Genre:

Letter, Extract

Publications extracted:

William B Fox

Subjects:

Disease, Christianity, Miracle, Magic

    Reports from Colombo the prevalence of 'jungle-fever and dysentery' in the 'interior'. Relates how a few nights before, neighbouring villagers had requested them to go and pray with them, 'hoping that God might be pleased to remove from them a scourge which threatened to lay waste the whole village'. Observes that the request 'was rather an unusual one in the Singhalese country, the people having recourse almost invariably under such circumstances to devil-ceremonies, and other rites of a similar description'. (737)