An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies: Together with an Account of the Detaining in Captivity the Author and Divers other Englishmen Now Living There, and of the Author's Miraculous EscapeKnox, Robert
History
An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies: Together with an Account of the Detaining in Captivity the Author and Divers other Englishmen Now Living There, and of the Author's Miraculous Escape
Knox, Robert
Sri Lanka -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; Sri Lanka -- Social life and customs
[They met with two Malabars. To whom they relate their Condition.] Thus
we went on till about three of the Clock afternoon. At which time
coming about a Point, we came up with two Bramins on a sudden, who were
sitting under a Tree boyling Rice. We were within forty paces of them;
when they saw us they were amazed at us, and as much afraid of us as we
were of them. Now we thought it better Policy to treat with them than
to flee from them; fearing they might have Bows and Arrows, whereas
we were armed only with Axes in our hands, and Knives by our sides;
or else that they might raise the Countrey and pursue us. So we made
a stand, and in the Chingulay Language asked their leave to come near
to treat with them, but they did not understand it. But being risen up
spake to us in the Malabar Tongue, which we could not understand. Then
still standing at a distance we intimated our minds to them by signs,
beckoning with our hand: which they answered in the same Language. Then
offering to go towards them, and seeing them to be naked men and no
Arms near them, we laid our Axes upon the ground with our Bags, lest
we might scare them, if we had come up to them with those weapons in
our hands, and so went towards them with only our Knives by our sides:
by signs with our hands shewing them our bloody Backs we made them
understand whence we came, and whither we were going. Which when they
perceived they seemed to commiserate our condition, and greatly to
admire at such a Miracle which God had brought to pass: and as they
talked one to another they lifted up their hands and faces towards
Heaven, often repeating Tombrane which is God in the Malabar Tongue.
[They are courteous to them.] And by their signs we understood they
would have us bring our Bags and Axes nearer; which we had no sooner
done, but they brought the Rice and Herbs which they had boiled for
themselves to us, and bad us eat; which we were not fitted to do,
having not long before eaten a hearty Dinner of better fare; yet
could not but thankfully accept of their compassion and kindness,
and eat as much as we could; and in requital of their courtesie,
we gave them some of our Tobacco. Which after much entreating they
did receive, and it pleased them exceedingly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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