LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Dwelling-houses, Dring Harbour, Kamorta (partially con West Coast of Great Nicobar Man and Woman of the Shom Pen, and a Nicobarese A Village of the Shom Pen Men and a Boy of Great Nicobar . On the Galathea River, Great Nicobar Galathea River (highest point reached) Hydrographical Chart of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Andamanese Objects Öngé Visitor at Rutland Island Andamanese Bamboo Buckets and Cane Baskets (conical); also Nicobarese Cane Baskets (5), with Tray and Bucket of Spathe Men of the Shom Pen; Men of the Shom Pen (in profile) Women of the Shom Peň; Women of the Shom Pen (in profile) Women of the Shom Pen; Women of the Shom Pen (in profile) Man of Nankauri; A Headman of the Shom Pen Man of Kar Nicobar; Woman of Kar Nicobar; Kar Nicobar Woman and Man Wearing the "Tá-Chökla,” Kar Nicobar 142 144 146 148 150 152 Specimens of "Hentá-kói," made and first used in times of sickness to frighten away the offending evil spirits 33 36 200 214 216 A "Hentá," painted and first suspended inside hut in time of sickness, to gratify good spirits and scare away demons. (Specimen from Nankauri) Old Nicobarese Skirt, "Ngong" Baskets, Troughs, and Areca Spathe Feeding-dish, Nicobar Islands Group of Kar Nicobarese To face page 234 ILLUSTRATIONS IN TEXT Little Andaman Canoe. "Scare-devil," or device for exorcising evil spirits. Oil Press (Kar Nicobar) "Scare-devil," or device for exorcising evil spirits. Chaura Pottery Shom Pen Cooking-vessel (Great Nicobar) Iron Buffalo and Pig Spears "Scare-devil," or device for exorcising evil spirits (Kachal) Nicobarese Talisman "Scare-devil," or device for exorcising evil spirits (Kachal) PAGE 41 44 53 78 108 148 221 231 232 232 234 IN THE ANDAMANS AND NICOBARS PART I INTRODUCTION The Terrapin-Crew-Itinerary of the Cruise-Daily Routine-Provisions and Supplies-Collecting Apparatus-Guns-Shooting-Path-makingClothing-Head-dress-A Scene in the Tropics-Native IndolenceAttractive Memories. THE Terrapin, captain and owner Dr W. L. Abbott, is a Singapore-built teak schooner of 40 tons register and 67 tons yacht measurement. She is 65 feet long on the water-line, and 16 feet broad, and has been given an almost box-shaped midship section, partly to afford sufficient inside space for the ballast (iron), but principally with the idea that when she takes the ground she may not heel to any uncomfortable extent. The draught is 7 feet, but two years' experience has proved that this is too much for the class of cruising she is engaged in. The crew are berthed forward, and aft is a large hold where tanks containing about 3 tons of water, supplies, cables, etc., are stored. A large raised trunk hatch about 2 feet high covers the central third of the boat, leaving 3-feet gangways on either side. This structure affords ample head-room below, and gives coolness and abundant ventilation by means of windows which open all round it. Sailing in the tropics, with the thermometer constantly standing at 84° or so in the shade, necessitates for any comfort a very different arrangement from what would be fitting at home. Whenever possible, the boat, while A anchored, is covered with awnings from stem to stern. Under the hatch are a large saloon, two cabins, pantry, etc. The crew-five ordinary seamen, a serang (boatswain), and sailing-master-are Malays; for natives are far more satisfactory in nearly every way on a small boat in the tropics than white men, even if the latter could be obtained. They can put up with more restricted quarters, are less inclined to grumble under the peculiar circumstances, or be disobedient, are more at home in every way in the surroundings and with the people one meets, are little trouble to cater for, and, most important of all, keep in good health and can stand the sun. A Chinese "boy" and cook are also carried. Forward on deck there is a small iron galley for the preparation of meals, and aft repose two boats-an 18-feet doubleender for four oars, and a beamy 10-feet dinghy that best carries a crew of three. The schooner steers with a wheel. The Terrapin left Singapore in October 1900 and, subsequent to calling at Penang, cruised off the coast of Tenasserim and among the islands of the Mergui Archipelago until I joined her late in December. A few days were then spent in the peninsula, where several deer and wild pig were obtained; then visiting High Island-where an unsuccessful search was made for Sellung * skeletons, and a number of birds and small mammals added to the collection-she left for the Andamans. On the return voyage from the Nicobars we called at Olehleh, the port for Kota Rajah, Dutch capital of Acheen. Even a dissociation from them of only three months made the pinkwhite skins of the Europeans-sun-avoiding Dutch - seem strange and unhealthy. Having spent a day or two at this place, where we first heard of the accession of King Edward VII., we skirted the north coast of Sumatra, with its park-like stretches of grass and forest, drifting * The Sellungs are a primitive and timid tribe, who wander in canoes among the Mergui Islands during the fine weather, and make temporary settlements on lee-shores in the south-west monsoon. They number between two and three thousand. INTRODUCTION 3 along almost in the shadow of its great volcanic mountains, and then, crossing the northern entrance of the Malacca Straits, anchored once more in the harbour of Penang. At Klang, in Selangor, we stopped a night to visit the museum at Kwala Lumpor, and were passed by the Ophir and her consorts as they steamed to Singapore; which place we ourselves reached, after a slow passage down the coast, on the 27th of April 1901, thus bringing the cruise to an end. The day's programme during the voyage was simple. We rose before 5 A.M.; and after a hurried chota hazri, rowed ashore the moment it grew at all light. The next five hours were passed collecting in the jungle; and then returning on board, after a bath, change, and breakfast, the preservation of specimens went on until two o'clock; next came tea, then more work until about 3 P.M., when we once more rowed ashore and sought for fresh material until darkness set in. Then after another bath and change came dinner, and by the time the second batch of specimens was disposed of, we were quite ready for mattress and pillow on deck; for unless it rained we never slept below. The development of photographs often kept me up till midnight, since they had to be manipulated in a small pantry which could only be thoroughly darkened after sunset. I have seldom been in a warmer place. Some consideration should be given to the provisioning of a boat when cruising away from regular supplies for health is largely dependent on this point. For so long as flour will keep good it is pleasant to have fresh bread, but experience on this and other cruises is that it gets full of weevils after three months in a small boat. While tinned provisions and bottled fruits are very well for a time, one rapidly tires of them, and then there is nothing like the old stand-bys of salt beef and pork, ship's biscuits, rice, etc. Potatoes and onions will keep well for six months, and "sauerkraut," or Chinese preserved greens, are useful articles. Many of the birds shot for specimens on this cruise, megapodes, pigeons, and whimbrelform welcome additions to the table, and one gets occasionally wild pig and deer; while even of such unorthodox animals as |