, beset with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds.
This is considered by the natives the most valuable acquisition in
the world. Another of the sanctums contains the figures of gods, of
gold and silver gilt, and of colossal size; the entrance is guarded
by lions, the altars are covered by sweet smelling sacred flowers,
which the devotees of all classes and sexes make as offerings before
prostrating themselves and retiring in succession, and which the
priests, with shaved heads, in yellow robes, receive. The people came
loaded from the country with supplies suspended at the two ends of
poles, borne upon the naked shoulder--the usual manner of carrying
burdens; and at twelve (noon), the priests partook of a repast. It
reminded me of a vegetable and fruit market, with heaps of rice,
cocoas, pineapples, and prepared betel, to the use of which the priests
are addicted, besides a variety of presents. As I stood alone among
these half-clad heathen, who stared at me with surprise, I accosted
a boy whose dress indicated Christian discipline, and who, speaking
English, was able to give me much information, having been educated by
a Protestant missionary.
I saw one marriage party in the country, a few days since; they marry
young, and ordinarily in the presence of a witness, and according to
caste; where they are of any rank, the parents arrange the matter.
The girl in this instance carried presents to the house of the groom,
when both parties sat around a pail of paddy and ate with their
hands, exchanging balls of rice and cocoa-nut milk, with presents of
clothes and jewels. The order of things is reversed here, for it is
quite common for women to have two husbands, who seem to live happily
together; they think it polite to do so, besides being less expensive;
while in the event of the death of either husband, the family is
provided for. Boodh came from the east, consequently in life they
lie in that direction, but in death they turn the body; the higher
castes here burn the corpse, the lower bury it in shallow graves. The
funeral pile of the former is a layer of cocoa-nut shells, a layer of
husks of the same, then a layer of wood; the nearest relative fires
the heap in presence of a priest, and then returns home. Strips of
young cocoa-nut stalks split are put up to mark the locality, which
is visited after seven days; stones are erected to mark the spot, and
a devil called “Sohou-Yaka” is appointed to the care of the burial
grounds; at night, the natives will not approach these places, fearing
malignant influences. The Boodhists have a great variety of devils, and
have the greatest fear of evil spirits, some of which preside over the
cocoa-nut, toddy and other trees. The favorite devil of the Kandians
is called Gaveleyaka. He takes care of the children, cattle, and
grounds, and the people feed him well with rice and curry, to keep him
in good temper, otherwise he gets vexed, and they are attacked by the
misfortunes against which they strive to propitiate him.
The other morning, at an early hour, in the country, I heard music,
and saw lights beaming in the wood. It was, I found, a devil-dance.
Some one having fallen sick, it was attributed to witchcraft, and a
devil-priest was called to cure him. They had made a house of bushes
and put the sick man in it, and had commenced dancing at eight o’clock
at night, and the priest was just concluding, and performing a charm of
some sort. Taking the leaves of a certain tree, they make up several
dishes, and put rice on top with a lighted match, that the surrounding
devils may inhale the odor; the priest then says another charm, and
commands all other devils to “vamose.” He then says they have “put
out,” and they throw everything in the bushes and leave them there, and
he gets well paid for his trouble.
This is a remarkable country for elephants; the government employs them
for heavy work on the roads; the immense carts and wagons are drawn by
them, and the rollers for flattening the earth are made in proportion
to their strength. I visited the stables and saw them on the road,
but none have crossed my track, though they are still very numerous
in the jungle, and sometimes very destructive to the plantations. I
was informed that eleven were taken from this region and shipped to
New York not long since, and presuming that you are familiar with the
manner in which they were caught, I will not attempt a description.
We are subject here to a land leech, which during wet weather is very
troublesome, and makes leggings necessary for protection in the grass
and woods. A gentleman travelling in our company found the blood
flowing freely, not having provided himself with leggings; the natives
have remedies against the bite. Ceylon is famous for the variety of
rare and precious stones found in Galle and Colombo, which are a source
of considerable traffic with vendors. The pearl fishery of the coast
was formerly very productive, but of late years it is of little value;
the cause is supposed to be over-fishing the original stock of oysters
when nearly exhausted.