Chapter I: Preface

The following pages are the result of an attempt to record a cruise, in a schooner, to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bengal Sea, the main purpose of which was to obtain good representative collections (now in the National Museum, Washington, U.S.A.) of natural history and ethnological objects from the places visited. Special attention was given to the trapping of small mammals, which, comprising the least known section of the island fauna, were the most interesting subject for investigation. Sixteen new varieties were obtained in the Andamans and Nicobars together, thus raising the known mammalian fauna of those islands from twenty-four to forty individuals, while the collections also included ten hitherto undescribed species of birds. All the collecting and preparation was done by my companion, whose guest I was, and myself, for we were accompanied by no native assistants or hunters. Broadly speaking, one half of the day passed in obtaining specimens, the other in preserving them; and such observations as I have been able to chronicle were, for the greater part, made during the periods of actual collecting and the consequent going to and fro.

In order to give a certain completeness to the account, I have included a more or less general description of the two Archipelagoes, their inhabitants, etc.; the chapters of this nature are partly compiled from the writings of those who had had previous experience of the islands, and for the most part the references have been given.

I cannot but regard the illustrations, which are a selection from my series of photographs, as the most valuable part of this work, but I hope that my written record, in spite of its imperfections, may stimulate some more competent observer and chronicler than myself to visit the latter islands--for the Andamans have already been described[1] in an admirable monograph by one who dwelt there for many years--before it is too late. Ethnically, much remains to be done, and every day that goes by produces some deterioration of native life and custom. To this end I have added many details about supplies, anchorages, etc., that might otherwise seem superfluous.

Of those who entertained and assisted us during the voyage, thanks are specially due to Mr P. Vaux of Port Blair, for his hospitality to us during our stay in that place;[2] and I am greatly indebted to Messrs O. T. Mason, G. S. Miller, and Dr C. W. Richmond, respectively, for the photographs of the Nicobarese pottery and skirt, for permission to include here much information from the report on the Andaman and Nicobar mammals, and for a list of the new species of birds obtained, which, however, up to the present, have not received specific designations. I have also to gratefully acknowledge the help rendered me by Mr E. H. Man, C.I.E., who, besides volunteering to read through the proof sheets, has given me much information, and corrected a number of inaccuracies. To my sister, for her superintendence of the book since my departure from England, and to my publishers for their kindness and assistance in many ways, I must not omit to offer my thanks.

_October_, 1902.

CONTENTS

PART I

INTRODUCTION
PAGE
The _Terrapin_--Crew--Itinerary of the Cruise--Daily
Routine--Provisions and Supplies--Collecting Apparatus--
Guns--Shooting--Path-making--Clothing--Head-dress--A
Scene in the Tropics--Native Indolence--Attractive Memories 1

CHAPTER I

BARREN ISLAND AND THE ARCHIPELAGO 9

Shipboard Monotony--Edible Sharks--Calm Nights--Squalls--Barren
Island--Appearance--Anchorage--Landing-place--Hot Spring--
Goats--The Eruptive Cone--Lava--Paths--Interior of the Crater--
Volcanic Activity--Fauna--Fish--The Archipelago--Kwang-tung
Strait--Path-making--The Jungle--Birds--Coral Reefs--Parrots--
Two New Rats--Inhabitants.

CHAPTER II

PORT BLAIR 19

We enter the Harbour--Surveillance--Ross Island Pastimes--
Visit the Chief Commissioner--The Harbour--Cellular Jail--
Lime-kilns--Phoenix Bay--Hopetown--Murder of Lord Mayo--
Chatham Island--Haddo and the Andamanese--Tea Gardens--Viper
Island and Jail--The Convicts--Occupations--Punishments--
Troops--Departure.

CHAPTER III

MACPHERSON STRAIT--SOUTH ANDAMAN AND RUTLAND ISLAND 28

Gunboat Tours--South Andaman--Rutland Island--Navigation--
Landing-place--Native Camp--Natives--Jungle--Birds--
Appearance of the Natives--Our Guests--Native Women:
Decorations and Absurd Appearance--Trials of Photography--
The Village--Food--Bows, Arrows, and Utensils--Barter--
_Coiffure_--Fauna--Water--New Species.

CHAPTER IV

THE CINQUES AND LITTLE ANDAMAN 36

Position of the Cinques--Anchorage--Clear Water--The
Forest--Beach Formation--Native Hut--Little Andaman--
Bumila Creek--Natives--Flies--Personal Decoration--
Dress and Modesty--Coats of Mud--_Coiffure_--Absence of
Scarification--Elephantiasis--A Visit to the Village--
Peculiar Huts--Canoe--Bows and Arrows--The Return
Journey--A slight _contretemps_--Andamanese Pig--We
leave the Andamans.

CHAPTER V

KAR NICOBAR 44

To the Nicobars--A Tide-race--A Change of Scene--
Sawi Bay--Geological Formation--V. Solomon--M[=u]s
Village--Living-houses--Kitchens--Fruit-trees--The
Natives--Headman Offandi--"Town-Halls"--Death-house--
Maternity Houses--Hospitals--Floods--"Babies' Houses"--
Birds--Oil Press--Canoes--Offandi--"Friend of England"--
"Frank Thomson"--"Little John"--Thirst for Information--
Natives' Nick-names--Mission School Boys' Work--A Truant--
The Advantage of Canoes--A Spill--Our Method of Landing--
Collecting Native Birds--A New Bat--Coconuts--V. Solomon--
The Nicobarese and Christianity--Water--Area of Kar
Nicobar--Geology--Flora--Supplies.

CHAPTER VI

TILANCHONG 66

Batti Malv--Tilanchong--Novara Bay--Terrapin Bay--Form and
Area of Tilanchong--Birds--Megapodes--A Swamp--Crocodile--
Megapode Mound--Wreck and Death of Captain Owen, 1708--
Leave Tilanchong--Foul Ground--Kamorta.

CHAPTER VII

TRINKAT 73

Beresford Channel--A Deserted Village--_Jheel_--Bird Life--
Wild Cattle--Scenery--Photographs--Port Registers--Tanamara--
Population--Customs--The Shom Pe[.n]--The Sequel to a Death--
Interior of the Houses.

CHAPTER VIII

NANKAURI 78

The Harbour Shores--A Village--_Kanaia_--Canoe--Feeding the
Animals--Collecting-ground--Mangrove Creeks--Preparations
for a Festival--Burial Customs--Malacca Village--Houses--
Visit Tanamara--Furniture--Talismans and "Scare-devils"--
Beliefs--Festivities--A Dance--An Educated Native--Tanamara
and his Relations--Cigarettes--Refreshments--The
Collections--Geology--Flora--Population--Piracy.

CHAPTER IX

KAMORTA 95

The Old Settlement--The Cemetery--F.H. de Roeepstorff--
Mortality--Birds--The Harbour--Appearance of Kamorta--
Dring Harbour--Olta-moeit--Buffalo--Spirit Traffic--
Cookery--Ceremonial Dress--A Visit from Tanamara--
Geology--Flora--Topography--Population--Hamilton's
Description.

CHAPTER X

KACHAL AND OTHER ISLANDS 103

Heavy Surf--Teressa--Bompoka--A Native Legend--Hamilton--
Chaura--Wizardry--Pottery--Kachal typical of the Tropics--
Nicobarese Dress--West Bay--Lagoon--Mangroves--Whimbrel--
Formation of Kachal--Birds--Visitors to the Schooner--
Fever--Chinese Junks--Thatch--Relics--The Reef--Megapodes--
Monkeys--Full-dressed Natives--Medicine--A Death Ceremony--
Talismans--Fish and Fishing--Geology.

CHAPTER XI

LITTLE NICOBAR AND PULO MILO 118

A Tide-rip--Islets--A Cetacean--Pulo Milo--Timidity of the
Natives--Little Nicobar--Geology--Flora--Population--Site
for a Colony--Jungle Life--Banian Trees--The Houses and
their Peculiarity--The Natives--Practices and Beliefs--The
Shom Pe[.n]--The Harbour--We ascend a River--Kingfishers--
Water--Caves--Bats and Swallows--Nests--A Jungle Path--
Menchal Island--Collections--Monkeys--Crabs.

CHAPTER XII

KONDUL AND GREAT NICOBAR 131

The Anchorage--The Island--Villages--We leave Kondul--Great
Nicobar--Anchorage--Collecting--Up the Creek--A Bat Camp--
Young Bats--Traces of the Shom Pe[.n]--Bird Life--Fish--
Ganges Harbour--Land Subsidence--Tupais--We Explore the
Harbour--A Jungle Pig--"Jubilee" River--Chinese Navigation--
Rainy Weather--Kondul Boys--Coconuts--Chinese Rowing.

CHAPTER XIII

GREAT NICOBAR--WEST COAST 141

Pulo Kunyi--Area of Great Nicobar--Mountains--Rivers--The
Village--The Shom Pe[.n]--Casuarina Bay--An Ingenious
"Dog-hobble"--In the Jungle--A Shom Pe[.n] Village--Men
of the Shom Pe[.n]--A Lazy Morning--The Shom Pe[.n] again--
Their Similarity to the Nicobarese--Food--Implements--
Cooking-vessel--The Dagmar River--Casuarina Bay--Pulo Nyur--
Water--A Boat Expedition--The Alexandra River--Shom Pe[.n]
Villages--Kopenheat--More Shom Pe[.n]--Elephantiasis--Pet
Monkeys--Anchorage.

CHAPTER XIV

GREAT NICOBAR--WEST AND SOUTH COASTS 154

"Domeat"--Malay Traders--Trade Prices--The Shom Pe[.n]
Language--Place Names--Pulo Babi--The Growth of Land--
Climbing a Palm Tree--Servitude--Population--Views on
Marriage with the Aborigines--Towards the Interior--A Shom
Pe[.n] Village--The Inhabitants--Canoe-building--Barter--
The West Coast--South Bay--Walker Island--Chang-ngeh--Up
the Galathea River--Water--We leave the Nicobars and sail
to Sumatra.

PART II

CHAPTER I

THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS AND THEIR INHABITANTS 167

Position--Soundings--Relationship--Islands--Area--Great
Andaman Mountains--Little Andaman--Rivers--Coral Banks--
Scenery--Harbours--Timber--Flora--Climate--Cyclones--
Geology--Minerals--Subsidence--Earthquakes--History--
Aborigines--Convicts and the Penal System--Growth and
Resources of the Settlement--Products and Manufactures.

CHAPTER II

THE NICOBAR ISLANDS AND THEIR ABORIGINES 201

The Nicobar Islands and their Aborigines--The Islands--Coral
Banks--Nankauri Harbour--Population--Geology--Earthquakes--
Climate--Flora--History--The Shom Pe[.n]: their Derivation,
Appearance, Houses, Gardens, Cooking-vessel, Domestic
Animals, Manufactures, Trade, Clothing, Headmen, Position
of Women, Disposition, Diseases.

CHAPTER III

THE NICOBARESE 221

The Evolution of the Nicobarese--Description--Character--
Language--Legends of Origin--Origin of Coco Palms--Invention
of Punishments--Superstitious Beliefs--Diseases--Medicines--
Marriage--Matriarchal System--Divorce--Polygamy--Courtship--
Property--_Takoia_--Headmen--Social State--Position of Women
and Children--Domestic Animals--Weapons--Tools--Fishing--
Turtle--Food--Beverages--Narcotics and Stimulants--
Cleanliness--Clothing--Ornaments--_Coiffure_--Amusements--Arts
and Industries--Cultivation--Produce--Traders and Commerce.

CHAPTER IV

DAMPIER'S SOJOURN IN GREAT NICOBAR, AND VOYAGE THENCE TO
ACHEEN IN A CANOE 254

CHAPTER V

AN OLD ACCOUNT OF KAR NICOBAR 276

CHAPTER VI

SOME CUSTOMS OF THE KAR NICOBARESE 285

The Feast of Exhumation--A Scene in the Graveyard--
"_Katap-hang_"--"_Kiala_"--"_Enwan-n'gi_"--Fish Charms--
Canoe Offerings--"_Ramal_"--"_Gnunota_"--Converse with the
Dead--"_Kewi-apa_"--"_Maya_"--"_Yintovna Siya_"--Exorcism--
"_Tanangla_"--Other Ceremonies--The "_Sano-kuv_"--The
"_Mafai_"--The "_Tamiluana_"--_Mafai_ Ceremonies--Burial--
Mourning--Burial Scenes--The Origin of Village Gardens--
Destruction of Gardens--Eclipses--Canoe-buying--Dances--
Quarrels--"_Amok_"--Wizardry--Wizard Murders---Suicides--
Land Sale and Tenure--Dislike to Strangers--Cross-bow
Accidents--Canoe Voyages--Commercial Occupations--Tallies.