Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 2.djvu/22

12 olive mud, particularly a thick coat on the head. It lasts a month. During their sorrow they are silent, refrain from red paint and decoration, and from much food, especially from pork and honey; but have daily to throw a piece of honey-comb into the fire.

A notable eccentricity with these people is crying, as an utterance of emotion. It is an expression of reconciliation with enemies, and of joy at meeting friends after long separation. Something similar is known in New Zealand, and, it would seem, among the Patagonians. When two Andaman tribes meet under such circum stances, the new-comers begin the process, the women weeping first ; their men then take up the lugubrious function ; finally, the tribe on whose ground the scene occurs reciprocate, commencing with their women. This doleful antistrophe is continued long "some times through several days " and then they take to dancing!

They are said to have no idea of a God or future state, though Colonel Symes in his narrative gives a different account, and per haps information on this point is still too imperfect. We find reference made to their belief that evil spirits cause disease, and to their dread of the ghosts of the dead.

They were always very hostile to strangers, repulsing all approaches with treachery, or with violence and showers of arrows. This may have originated in ancient liability to slave raids. Not till five years after the establishment of Port Blair colony did they begin to abate hostility. Robberies were frequent, and the murder of persons straying into the woods. The Government established homes for the aborigines in the environs of the settlement viz., sheds for shelter, with some aid in rations, &c., and this conduced to a better state of things. An orphanage also has now been established under European matrons.

They are perfect swimmers and divers, and expert in managing canoes. These are neatly formed, and, according to Mouat, some are fitted with outriggers, which enable them to go seaward for considerable distances. Two centuries ago, according to Captain A. Hamilton, they used to make hostile descents on the Nicobars, and this is confirmed by a Nicobar tradition mentioned in the Asiatic Researches. But there is apparently no later evidence of such expeditions, and they were probably confined to March and April, when the sea is generally like a pond.

The number of aborigines is unknown, and conjecture has varied from 3000 up to 10,000, or even 15,000. Dr Mouat, in 1857, whilst steaming rapidly round the islands, everywhere saw natives in considerable numbers, and was induced to believe that the older and lower estimates had been much under the truth ; but there is reason to believe that the population is on the coast only. They are divided into tribes or groups, not usually containing more than thirty individuals ; and among these the country is partitioned in some fashion, for we are told that trespasses are a common ground of war between tribes. Each tribe has a depot, or headquarters, where the sick are tended and surplus stores are kept.

The name Mincopie is applied to the Andaman race in books, originating with a vocabulary given by Lieutenant Colebrooke. One suspects some misunderstanding about this. Of the language we have as yet little information. It is said to be very deficient in words, and there is the tendency usual in the circumstances to strong dialectic differences. Thus the people of Little Andaman are said not to understand those of South Andaman. Those near the settlement begin to incorporate English and Hindustani words. It is stated positively that they have no numerals. It was once believed that they had no proper names, but this proves erroneous. The child is named before birth ; hence names seem of common gender, and as they are few some twenty in all a special epithet is prefixed to each, personal or local in origin.

Climate.—This is very moist, as might be expected. The islands are exposed to the full force of the south-west monsoon of summer, and also in some seasons share that rainy effect of the north-east monsoon of the late autumn which characterises the Coromandel coast in the same lati tude. Hence Colonel Kyd, who was chief of the settle ment abandoned in 1796, says only four months fair weather could be counted on, and a later explorer uses nearly the same phrase. The natives divide the year into three seasons (1.) The dry, literally "the northern sun," February to May; (2.) The rainy, June to September; (3.) The moderate season, October to January. There is, however, rather a remarkable want of uniformity in the seasons. The rainfall at Port Blair for four years is re ported as follows:—

The annual mean temperature, reduced to sea-level, is about 81° Fahr.

Geology, &c.—The islands appear from the sea as a series of low hills. These being covered with dense and lofty forest, we have as yet little information on the geology. The surface is excessively irregular, and the islands are toe narrow to have rivers. There has been no alluvial deposit, and in many places the rocky formation is bare. Near our settlement in South Andaman the principal rocks are grey tertiary sandstones, identical with those prevailing in Aracan. This sandstone affords excellent building material. Traces of coal have been found, but only small pockets in the sandstone, without seam. Serpentine rock occurs on the east coast south of Port Blair, and on Kutland. A broad strip of indurated chloritic rock extends from Port Blair north-north-east to the east coast of Middle Andaman. Coral reef barriers gird the islands on all sides. The general dip of the rocks is to the westward, and thus the depth of sea on the east is much greater. On the west the corals are continuous and very extensive, forming patches of reef even 20 or 25 miles from shore. Agate flakes have been found on the site of an old encampment. It is curious that Captain A. Hamilton speaks of an adventurer known to him who made money by quicksilver obtained from these islands, but no confirmation of this has been reported. No fossils have yet been got.

Vegetation.—On the east the prevailing character is of forest trees with straight stems of 100 feet in mean height, often entirely covered with climbing plants. On the west vegetation is not so lofty. Deciduous trees are every where sporadic, and large tracts of them occur, robbing the landscape in the hot season of its tropical richness by their grey sterile aspect. These trees are generally of little utility. Bombax malabaricum is abundant among them. The immense buttressing of the stems of many of the trees is notable. Extensive tracts are also occupied by bamboo jungle, 30 to 35 feet high, almost entirely of Bambusa andamanica, from which lofty forest trees stand out, very far apart. The bamboo seems to attach especially to the indurated chloritic rock. Mangrove swamps fringe the little bays and straits, with many orchids. Behind the swamps are palms, Phoenix pahidosa and Liciiala paludosa- also Barringtonia and Exc&caria Agalloclia, recognised by their red decaying leaves in June and July, and Lager- stroemia and Pterocarpus by their rich lilac or yellow blossoms. Arborescent euphorbias, screw-pines, and a Cycas of considerable height, give a remarkable aspect to the coast vegetation in many places. Above these are the coast forests, on the slopes of hills, and valleys influenced by the sea. Mimusops indica, believed to be a very valu able wood, forms whole forests; sometimes in equal pro portions with Hemicydia andam. Around these are tropical mixed forests, through which it is hard to force a way from the multitude of climbers. Dipterocarpus Icevis is the typical tree here. Palms are numerous e.g., Licuakt peltata and Areca triandra. On one small island (Ter- mooklee) there is a gigantic Corypha with leaves 30 feet long, but stemless. The high forests of the interior are little known. The quantity of intricate climbers is less, and the uniformity of vegetation greater. Treeless spots are confined to craggy islands completely exposed to wind and weather. The general character of the vegetation is Burmese, altered by some unfavourable circumstances, principally the scarcity of running water. But there are also a number of Malayan types not found on the adjacent continent. There are no tree ferns, apparently. There 