THE CORAL ISLAND OF SIKAYANA.
Natives on board.--Good prospects of fresh provisions.--An
interment on board.--A night scene.--Visit to the Island
Group.--Faole.--Trip ashore to Sikayana.--Narrative of an
English sailor.--Cruelty of merchantmen in the South Sea
Islands.--Tradition as to the origin of the inhabitants of
Sikayana.--A king.--Barter.--Religion of the natives.--Trepang.--
Method of preparing this sea-slug for the Chinese market.--
Dictionary of the native language.--Under sail.--Ile de
Contrariete.--Stormy weather.--Spring a leak.--Bampton Reef.--
Smoky Cape.--Arrival in Port Jackson, the harbour of Sydney. 601
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
VOL. II.
PAGE
1. A Landscape in the Nicobar Islands 1
2. A Forest Scene in Singapore 137
3. A Chinese Counting Board 170
4. Javanese Weapons 180
5. The Seal of Union of the Brotherhood
of the Heavens and the Earth 197
6. Javanese Bee-hive 213
7. View from the Battlements at Manila 281
8. Life in Hong-kong 355
9. Flower Boat on the Wusung at Shanghai 416
10. Distant View of the Island of Puynipet 551
11. Barrier Reef and Atoll of Sikayana 601
[Illustration: A Landscape in the Nicobar Islands.]
X.
The Nicobar Islands.
Stay from 23rd February to 26th March, 1858.
Historical details respecting this Archipelago.--Arrival at
Kar-Nicobar.--Communication with the Aborigines.--Village of
Saoui and "Captain John."--Meet with two white men.--Journey to
the south side of the island.--Village of Komios.--Forest
Scenery.--Batte-Malve.--Tillangschong.--Arrival and stay at
Nangkauri Harbour.--Village of Itoe.--Peak Mongkata on Kamorta.--
Villages of Enuang and Malacca.--Tripjet, the first settlement
of the Moravian Brothers.--Ulala Cove.--Voyage through the
Archipelago.--The Island of Treis.--Pulo Milu--Pandanus Forest.--
St. George's Channel.--Island of Kondul.--Departure for the
northern coast of Great Nicobar.--Mangrove Swamp.--Malay
traders.--Remarks upon the natives of Great Nicobar.--Disaster
to a boat dispatched to make Geodetical observations.--Visit to
the Southern Bay of Great Nicobar.--General results obtained
during the stay of the Expedition in this Archipelago.--
Nautical, Climatic, and Geognostic observations.--Vegetation.--
Animal Life.--Ethnography.--Prospects of this group of Islands
in the way of settlement and cultivation.--Voyage to the Straits
of Malacca.--Arrival at Singapore.
The earliest visitants of whom we have any certain information to this
cluster of islands (situated in the Bay of Bengal, between 6 deg. 50' and 9 deg.
10' N., and 93 deg. and 94 deg. E.), appear to have been Arabian traders, who, on
their voyages to Southern China, landed on these islands, then known as
Megabalu and Legabalu, on the first occasion in 851, and on the second in
877 of the Christian era. Abu-Zeyd-Hassan, one of these adventurers, gave
a circumstantial account of these voyages, which has been translated into
French, and published by Eusebius Renaudot.[1]
After the Cape of Good Hope was doubled in 1497, the Nicobars were chiefly
frequented by voyagers in East Indian seas, but without any such visits
having in the least contributed to enlarge our information respecting a
group so important by geographical position.
In 1602, Captain Lancaster, commander of an English ship, passed ten days
on the Nicobars, during which he hardly visited the southern islands,
Great and Little Nicobar, but kept to the small island of Sombrero, of the
northern cluster, now called Bampoka. He there found trees of such
circumference and height, as would serve for the construction of the
largest ships. Towards the middle of the seventeenth century, Koeping, a
Swede, made his appearance at the Nicobars. Happening to be on board a
Dutch vessel, which touched in 1647 at one of the islands, he thought he
perceived among the inhabitants certain men furnished with caudal
appendages, whereas it was their peculiar clothing, which consists of a
long narrow piece of woven stuff, wound round the body and then left to
hang loosely, which gave rise to such a report. With the arrival in Indian
waters of Dampier, that daring but most trustworthy of navigators, the
information respecting these islands first becomes more definite. He
landed in the north-western Bay of the largest of these, to which he
assigned the latitude 7 deg. 30' N., and gave a most extensive narrative of
his adventurous career from the moment he abandoned the corsair-craft he
had brought from Europe to seek for assistance on the Nicobars, to the
period when, after braving a tremendous storm in a canoe, along with seven
of his companions in misfortune he landed half dead on the northernmost
point of Sumatra about 1706.
In 1708, Captain Owen, another English shipmaster, paid an involuntary
visit to this Archipelago, his ship having been stranded on the
uninhabited island of Tillangschong, whence he escaped with his crew to
the islands Ning and Souri, only four miles to the westward, apparently
what is now known as Nangkauri. For the first time history now records an
outrage of which the natives were guilty towards the strangers.
It would appear that the captain, after having experienced an exceedingly
friendly reception, laid down his knife, upon which one of the islanders,
very possibly out of curiosity, laid hold of it, pushed the owner aside,
and ultimately possessed himself of the knife. On the following day, as
Owen was taking his mid-day meal under a tree, he was set upon and killed
by several of the natives, who shot him down with their arrows; on the
other hand the crew, consisting of sixteen persons, were furnished with
canoes and provisions, so that without experiencing any further
ill-treatment they were so fortunate as to reach Junkseilan.
The first essay towards a settlement of the Nicobar Islands was made by
the Jesuits in 1711, upon the most northerly island of the group,
Kar-Nicobar. They succumbed however to the noxious influences of the
climate, and the few neophytes speedily sank back into heathendom.
The second attempt at colonization by Europeans took place in 1756, when
Lieutenant Tanck, a Dane, after taking possession of the entire group in
the name of his sovereign, the King of Denmark, named the islands
"_Frederiks Oerne_" (Frederick Islands), and founded the first colony on
the northern side of Great Nicobar, or Sambellong. In the year 1760 this
was transferred by the followers of Tanck to the island of Kamorta, but
here too after a short time the experiment failed, owing to the
unhealthiness of the climate.
In 1766, fourteen Moravian Brethren were settled on Nangkauri, with the
view of extending the influence of the Danish East India Company. The want
of information respecting the necessary conditions under which this colony
was called into existence, was in all probability the cause of its speedy
declension. Within less than two decades the majority of these settlers
had fallen under the baneful influence of the climate.
On 1st April, 1778, the Austrian vessel _Joseph and Theresa_, commanded
by Captain Bennet, landed on the N.E. side of Kar-Nicobar, or New Denmark.
This vessel had been commissioned by the Imperial Government to select, in
the name of H.M. Joseph II., Austrian plantations and commercial stations
on the farther side of the Cape of Good Hope. Of this remarkable
expedition nothing more has been handed down to us than is related by
excellent Nicolas Fontana, who accompanied the expedition as surgeon, in
his book of travels, which was published at Leipzig in 1782.[2]
Neither the libraries nor the archives of the empire seem capable of
furnishing more definite information respecting this interesting
undertaking. However, on the other hand, through the kind offices of
H.I.H. the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian with the Government of H.M. the
King of the Belgians, there have been found in the Royal Archives at
Brussels several highly important documents, bearing upon this expedition,
of which M. Gachard, keeper of the State Archives in that country, had the
kindness to furnish us with copies; and while we propose in the following
remarks to avail ourselves of the most interesting data, the more
particular consideration of this circumstance, so interesting in the
history of the development of our trade, will be deferred till the
appearance of the commercial section of the Novara publications.
A Dutchman, named William Bolts, formerly in the service of the British
East India Company, in the year 1774 made to Count Belgiojoso, at that
period Ambassador in London of the Empress Maria Theresa, proposals for
direct commercial intercourse between the Netherlands and Trieste and
Persia, the East Indies, China, and Africa, with the object of supplying
the harbours of the Austrian dominions with the products of India and
China, without the costly intervention of other countries. This
proposition having been brought under the notice of the Imperial
Chancellor, Prince Kaunitz, at Vienna, was so cordially received by that
minister, that Bolts received an invitation to present himself at the
Empress's palace, in order to develope his plans more fully in person in
that august presence. Bolts arrived in Vienna in April, 1775, and very
shortly afterwards was invested by the Empress with all the requisite
privileges for facilitating the prosecution of his great project. The
imperial officials at Trieste were entrusted with the equipment and arming
of the vessel, the supreme military council were required to provide the
necessary pay for the soldiers and subaltern officers, and Bolts by
special commission was formally empowered in the name of the Empress
Queen, as also in that of her successors upon the throne, to take
possession of all the territories which he might succeed in getting ceded
by the princes of India, for the behoof of such of Her Imperial Majesty's
subjects as should purpose trading with the Indies.
It was the wish of the Government that the first expedition should take
its departure from Trieste; Bolts however opposed this, for the reason
that his vessel must take part of its lading from London, but declared
himself prepared to make the most strenuous efforts to found a mercantile
house in Trieste, and to take such precautions as should result in the
second and all future expeditions being dispatched from Trieste.
Bolts hereupon first proceeded to Amsterdam with his newly acquired
privileges, and thence to London, as yet without being more fortunate in
his attempt to set on foot the proposed association in the one locality
than in the other. At last, at Antwerp in the Netherlands, he succeeded in
interesting in his project a certain Baron von Proli, and two merchants,
by the name of Borrekens and Naegeles, and with these three persons he
entered into a contract of association, on 20th Sept. 1775. At the same
time a fund of L90,000 was raised for the armament of a second trading
vessel to the East Indies and China, and out of the same amount to
establish a mercantile house in Trieste.
In possession of L25,000 sterling, which he had procured from his
associates, Bolts proceeded to London, where he purchased a vessel, which
he named the _Joseph and Theresa_, put a portion of her cargo on board,
and on 14th March, 1776, set sail thence for Leghorn. Here certain
articles were to be taken on board, which the Government had promised to
have ready, and which consisted of copper, iron, steel, and tools. Before
Bolts left harbour on his voyage to the Indies he was invested by the
Empress with the grade of Lieutenant-Colonel in their service, and for the
better prosecution of his objects was provided by the State Chancery with
comprehensive powers,[3] and a pass for barbarous countries, called a
"_Scontrino_."[4] The Empress at the same time provided the daring
adventurer with letters of introduction under her own hand to the Emperor
of China, the "King" of Persia, and the Indian satraps whose dominions he
was to visit.
Baron Proli, one of the chief partners, went first of all to Vienna, and
thence to Leghorn, and concluded an agreement with Bolts to dispatch a
ship to the Indies in each of the years 1777, 1778, 1779, the cargoes of
which should be worth at least L30,000 each, while Bolts, on his part,
engaged to remain in the Indies three and a half years from the day of his
departure, there to found factories, and to lay out to the best advantage
the money realized by the sale of the merchandise consigned to him. The
Empress Maria Theresa rewarded Proli for services already rendered, as
also for those which he undertook to perform in the establishment of
trading-exchanges in Trieste and Bruges, for the support of the oversea
commerce of the Austrian and Belgian provinces, by raising him to the
dignity of Count.
The ship _Joseph and Theresa_, bound for the east coast of Africa, as also
for the shores of Malabar, Coromandel, and Bengal, set sail from Leghorn
in September, 1776, with a crew of 155 men. Unfavourable winds compelled
Bolts to make the Brazilian coast, in order to take in fresh stores.
Thence he lay a course for Delagoa Bay, on the S.E. coast of Africa,
opposite the island of Madagascar, on which, on 30th March, 1777, he was
so unfortunate as to get stranded, when he was compelled to start a
portion of his cargo overboard. Bolts, however, turned to excellent
account his stay on this coast, having purchased from two African kings,
named Mohaar Capell, and Chibauraan Matola, a site of ground on both banks
of the river Masoumo, and, at a total expenditure of 126,267 florins
(about L12,600), in which was included the cost of constructing the
necessary vessels, founded a factory, for whose protection he also erected
two small forts, which he furnished with cannon, and named after his two
illustrious patrons, Joseph and Theresa.
After a more protracted stay on the coast of Malabar, where he purchased
from the Nabob, the celebrated Hyder Ali Khan, a number of plots of
ground in the vicinity of Mangalore, Carwar, and Balliapatam, the very
centre of the pepper trade, and erected a factory at an expense of 28,074
florins (L2800), this enterprising man set sail for the Coromandel Coast
and the Bay of Bengal, and about the commencement of 1778 visited the
Nicobar Islands, in order there also to found a factory. Unfortunately, of
this visit there nowhere survive any detailed particulars, and the only
document extant under Bolts' hand, which can throw any light on the
subject, is a statement of the expenditure incurred in erecting a fort on
the Nicobars, which, together with the purchase of a _goelette_, and a
snow, or two-masted vessel, for the coasting trade between Madras, Pegu,
and the group of islands, amounted to 47,659 fl. 48 kr. (about L4760).
At the close of 1780 Bolts returned to Europe, and in May, 1781, cast
anchor in the harbour of Leghorn. His exertions and his speculation had
not been attended with the success anticipated, and despite fresh
assistance afforded by the Austrian Government to the Association, which
at first seemed to promise a more auspicious future for the undertaking,
yet the political complications of the period, and especially the sudden,
totally unlooked-for rupture of peace between France, England, and
Holland, ere long entailed utter ruin on the trading company, which, in
the year 1785, found itself compelled to stop payment.[5] Bolts died at
Paris in April, 1808, in utter destitution, and Michaud, in his
_Biographie Universelle_, dedicated an article to this hardy and
enterprising, rather than shrewd and prudent, adventurer.[6]
About two years after the appearance of the Austrian ship in the Nicobar
Archipelago, the Danes endeavoured to found there a missionary station of
Moravian Brothers. Towards the close of 1778 the missionaries, Haensel and
Wangemann, sailed from Tranquebar to Nangkauri, where they arrived in
January, 1779. In 1787 the mission at Nangkauri was once more abandoned,
when the only surviving Moravian Brother returned to Tranquebar, and
shortly after to Europe.
In 1795 an Englishman, Major Symes, touched at Kar-Nicobar, while on his
voyage as Envoy to Ava and Burmah. His observations there may be found in
the second volume of "Asiatic Researches," p. 344, in an article entitled
"Description of Carnicobar."
In 1831, Denmark once more made an attempt to colonize, by means of a
missionary enterprise, the group formerly known as New Denmark, and
occasionally as Frederick Islands. Pastor Rosen landed in August of that
year on the island of Kamorta, and first set up his establishment on the
so-called Frederick Hill, then on the adjoining Mongkata Hill; somewhat
later on the island of Trinkut, and lastly on the shore immediately
beneath the Mongkata Hill. In December, 1834, after about a four years'
stay, Pastor Rosen left the islands, and in 1839 published, at Copenhagen,
his own experiences and personal observations, under the title:
"_Erindringen om mit Ophold paa de Nikobariske Oerne_" (Recollections of
my Residence on the Nicobar Islands).
In 1835, the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Straits of Malacca dispatched to
Kar-Nicobar two French missionaries, the Fathers Chopard and Borie. But
after a certain lapse of time, during which their missionary efforts gave
promise of the most pleasing results, and when they had lived about a year
on the island, the pious work fell through, owing to the credulity and
prejudices of the natives, to whom the two missionaries were represented
by the crew of a ship from the adjacent shores of the continent as English
spies, whose object probably was to ascertain the products of the country,
which thereupon would speedily be annexed by the English Government. The
missionaries had to flee, and Borie expired in the arms of his companion
before he could get off the island. Chopard afterwards, in the year 1849,
published his adventures in this group of islands in the "Asiatic Journal
of the Indian Archipelago," under the title, "_A few Particulars
respecting the Nicobar Islands._"
In March, 1845, Mr. Mackey, Danish Consul in Calcutta, set on foot a
small expedition to the Nicobar Archipelago. That gentleman hoped to find
amongst the southern islands strata of coal, and made a voyage thither in
prosecution of that object, on board the schooner _Espiegle_, commanded by
an Englishman named Lewis, and accompanied by two Danes, Mr. Busch, the
sole commander of the expedition, and a certain Mr. Lowert. By the end of
May the adventurers were once more in Calcutta. With the exception of a
few lumps they had not found coal-beds on any part of the island, while
they lacked the physical strength requisite for founding the agricultural
colony, which it had been intended to set on foot at the same time. The
scientific results of this voyage are comprised in a small _brochure_, "H.
Busch's Journal of a Cruise amongst the Nicobar Islands," (Calcutta,
1845).
A further scientific exploration of the Nicobar group was made by the
naturalists attached to the Danish corvette _Galatea_ in the course of
their voyage round the world in the years 1845-7. A thorough examination
of the Nicobars was one of the chief objects of the expedition set on foot
under the auspices of the Danish Government. On the 25th January, 1846, at
Nangkauri, Captain Steen Bille took formal possession of this group of
islands in the name of H.M. the King of Denmark. Two natives, father and
son, named respectively Luha and Angre, the former resident in Malacca,
and the latter in Enuang, were on that occasion installed as chief
magistrates; each being at the same time provided with a staff bearing the
cypher of Christian VIII., and instructed, by means of a document drawn
up in the English and Danish languages, on the subject of their duties,
which consisted principally in hoisting the Danish Standard on the arrival
of foreign ships in the harbour of Nangkauri.[7]
After the decease of Christian VIII., the Danish Government, in
consequence of the violent political agitations of the period, did not
show itself disposed to make practical use of their possession of the
Nicobar Islands by any lasting colonization, but on the contrary in the
year 1848 dispatched the royal corvette _Valkyrien_ to the Archipelago, to
bring away the flag and batons.[8]
In consequence of this, according to "Thornton's Gazetteer of India," the
chiefs of the island of Kar-Nicobar hoisted the English flag, and through
certain English merchants resident in Moulmein, expressed a wish to be
permitted to place themselves under the protection of the British Crown.
This information, however, seems to be inaccurate, in so far as it
professes to describe the conduct of the native chiefs. The inhabitants,
it is true, hoist any flag given to them, because they are fond of
imitating European customs, and by so doing believe they secure themselves
against the pretensions of other nations; but there is nothing they so
much dread as a regular occupation of the islands, and on every appearance
of a war-ship are forthwith filled with alarm lest they should be about to
be deprived of their liberty, and--their cocoa-nuts. Indeed they have a
saying widely diffused among them, probably through the craft of some
smart chiefs, that whenever a European should settle among them all the
cocoa-nuts will drop from the trees, and they will thus see themselves
deprived for ever of their most important means of subsistence. It is, on
the contrary, more probable that the English ship captains, who trade with
these islands in order the better to secure their highly profitable trade
in cocoa-nuts, made some propositions to the East Indian Government to
take possession of this important group, by a similar procedure as that by
which the Andaman islands were annexed somewhat later.
Since the unsuccessful attempt at the end of last century to extend
Austrian commerce with the Indies and the coast of Africa, by founding a
few colonies in those places, no vessel sailing under the Austrian flag
had again visited the Nicobar Islands, and accordingly, on the dispatch of
an Imperial ship-of-war to those waters, it was naturally wished that she
should on her voyage to China visit this group, on whose shores the
Austrian flag had once been unfurled as a symbol of possession. On this
occasion, however, the object was rather scientific than political. It was
intended, so far as the time allotted for visiting these islands and the
appliances at hand admitted, to undertake inquiries as to the most
important geodetical points, together with astronomical, magnetic, and
meteorological observations, and at the same time to make investigations
and collections of the various objects of natural science, and thus to
complete as it were the valuable labours carried out in 1846 by the Danish
Expedition to the Nicobar Islands. The following pages are simply limited
to giving a popular narrative of our own stay on this interesting island
group, while more circumstantial information of the various scientific
results obtained there will be deferred till the appearance of the special
works being drawn up by the members, each in his own special section.
On 25th February, at 10 A.M., the naturalists, accompanied by the officers
in charge of the scientific apparatus, and the midshipmen, after very
considerable difficulty, succeeded in effecting a landing on the island of
Kar-Nicobar, in a bay protected by a coral reef (by observation 9 deg. 14' 8''
N., and 92 deg. 44' 46'' E.), between the villages of Moose and Saoui. At this
point the surf beats incessantly over the huge reefs of coral upon a waste
of gleaming white sand, which stretches in graceful curves from one point
of rock to that next adjoining. The few fruits which have been thrown up,
or been carried hither, probably from some distant shore, have struck root
in this coral sand, and a coronal of luxuriant palms, with their slim
stems, and loaded with thousands of nuts, serves as food for man.
In the vicinity of the spot where we disembarked was anchored a barque
from Moulmein, with a Malay crew, the majority of whom were tattooed on
the thigh with extraordinary skill. They had been for a considerable
period taking in a cargo of cocoa-nuts, which the natives had been
exchanging against various merchandise. About thirty dusky natives, almost
entirely naked, and for the most part without any head covering beyond the
splendid raven locks which hung down over their shoulders, some carrying
in their hands cutlasses, others long wooden lances tipped with bone,
stood near the beach, and while we were yet a little distance off, called
out to us in broken English, and with visible anxiety, "Good friend? No
fear!" apparently anxious, in the first place, to have confirmation from
us that we were really "good friends," and that they had nothing to dread,
before they ventured quite close to us. When they were no more than twenty
paces distant, they suddenly came to a halt, upon which some of their
number, who appeared to be chiefs, gave their spears and cutlasses to
those around, and advanced to us with a tolerably friendly air, at the
same time stretching out their hands by way of salutation. They were for
the most part large, well-proportioned men, of a dark bronze colour of
skin.
The most disagreeable feature is the mouth, which, in consequence of the
loathsome custom of incessantly chewing the betel-nut, seems to have
become utterly distorted in shape. In a few cases this filthy habit had
resulted in such deformity among the teeth, that these were barely visible
between the thick swollen lips, like a malignant tumour! The apparel of
the natives is pretty universally entirely primitive, consisting of
nothing but a long very narrow strip of dark blue linen, which they wind
round the body, bringing it from the front between the legs backwards,
when it is made fast to the girdle, and the ends left to hang loosely
down. Some of the natives make a very singular use of the different
articles of old clothes which they receive in exchange from the ship
captains, or have had given as a present, as they appear now in a black
hat, now in a coat or a shirt, without a vestige of other clothing!
Almost every native we saw brought to us a soiled, crumpled-up
testimonial, setting forth his good character, and his honesty in the
cocoa-nut trade, which he had received from various ship captains, who
bartered their merchandise for ripe cocoa-nuts, which they afterwards sold
in the East Indies or Ceylon at an immense profit. The greater number of
these testimonials were written in English; we found only one in German
from the skipper of a Bremen ship, and one in Dutch. In these certificates
are set forth the objects best worth enquiring for, as also a statement of
the articles bartered in the course of exchange for cocoa-nuts, a practice
which is not alone of the utmost utility for those who may afterwards
visit the islands for purposes of commerce, but also throw a most
interesting light upon the evidences of civilization among the natives.[9]
These testimonials also frequently contain very humorous remarks about the
unsuspecting natives, who assuredly would be less eager in producing them
if they were acquainted with the contents. One of the earliest to extend
to us the hand of welcome was a native who called himself Captain Dickson,
a handsome, slim, dark brown figure, with very long, fine, glossy hair
hanging over his shoulders, and neatly gathered together with a bark
ribbon. In the document presented to us, which was dated 15th January,
and bore the signature of the captain of the ship _Arracan_, there was
written beneath, "Dickson, though a shabby-looking fellow, is a man of
substance." In a second testimonial, it was said of a native: "He will do
honour to England when she comes!" a remark which leaves plainly apparent
the hope of the ship captain that these islands will speedily be occupied
by the English. These certificates likewise contain a variety of important
hints, especially with reference to the method of dealing with the
natives, the most commodious anchorage, the difficulty encountered in
landing, &c.[10]
Thus the most cursory communication with the natives convinced us that
they must already have repeatedly done business with English ship
captains, who had imparted to them a slight knowledge of the English
language, and a few of the simpler principles of humanity and religion.
When we gave them to understand that we visited them as friends, they
replied in their broken English: "Not merely friends--brothers! all
brothers! all only one father and one mother!" Hereupon each proceeded to
light one of the cigars that had been presented to them, while, for want
of any other receptacle, they secreted the remainder in the wide holes
transpiercing the lobes of the ears, after which they with the most frank
munificence, and in token of their hospitality, pulled a number of young
cocoa-nuts from the tree, and gave us their fluid contents to drink. Very
singular was the method in which this was effected. They tie their feet
together by the ankles with a loop of the same bast, or bark rope, which,
when employed in fastening their long black locks, usually forms such a
picturesque frontlet, and then clamber with the agility of cats to the
summit of the palm, throw to the bottom the separated fruit, and slide
swiftly down to the ground again. Holding in one hand a tolerably heavy
young nut, in the other a sharp cutlass, they proceed at one sure blow to
open the nut, in such manner that a small orifice is made, through which
the refreshing liquid contents can be conveniently quaffed. When this has
been evacuated the nut is usually split in half, in which form it serves
as a most nutritious food for the fowls and hogs. Despite their
hospitality, there was perceptible in all of them great anxiety, and the
upshot of all their conversation always resolved itself into the
stereotyped questions, "What did we really require? whether we wished to
purchase cocoa-nuts, and would soon be leaving?"
Great and natural as our desire was to penetrate from the shore, thickly
covered with its belt of cocoa-nut palms, into the rather flat interior,
and thus obtain a nearer view of the hive-shaped, basket-formed huts which
were visible under the forest trees, we judged it much the better course
to endeavour first of all to make the natives more confiding, and for that
purpose invited them to accompany us on board. Eight of their number were
finally induced to follow us, and came alongside in their elegant canoes,
formed of the wood of the _Calophyllum inophyllum_, one of the most
splendid trees of the primeval forest of the islands. As soon as we
reached the frigate, only a single one, Captain Dickson, could be induced
to clamber up of the man-ropes; the rest did not venture to leave their
canoes, and one, who called himself Captain Charlie, a short, lank little
fellow of boyish appearance, who for all apparel wore a dirty cloth cap on
his head, trembled with terror through his whole frame when he saw our big
guns. Captain Dickson, too, did not seem to feel himself altogether
comfortable while on board, and although there was much to excite his
curiosity, he soon longed to get out of the large ship, back again into
his own frail skiff. Quite peculiar was the impression made upon him by a
pair of live cows; such large animals he gave us to understand were not
found upon his island.
Meanwhile a number of natives had approached the frigate in their canoes,
bringing swine, fowls, plantains, yams, and eggs in hollowed-out cocoa-nut
shells, which they offered as presents, but at the same time inquired what
we intended giving them in return. They greatly wished for biscuit,
brandy, medicines, clothes, but above all else for black hats, which most
probably results from their having occasionally seen the captains of
English ships wearing round hats, whence they now seem to imagine that
such a head-gear is the insignia of captain's rank, or of a chief.
Their knowledge of money was confined to Rupees, which they discriminated
into two sorts, viz. the ordinary East Indian coin, and the English
sixpenny-piece, which they called "small Rupees," covering with them, by
way of ornament, the ends of the small bits of bamboo which they usually
wear through the hole that transpierces the greatly distended lobe of the
ear.
Of the two Catholic missionaries, Borie and Chopard, who in 1835 had
remained a short time on the island, not one of the natives could give us
any particulars; and likewise of the Danish corvette _Galatea_, which
visited the group in 1846, they had but a dim remembrance, and even this
of a far from complimentary character; the poor people having been
overwhelmed with the apprehensions that their island was about to be taken
possession of, and themselves exposed to a lingering death by hunger.
"Danish bad people," they exclaimed, "wanted to take our island. Suppose I
could come to your island and take it? Not good! no good people!"
We returned on shore with the natives, who, in consequence of their
friendly reception on board, had already become somewhat more tranquil and
trustful. Tents were now pitched, the astronomical and geodetical
instruments, together with the barometer and thermometer, were adjusted,
the tide-gauge fixed at the most suitable point, and the island traversed
in all directions for scientific purposes, so far at least as the density
of the forest and the mistrust of the natives would permit.
On the very same day we visited the Cove of Saoui, on which is situated
the village of the same name, whose chief is called "Captain John." This
worthy had received by way of present an old cast-off blue uniform frock,
and was now making strenuous exertions to squeeze his all too little
flexible limbs into this tight thick cloth coat, and to button it, despite
the tropical heat, round his naked body up to the very throat. He was
anxious it should not be reported of him that he did not sufficiently
value the distinction awarded him, or did not comprehend how to make a
proper use of it. Unlike the rest of his compatriots, Captain John also
wore shoes and pants, and in consequence openly claimed to belong to the
privileged classes. He was surrounded by a considerable number of natives,
who presented themselves to us, as Captain Morgan, Captain Douglas, Dr.
Crisp, Lord Nelson, Lord Byron, Lord Wellington, and so forth, having been
indebted to the singular whimsies of some English captains, who thought it
a good joke to confer on these filthy brown people the illustrious names
of the hereditary and intellectual aristocracy of Great Britain.
Captain John accompanied us along the coast to his own domicile by an
exceedingly difficult and sunny path, having designedly concealed from us
the existence of a much more commodious track through the forest to the
village, which contains only seven houses. These are erected in a broad
open space, and in consequence of the great humidity of the soil during
the wet season, consist of eight or ten poles, from six to eight feet in
height, so that a man can easily pass under them. They comprise but one
large apartment, into which access is obtained by a neatly-carved ladder
of bamboo-reed, which during the night, or when the occupants leave the
hut, is usually taken away, so that, without using locks or bolts, it is
pretty difficult to get in. The flooring is constructed of bamboo planks,
bound together with Rotang (_Calamus Rotang_), in such a manner that the
air from beneath can circulate freely through, and, in a similar way, the
neat basket-work of the hive-shaped structure is vaulted. A dense straw
thatch serves as well to keep out the sun's rays as the rain. The internal
arrangements are very simple. In the rear is a sort of fire-place, a low
block of wood hollowed out, and the cavity filled with sand and stones,
upon which is placed a variety of utensils of clay, imported from the
adjoining island of Chowry, the only island of the entire Archipelago
where any industry is carried on. From the beams of the roof are suspended
hollowed-out cocoa-nuts, strung together in pairs, and serving as water
jars, as also elegantly plaited baskets and the few possessions of the
family, and, lastly, some fruits, betel-leaves, and tobacco, as offerings
to the Eewees, or evil spirits, in the event of their paying a visit, and
having an appetite for such fare. Further forward, opposite the entrance
of the hut, there are stuck on the side walls, as evidences of special
prosperity, numerous cutlasses, spears, javelins, and paddles. Besides,
there are laid on the floor plaited straw-mats, which, rolled up during
the day, are stretched out at night and, together with a small wooden
stool for a pillow, serve as couches on which to repose. The hut might
furnish sleeping quarters for about ten men. As, moreover, all the cookery
is carried on therein, and there is no means of ventilating from above,
the interior is completely saturated with smoke, and all articles are soon
begrimed with smoke and soot. The natives, however, apparently take no
precautions to get rid of the smoke, because it contributes to keep them
free of a far more subtle foe, the mosquito, who, especially during the
rainy season, becomes a formidable torment for their naked bodies.
In the shady space beneath the hut, which sometimes serves as a
workshop,--if one may venture so to designate the industry of the
inhabitants of the Nicobars generally,--Captain John had suspended upon a
transverse beam a sort of swing, in which he occasionally rocked himself,
much to his own delight, while for his guests was provided a wooden
arm-chair, which had evidently come into his possession in the course of
some barter with the captain of a merchant vessel.
The old chief spoke with marked predilection of the captain of the barque
_Rochester_ of London, a gentleman named Green, who, by his humane and
strictly conscientious dealings with the natives, seemed to stand in high
respect, and afforded a striking example of what beneficial influence is
exercised by individual English ship captains over the wild races with
whom they come in contact in the way of trade, and how much they have it
in their power to make their nation respected in all parts of the globe.
We venture to assert that these English merchantmen, during their cursory
visits, have done more towards paving the way for civilizing the Nicobars
than the Danish and French missionaries during their residence of years.
Not a single native understands one word of Danish or French, but almost
every one speaks English, sufficient, at all events, to make himself
understood in that language. The talkative old fellow next held forth an
English Bible, which had been carefully stowed away on one of the
cross-beams of his hut, and of which, as he told us, he had been made a
present by Captain Green, on that gentleman's last visit. "This is my
Jesus Christ," said Captain John, full of unquestioning faith in the
marvellous power of Holy Writ:--"when I feel ill, I lay this little book
under my head, and I get well again!" The worthy fellow could neither read
nor, so far as we could perceive, did he precisely comprehend what was
printed in the book, yet he seemed instinctively to feel that it was of no
ordinary purport, and accordingly held his present in high honour, as a
sort of talisman, whose power and efficacy one might confide in, without
his being able precisely to account for such a belief. We turned over the
leaves of the little volume, which had been issued by the renowned,
wide-spread, and beneficent London Bible Society, and found on the
fly-leaf some English verses in Green's handwriting, and some encomiums
upon the inhabitants of Kar-Nicobar, "The most virtuous people that
Captain Green had fallen in with during eight and thirty years'
sea-faring;" closing with the remark, "What a pity they have no
missionary!"
In truth, the inhabitants of Kar-Nicobar are among the most perfect of
human-kind. In their commerce with us they showed themselves to be
child-like and ignorant, yet virtuous, trustworthy people, without
ambition or the thirst of knowledge, but also without jealousy or envy. If
ever any breach between themselves and the Europeans has been pushed the
length of violence, such has pretty certainly resulted rather from their
being in a measure suddenly incited to self-defence than from any open
predisposition to mischief. When we inquired of one of the natives in what
manner breach of faith is punished on the island, he replied with the
utmost _naivete_;--"We never have such--we are all good;--but in your
country there must be many evil men, else what for would you require so
many guns?"
In company with some of the natives we had proceeded upon a stroll through
the magnificent cocoa forest along the beach, in the course of which we
reached several huts scattered at random through the thicket, the
inhabitants of which received us in the most cordial manner. Their wives
and children however had all retired in a body, and during our entire stay
never once made their appearance. Indeed the natives, in the hope of
hastening our departure, pretended that their families had in their panic
fled into the forest, and must starve of hunger if we should remain long,
and so prevent them from returning to their usual abodes. This however was
but a hoax. The natives knew well enough where their families were
lurking, and provided them with food and drink. This extreme shyness of
the female portion of the population arises apparently from the
incivilities of which the sailors of the merchant vessels were guilty
towards the natives, whose moral feelings and delicacy of mind,
considering their low state of civilization, becomes doubly extraordinary.
An attempt to penetrate deeper into the interior of the island was baffled
through the obstacles which are interposed by the unchecked luxuriance of
tropical nature. The vegetation grows densely down to the very sea, which
is separated from the rich foliage above only by rocky reefs and narrow
dunes of sand, washed by the furious surf. A broad belt of _Rhizophorae_,
gigantic _Barringtonias_, _Pandanus_, _Areca_, and cocoa-palms, encircles
the island, to which succeeds a somewhat higher land grown with dense
grass and interspersed with groups of trees, from which, lastly, spring a
few thickly-wooded peaks of about 150 to 200 feet in height. Through this
girdle it requires the most violent efforts to force one's way, while, on
the other hand, it is wholly impossible, owing to the dense tangle of
climbing plants and bamboo, to advance further into the forest over the
grass flat, unless a path be previously cleared with hedge-knives, which,
even could more time be devoted, would call for immense exertion. Our
researches therefore were necessarily confined for the most part to the
coast region.
After several hours of strolling about, collecting and examining as we
went on, the naturalists found themselves collected once more on the open
space facing Captain John's hut, where meanwhile a pig had been roasted by
our sailors in the open air, which we had purchased for three shillings of
our corpulent friend Dr. Crisp. The natives had at first protested against
this improvised hearthstone, being apprehensive lest the fire should reach
their huts, the roofs of which are thatched with dried palm-leaves. "It is
as inflammable as gunpowder," remarked the old chief in an anxious tone,
when our people had with great want of foresight lighted the fire too near
the buildings. Captain John and his kindred did not need to be invited
twice to partake of our meal, at which they proved themselves excellent
trenchermen. The inhabitants of these islands generally eat vegetables
only, the use of meat being for the most part restricted to festive
occasions. The use of salt is as yet unknown to them. They only use
sea-water for the purpose of seething their pigs and hens, by which
process the flesh gets a slight flavour of salt. During our luncheon,
which had made the natives yet more confiding than ever, we found an
opportunity of hearing something about the various festivals of the
Nicobar islanders.
When a native falls down from a tree, or is bitten by a snake, or is
otherwise wounded or dies, the Nicobarians forthwith discontinue all work,
and institute a fast, which they term Uraka. With the commencement of the
S.W. monsoons or rainy season (when the wind comes from "yonder," quoth
Dr. Crisp, and pointed with his finger to the southward), the inhabitants
of Kar-Nicobar hold their chief festival, which lasts fourteen days, and
is called Oilere.
They have a similar festival at the end of the damp season, or N.E.
monsoon, to which the pigs, which play quite a conspicuous part in it,
impart an entirely peculiar character. Several weeks before the
commencement of this _fete_, a large number of these unclean but useful
animals are confined in small stalls, whence they are released on the
feast-day, and set loose in a well-fenced space, where they are teased and
pricked with lances by all the courageous, or rather mischievous, youth of
the island. The Nicobarians seem to attach special importance to the swine
being driven wild, and themselves engaged in a regular struggle with the
infuriated animal, in the course of which severe wounds are by no means of
rare occurrence. We ourselves saw several young natives, who a few days
previously had been severely injured in a similar contest with some
enraged pigs. When this anything but aesthetic spectacle has lasted some
time, the pigs are killed, roasted on the fire, and devoured by the
combatants and spectators.
A not less strange and even more barbarous festival is that which is held
about the same time as the one just mentioned. This consists in exhuming
the bones of all those who have died during the year elapsed since the
last N.E. monsoon, and have been interred in a sort of cemetery called
"_Cuyucupa_."[11] They next bring these bones into a hut, seat themselves
in a circle around the ghastly mementos, and shriek and howl as at the day
on which the relation died. While this scene of lamentation is going on, a
lighted cigar is usually stuck into the bony mouth of the grisly skull,
after which the latter is consigned to the grave again. The rest of the
bones however are either thrown into the deep sea or hid far in the
forest, while at the same moment, as a farther evidence of sorrow, a
number of cocoa-palms are cut down, and their fruit scattered to the
winds. By such symbols they apparently wish to express their overwhelming
grief, their weariness of existence, and their indifference to the most
valued gifts of nature, so that they would even deprive themselves of the
most universally necessary of the means of subsistence--were it not that,
owing to the readiness with which the sea-shore palm is propagated, the
nuts thus scattered at random, in all the indifference to sublunary
considerations incidental to a paroxysm of grief, speedily strike root,
and after a few years lift up their heads again in the forest, at once
ornamental and nutritious.
At all these festivals the natives assemble in the various villages, and
at these seasons spend days and weeks with each other. Earlier visitors to
Kar-Nicobar estimate the number of villages on the island at about six or
seven only. The natives on the other hand gave us the names of the
following thirteen: Arrong (or Arrow), Saoui, Moose, Lapate, Kinmai,
Tapoimai, Chukchuitche, Kiukiuka, Tamalu, Paka, Malacca, Komios, and
Kankena, which all together would hardly number much above 100 huts, and
about 800 or 900 inhabitants.
Southward of our anchorage we fell in with a small stream, which near its
embouchure on the beach was lost in a sand-bank. Some of the members of
the Expedition explored it in a very small flat-bottomed boat, a Venetian
gondola, which was transported across the bar in order to admit of its
being sculled up the river. At first it was found to be about 2-1/2 feet
deep, by about 12 to 14 yards in width; the general direction of its very
sinuous course being towards E.S.E. All around the forest presented a
scene to which perhaps only the fantastic whimsicality of certain
theatrical forest sceneries might furnish a dim resemblance. Along the
steep bank of the river rose to a height of nearly 100 feet the slender
Nibong palm, adorned with blossoms and clusters of fruit, and close
adjoining the graceful Catechu palm. Gigantic forest trees, with thick
squat trunks, extended their shady masses of foliage far over the stream;
screw-pines towering up from the scaffold-like arrangement of their
numerous roots, were reflected from the glassy bosom of the water; clumps
of bamboo, absolutely alive with butterflies; nymph-like aquatic plants,
mossy green banks, and tree-ferns with indescribably graceful corollae, all
combined here to form a landscape of the most enchanting richness, in the
water, on the shore, and in the air. Suspended over the whole scene,
partly in leaf, partly in bloom, a gigantic garland of climbing and
creeping plants, in living cords of every variety of thickness, rose in a
lofty arch above the limpid element, interlaced and girt round with
thousands of blooming and flourishing parasites! Then, too, from amid the
mysterious gloom started forth the strangest voices and cries, without our
being able to descry the animals themselves. In the water, which was
perfectly sweet to the taste, swarmed multitudes of fish of from one to
four inches in length. After rowing about one nautical mile and a half up
the stream, some rapids and rocks prevented our further progress, the
stream itself being but twelve feet wide. A little further to the east
occurs a similar small river, which however had even less water, and at
its mouth is yet more sanded up and inaccessible than that above
described.
After we had lain for six days at anchor on the N.W. coast of Kar-Nicobar,
and were once more casting about how to make out our long-desired
excursion through its almost impermeable forests, we suddenly perceived in
the distance upon the beach two men in European dress, with muskets upon
their shoulders, who, conducted by some absolutely naked natives, speedily
approached us. One, a fine-looking, well-formed young man of about 20,
addressed us in French, saying he was supercargo of the Sardinian brig
_Giovannina_ of Singapore, and was occupied in taking in a cargo of
cocoa-nuts upon the southern shore of the island. The natives had been so
unsettled by the arrival of a war-ship, that they loudly affirmed a pirate
ship had made its appearance, which would rob and destroy them all;
whereupon the most anxious of their number entreated the few whites who
fortunately happened to be among them to start immediately for the north
side of the island, where the Colossus lay at anchor, so as at all events
to ascertain what was to be their fate. In the course of the conversation
which sprung up between ourselves and the two strangers, we found that the
supercargo was a Frenchman, born at St. Denis in the island of Bourbon,
and was named Auguste Tigard, while his companion was a Sardinian. They
were both singularly pale and embarrassed on first falling in with us,
apparently from surprise and delight at finding themselves so unexpectedly
in the society of white men at so solitary a spot; ere long however they
felt themselves more at their ease, visited the frigate, were provided
with clothes, medicines, and wine, and at a later period were of much use
to us in our intercourse with the natives. Tigard remarked that the
sugar-cane, which at present grows wild on the island, could, judging by
his own personal experience, be very profitably grown for the production
of sugar, as also that tobacco, cotton, and rice thrive in the most
conspicuous manner.
At present the cocoa-palm is the sole plant which is cultivated by the
natives of Kar-Nicobar. It supplies them with all they require for food
and lodging, for house-furniture, or for commerce with foreign peoples.
The stem of this slender column, from 60 to 100 feet in height, by about
2-1/2 in thickness, with its heavy green thatch of leaves, is very porous
and slight looking, but is yet stiff and strong enough to furnish
cross-beams, laths, and masts for huts and boats. The fibres of the bark
and of the nut-shells (known in commerce as _Coir_) supply cordage and
line; the immense fan-shaped leaf (3 feet wide by 12 to 14 in length) of
the coronal serves as a covering for the roof, as also for plaited work
and baskets. The juice of the nut, shaped like an egg, yet somewhat
triangular, and about the size of the human head, prevents the native from
feeling even in the slightest degree the absence of available spring
water, and is the sole beverage which invigorates and refreshes the
wayfarer through these forest solitudes. Frequently did we experience a
glow of thankfulness to all-bounteous Nature, as often as some hospitable
native handed to us for our refreshment, exhausted and thirsty as we were
after our fatiguing wanderings, a green cocoa-nut, that vegetable spring
of the tropical forest.[12] The kernel of the ripe nut, thoroughly dried
and pressed, gives forth a strong, clear, tasteless oil, which is used by
the natives for anointing their skin and hair, and at the same time forms
so important an article in European commerce, that above 5,000,000 ripe
cocoa-nuts are annually exported through foreign mercantile houses in
exchange for European fabrics. The hard shell of the cocoa-nut is the sole
drinking cup of the Nicobar islanders, and the cooling, refreshing juice,
which is extracted by an incision in the sheath of the palm-blossom before
the latter has expanded, is the sole fermented beverage of which they make
use. When brought into a state of fermentation it possesses similar
intoxicating effects with the Chicha of the American Indian. Here, as
among other half-savage races, we had occasion to remark, that the chief
food of the aborigines is also made available for supplying them with
their favourite liquid stimulant, and just as the native of India effects
this purpose with rice, the African from the Yucca, or the Yam, the
South-Sea Islander with the Kawa, and the Mexican with the Maize or the
Agave, so the inhabitant of the Nicobars avails himself of the cocoa-nut
at once for the supply of the first necessities of his existence, and the
excitement of his brain by artificial stimulant.
On 27th February, towards evening, after a stay of seven days on the north
side of Kar-Nicobar, which had been spent in scientific operations of the
most varied nature, we again set sail, and next morning cast anchor on the
south side of the same island, close to the village of Komios. The
current, which at this point sets to the E.S.E., runs about three miles an
hour, so long as the flood-tide continues, but as soon as the ebb-tide
sets in, it chops round, and runs with greatly diminished velocity. The
landings on the south side, which, on leaving the northern promontory,
shows a much richer vegetation, are somewhat difficult to discover, since
at almost all points reefs and coral banks project from the shore far into
the sea, so that after doubling the cape it is necessary to stop short a
pretty considerable distance from the land.
While we were coasting along the eastern shore we could perceive through
the telescope, at the village of Lapate, consisting of some eight or ten
huts, a great number of women and children, who were rushing to and fro
among the huts in the utmost confusion, till suddenly all disappeared in
the forest. These were evidently fugitives from the north side, who were
now once more betaking themselves to the forest, accompanied by the native
females of the east and south sides, when they saw the dreaded floating
giant approaching them. A beach of dazzling white coral sand, sprinkled
over with thousands of living mussels, low melancholy-looking mangrove
swamps, and a superb forest of trees with lofty stems, through which lay a
beaten footpath, was all that the flat shore offered to our view. The
Frenchman already mentioned had indeed apprized the inhabitants of our
arrival, and had endeavoured to explain to them our friendly intention,
but it was in vain,--the greater portion of the population had taken to
flight, and only dogs and armed men were left behind. Here also we could
not see a single woman. However, we were informed by M. Tigard, who lived
several weeks in the village of Kankena, and had been treated by the
natives as one of themselves, that the Nicobar women have their hair cut
quite short, and simply wind round their dusky bodies, all smeared with
oil, a piece of white or red calico at the loins. They are generally ugly,
but strictly virtuous, and regard the Europeans as an inferior race, as
compared with their native lords.
As we were making for the land in what is called Komios Bay, near the
village of the same name (situate according to our observations in 9 deg. 37'
32'' N. Lat. and 92 deg. 43' 42'' E. Long.), a number of stalwart natives
approached us from the forest, one of whom, who called himself Captain
Wilkinson, proved to be the most intelligent and graceful of their number.
He was extremely eager to give us a lot of information respecting the more
southerly islands of the Nicobar Archipelago, with which the inhabitants
of the southern coast appear to carry on more extensive commerce than
those on the northern shore. During the N.E. monsoons, canoes occasionally
start hence for the islands of Teressa, Bampoka, and Chowry. Wilkinson
himself once visited these islands in the barque _Cecilia_ of Moulmein,
with the view of fetching cocoa-nuts. The natives of Teressa, however,
showed such determined hostility to the captain of the vessel, that
Wilkinson advised him to abandon the island without further delay, ere the
intended shipment of cocoa-nuts was completed.
Another English captain, named Iselwood, seems once to have carried over
some natives of Teressa to Kar-Nicobar, and afterwards taken them back
again. There does not exist, however, any regular commercial intercourse
between Kar-Nicobar and the remaining islands of the Archipelago. The
boats of the natives are much too small, and unsuitable to admit of their
undertaking voyages to any distance, unless for some very important
purpose, such, for instance, as bringing pottery ware from the island of
Chowry, or Chowra, where alone in the Archipelago that manufacture is
carried on.
The Frenchman, Tigard, affirmed that the natives constantly spoke of
another race of men inhabiting the interior, who have but one eye in the
middle of the forehead, who possess no fixed habitation, but pass the
night among the trees like wild beasts, and subsist upon fruits and roots
dug up in the forest. This superstition meets with the more ready
acceptance among the natives, as not one of them has ever penetrated into
the interior. All their villages lie along the shore, as far as the tract
of coral sand reaches and the cocoa-nut is thriving. Here the frugal
native finds all that is necessary to satisfy his very limited
requirements. The cocoa-palm and the screw-pine (_Pandanus
odoratissima_), whose fruit forms his chief article of food, as also the
betel shrub and the Areca palm, which furnish their cherished masticatory,
grow here, and the coral sand, which can be worked into the most excellent
lime for building purposes, is only used by them for the purpose of
obtaining that ingredient so prejudicial to the teeth, which serves to
impart to the betel the proper relish.
From a passing observation of Wilkinson's we gathered that occasionally,
during the S.W. monsoons, earthquakes are experienced at Kar-Nicobar, and
this volcanic indication is yet more strongly marked on the adjoining
island of Bampoka. Despite the almost stifling heat, which raised the
column of mercury to 99 deg. in the shade, some of the members of the
expedition endeavoured to penetrate, with indescribable toil, into the
swampy forest tract along the shore, and eventually succeeded in bringing
back several objects which, though few in number, were of the utmost
importance, and well repaid their labour. Among the animals knocked over,
there was a gigantic bat, or flying Maki (_Pterops_), the native name of
which is _Daiahm_.
A foot-track led direct through the forest, cutting off the southern
corner of the island towards the western side. The natives had in vain
endeavoured, with their customary importunities, to deter us from
following this path, assuring us that we should land ourselves in the
thick of the jungle, which was full of poisonous serpents. However,
nothing would serve us but to penetrate for once a little deeper into the
forest. A youthful native, of the most elegant and symmetrical
proportions, followed us at a long interval, but disappeared finally in
the woods. We wandered along in deep shadow between lofty colossal banyan
trees with hundreds of stems, and trunks interlaced with enormous branches
of ivy, from whose summits hung down lianas of all sizes and dimensions,
by which one might have clambered to the top as though by a rope, between
trees with smooth and glossy, or scarred and rugged, bark, which were
thickly overgrown with parasitical plants. Enormous crabs, with fiery red
claws, and bodies of the most lovely blue-black, fled before us to their
lurking-places in the depth of the forest. On right and left amid the
parched foliage was heard the rustling of lizards, and from the summits of
the imposing forest trees resounded the musical hum of swarms of _cicadae_,
while green and rose-coloured parrots flew shrieking from branch to
branch, and from the boughs and tendrils was heard the call of the Mania,
or the cooing, murmuring love-note of the great Nicobar wood-pigeon.
Gradually the noise of the surf became once more audible, like distant
thunder, just where a few cocoa-nut palms and screw-pines mingled with the
laurel trees around. We had reached the beach again.
The same day, towards 4 P.M., the frigate quitted the south coast of
Kar-Nicobar, and steered in a S.S.E. direction towards the little island
of Batte-Malve, about twenty-one miles distant, in the neighbourhood of
which we kept beating about the whole of the following day, without being
able, in consequence of a stiff breeze and strong contrary current, to
approach it sufficiently near for a boat to get to land, and thus enable
us to make a more complete examination. Batte-Malve is a small, entirely
uninhabited island, some two miles in length, and seems to be of a
quadrangular form; the upper portion is thickly wooded; the highest
elevation being from 150 to 200 feet. Towards the N.W. the island becomes
somewhat flattened when approaching the coast, whereas on the west side,
as also on the S. and S.E. shores, the rocks descend perpendicularly into
the sea. According to our observations, instituted on the spot, there is
in the longitude, as we ascertained it, when compared with that assigned
by the officers of the Galatea, a discrepancy of ten nautical miles.
Early on the morning of the 3rd of March, while still to the N.W. of
Batte-Malve, but steering a S.E. course, the islands of Teressa, Chowry,
and Bampoka became visible at a distance of from eight to ten nautical
miles. From the main-mast-head we could also descry further to the
eastward the island of Tillangschong, to which we were now proceeding.
Next morning we found ourselves close in with its N.E. promontory. Both
wind and weather were highly favourable, the look-out man was stationed
upon the fore-top, the lead line on being hove overboard with forty
fathoms found no bottom, and the water had the deep blue colour of the
open ocean. We were therefore able to approach the shore fearlessly, and
accordingly stood in till we were barely 100 feet distant from the steep
octagonal-shaped cliff, which rises like a bastion at the north extremity
of the island. We now edged off with the frigate and ran under the lee of
the land, coasting along the west side from north to south, never above
150 or 200 feet distant from the shore; so close, in short, that, standing
on the deck, it seemed almost possible to stretch out the hand and touch
the beetling shore-cliffs, every stone and shrub being perfectly
distinguishable. Only a narrow rocky belt overhanging the surf appeared
barren of vegetation, the entire island with that exception being covered
with dense forest to the very summits, from 400 to 600 feet in height, of
the steep, projecting, knob-like eminences. It was a delightful,
never-to-be-forgotten sail along this rock-bound coast, the romantic
beauties of which passed before us like green dissolving views. The sea
was so smooth and peaceful that we seemed to be sailing on a mill-pond. At
last we opened a small sandy cove, in which we perceived a few cocoa-nut
palms directly opposite. Here the lead promised us good holding ground,
and the anchor was accordingly let go.
One of the side-boats conveyed to land the officers entrusted with the
astronomical operations, as also the naturalists. Only with the utmost
difficulty was it possible to make way through the surf, and get under the
lee of a reef, whence it was requisite to make a spring to get ashore. At
the spot at which we landed (named by us Morrock's Cove, and according to
observation in 8 deg. 32' 30'' N. and 93 deg. 34' 10'' E.) the island was almost
exclusively clothed with trees and brushwood. Only close to the shore did
any cocoa-nut palms present themselves to the view. Although quite
uninhabited at the period of our visit, it was evident, by the traces of
abandoned fire-places, split cocoa-nuts, and so forth, that human beings
occasionally make this island their abode, albeit the assertion repeated
by several writers, that Tillangschong is the Siberia of Nicobar
criminals, can only be set down to travellers' tales, or some utter
misapprehension of the meaning of the natives. It would seem that the
residents in Chowra and Bampoka come to this island from time to time, for
the purpose of collecting cocoa-nuts, and the fruit of the _pandanus_. By
dint of strenuous exertion we made our way along river-courses, which
during the rainy season must rush down as most violent torrents, through a
thick plantation of screw-pines, into the forest proper, which was
overgrown with the most majestic representatives of tropical vegetation.
To the botanist presented itself a great variety of interesting plants and
timber; to the lovers of sport numerous descriptions of birds, and more
especially pigeons, in such quantities that the various messes on board
ship were amply provided with them.
Sundown saw us returned on board, when the anchor was once more weighed.
During the night we got so close in with the north side of the island
that, on the following morning, a boat well-manned and carefully equipped
was detached with one of the officers, who was instructed to round the
northernmost promontory, in order to examine the northern and eastern
sides of the island, and rejoin us on its southern shore. One of the
zoologists, conceiving this minor expedition would furnish him with an
excellent opportunity for examining some of the lower orders of marine
life, attached himself to it. The frigate now put about, and coasted down
the west side southwards. Seen from a distance the vegetation seemed quite
of a European character. The eminences varied in elevation from 250 to 300
feet. Judging from the direction of the foliage on the trees, the S.W.
monsoon seems to commit great ravages. Everywhere along the coast, but
more especially on the south side, serpentine cropped out--giving little
promise of fertility. At many spots the cocoa-palms disappeared entirely;
a circumstance which must ever interfere materially with the settlement of
this island by a people to whom the most profuse natural treasures are
worthless and unknown, beyond wealth in cocoa-nuts.
Near the southern point we were suddenly alarmed at noticing an alteration
in the colour of the sea, which led us to suspect the proximity of a
sand-bank. Nevertheless a boat, lowered to try for soundings, found no
bottom at 45 fathoms. In fact, the water was found to be transfused with
an enormous mass of _crustaceae_, and small brownish filaments of 1/48 to
1/12 of an inch in length, occasionally collected into a knot, which
rendered it cloudy and muddy, and at once explained a phenomenon at first
sight so unexpected. Towards 5 P.M. we passed the southern point of the
island, and somewhat later discovered a well-sheltered anchorage on the
S.E. side of the island.
Considerable anxiety was felt as the sun went down, since the boat that
had been dispatched not only had not rejoined us but was not yet even
visible. As soon as darkness had fairly set in, blue lights were burnt on
board the frigate, of which the third was at last responded to by the crew
of the boat, which had been provided with port-fires for such a
contingency. It seemed to be steering for the frigate. Hour after hour,
however, flew by without its approaching us, and the rest of our signals
remained unanswered. Thus morning broke, and still no boat was visible.
At length, about 7.30 A.M., the anxiously expected little wanderer hove in
sight at a little distance, and half an hour later she came alongside all
safe. The projected operations had been only partially successful, owing
to the extreme difficulty in making a landing. Surprised by nightfall, it
was no longer practicable to make out the ten nautical miles at least they
were still distant from the frigate, and the scanty crew consequently saw
nothing for it but to anchor close in with the shore, and await the light
of dawn in the boat. The cause of our later blue lights not being
answered, was partly the want of a sufficient supply of signal lights,
part having been already expended, and the rest having got damp.
We now steered for Nangkauri harbour. Full in view lay the north shore of
the island of Kamorta, and, as we glided smoothly thither over the glassy
sea, it loomed gradually nearer; an island of flat-topped hills, which,
despite its rank vegetation, had a park-like aspect, consequent on the
alternations of forest and grass-slopes with the white coral beach,
crowned with cocoa-palms. Gradually the island of Tringkut came into view,
singularly level, and abounding in cocoa-palms and edible sea-slugs
(Trepang), lying directly facing the entrance of the harbour-like channel,
between Kamorta and Nangkauri. Our course, on which we were being
propelled on a beautiful evening by a gentle soft wind which wafted us
slowly but surely forwards, was indeed entrancingly delicious. Directly
ahead lay the low strand of Tringkut, shimmering whitely under the dark
green canopy of foliage, while the long swell, breaking on the coral reefs
like glancing walls of foam, sunk away in the distance into the smooth
mirror-like sea, which rose and fell almost imperceptibly, as though
peacefully breathing. On the left lay Nangkauri, with its forests. On both
sides of Kamorta and Nangkauri, huts and villages were visible sprinkled
along the shore, from which numerous natives put off in their canoes to
the frigate, but presently lay on their oars at a respectful distance, and
followed us like a sort of squadron of observation. On the right was
visible in mid-channel between Tringkut and Kamorta the solitary rocky
island of Tillangschong; the shores of all these islands, and indeed the
whole horizon, being lit up with a gorgeous Fata Morgana. The extreme
southernmost cliffs of Tillangschong seemed to be suspended entirely in
the air. The corners, at which jutted out the coast-lines of Tringkut and
Kamorta, seen along the horizon of the ocean resembled wedge-shaped
incisions into the domain of the atmosphere; while the tips of the waves,
lashed into foam as they broke upon them, seemed as if dancing in the air.
The canoes of the natives were reflected upside down, till the figures
seated in them were so enormously lengthened that one could almost fancy
they were gigantic 'genii' disporting on the surface of the sea.
As we were sailing along in front of the village of Malacca into the
splendid harbour, and just as the lead had almost a moment before marked
23 fathoms, the look-out man suddenly descried a shoal. Notwithstanding
the man[oe]uvres that were at once put in execution, it was found
impossible to get entirely clear, and the frigate grounded forward of the
beam on the port-side. Although it was ebb-tide, yet deep water was
observable both ahead and astern, and accordingly an effort was made, by
running out the guns and laying out a spring for the frigate to haul upon,
to get the ship once more afloat, which accordingly speedily proved
successful, so that by sundown we were enabled to anchor in good holding
ground, opposite the village of Itoe, in the island of Nangkauri.
Here we lay in a calm, tranquil sheet of water, such as we had not fallen
in with throughout our voyage hitherto, surrounded by dense forest, from
which were heard distinctly, on board ship, the disagreeable shrill sound
of innumerable crickets, and the deep coo of the great Nicobar
wood-pigeon. Except for these, the most profound stillness reigned. There
was not the smallest movement either in sea or sky. Although on our
excursion to Kar-Nicobar we had to endure great heat, it was here that for
the first time we experienced in all its discomfort the oppressive,
relaxing sultriness of the tropical atmosphere, when saturated with
vapour. The thermometer stood pretty regularly at 84 deg. to 86 deg. Fahr., nor
was it possible to find any relief by plunging into the water, which was
if anything even warmer than the air. Hemmed in on all sides, and with the
welcome beneficent sea-breeze frequently ceasing to blow for a week
together, it was speedily pronounced a riddle, impossible to be solved,
how this harbour came to be once and again selected by German and Danish
Missionaries for the purposes of colonization, unless the key to the
mystery be found in its secure situation, the exquisite beauty of the
mountain landscape, and the numerous clear spots around.
The very morning after our arrival we set out on a small reconnoitring
excursion to examine the ground, in order to decide, among so many objects
claiming our attention at once, what, considering the brief time at our
disposal, we might hope to undertake successfully, and what must once for
all be abandoned. Our first visit was to the village of Itoe, which lay
directly opposite our frigate's anchorage. The natives had all fled into
the forest, only their dogs having remained behind, who saluted us with a
tremendous howl. The huts, six or eight in number, had a poor, miserable
appearance, and were built close to a cocoa forest, so that there was not
the slightest space to move about in between the huts, the forest, and
the luxuriant underwood, so that free circulation of air was entirely
prevented. In front of the village a number of Bamboo poles, with large
bunches of ribbons waving about from their upper end, were stuck into the
water, for the purpose of frightening away the evil spirit or Eewee, and
driving him into the sea! In the interior of these few huts built of
stakes, and of much inferior construction to those in Kar-Nicobar, was a
large number of rudely cut figures of all possible sizes, and every
variety of position, suspended by strings, and supplying the most
unmistakeable evidence of the superstitions of the natives. We had never
seen these kinds of charms against the evil spirit at Kar-Nicobar, nor had
even heard them spoken of. Quite close to the huts was the place of
interment. At one grave, apparently quite lately used, a large pole was
erected, which was adorned with innumerable white and blue stripes waving
in the wind, and from which had also been suspended axes, piles, bars,
nails, and other tools and implements of labour of the deceased, so that
the whole scene much more resembled a rag-shop than a grave heap.
From Itoe we proceeded to the peak of Monghata, on the island of Kamorta,
lying just opposite Nangkauri. It was here that, in 1831, Pastor Rosen
wished to found the projected settlement. He could hardly have selected a
more unsuitable site, since all around is either dense forest or mangrove
swamp. The spots that had been cleared are now overgrown with _Saccharum
Konigii_ (Lalang grass), of the height of a man, which usually follows
here upon spots that have been once cultivated and are afterwards
abandoned, and which, if once taken root, can only with the utmost
difficulty be eradicated. From this peak, barely 200 feet in height, it is
practicable to descend by a small footpath to the cove of Ulala, whose
shores are entirely overrun with dense impassable mangrove swamp, and
accordingly present a most dreary, gloomy aspect.
Our next excursion was to the village of Enuang or Enong, where lay at
anchor, under the British flag, two Malay prahus from Pulo Penang, manned
by Malay crews, and taking in cargoes of ripe cocoa-nuts, edible birds'
nests, and sea-slugs, or Trepang. The captain of one of these prahus and
the greater number of the crew were laid up with fever. The supercargo, a
Chinese named Owi-Bing-Hong, spoke English fluently, and was of the utmost
service to us in our communications with the natives. Enuang is larger
than Itoe, and has about a dozen huts, but these are one and all
half-ruinous, very filthy, and utterly neglected. In all the huts we found
numbers of figures, cut in white wood in the very rudest style in various
postures, mostly with a threatening, combative expression, intended to
drive away the evil spirit, of whom the natives seem to stand in great
dread; for it is the universal practice of these islanders to ascribe
whatever happens to them to the influence of an evil spirit, and probably
also the appearance of the _Novara_ in the harbour of Nangkauri was laid
to the account of the ill intentions of an Eewee. One constantly sees
fruit, tobacco, or betel-leaves, prepared with pearl-lime, strewed in
small portions at various spots in the interiors of the huts, or suspended
on the bamboo ladders by which they are entered, the object being to
propitiate the Eewee in the event of his being hungry on his arrival! In
one of the abandoned huts we discovered a figure resembling a cat, rudely
carved in wood, before which the natives had placed tobacco and
cocoa-nuts; almost all these figures were besmeared with soot, and daubed
with some red pigment, and their abdomens hung with long pendent dried
palm-leaves.
Not one of the natives at Enuang understood English. Only a couple of old
men spoke a few words of Portuguese, of which they were not a little
conceited. The Portuguese, in the 17th and 18th centuries, seem to have
been the first European nations that had any commercial dealings with the
Nicobar islanders. A number of words of their language, all referring to
objects of civilization, and but little corrupted from the Portuguese,
such for instance as "pang" (for _pan_, the Portuguese for bread),
"zapato" (shoe), "cuchillo" (knife), and so forth, are evidences of this.
The natives here seemed to us yet more hideous than those of Kar-Nicobar,
especially as the everlasting betel-chewing had disfigured their mouths in
the most shocking manner. It is however incorrect to allege, as has been
the case hitherto, that they avail themselves of a particular substance
with which to discolour the teeth, and which it was supposed induced this
frightful distortion of the mouth; it is unquestionably only the abuse of
the betel (consisting of Areca-nut, betel-leaves, and coral chalk) which
causes these disgusting disfigurements. At this settlement also the women
and children had disappeared. Only one native woman, married to a Malay
from Pulo Penang, who was at the moment officiating as cook on board one
of the prahus lying at anchor in the bay, had the courage to present
herself before us. She was, according to the custom of the Malays, dressed
in silk, but bore on her body all the disagreeable traces of her Nicobar
origin. She showed no reluctance to talk with us, and, in her somewhat
scanty toilette, was the one solitary native woman with whom we found an
opportunity of communicating during our entire stay at the various
islands.
From Enuang we visited the first settlement of the Moravian Brothers,
lying on the small neck of land between Enuang and Malacca, where
apparently the amiable Father Haensel seems to have lived, for whose
interesting memoir, narrating his many years' residence upon the Nicobar
Islands, we were indebted to the kindness of Dr. Rosen of the Moravian
Mission at Genaadendal in South Africa.[13] At present all is once more
thick majestic forest; a marvellous leafy dome, like a green pantheon,
encircles and overshadows the scene of the once benevolent activity of the
devoted missionary. Only a ruined well and a few brick fragments of what
was the oven, lying about, remain to show that a dwelling once stood
here. At the well there were a variety of beautiful flowers growing
between the stones. The place is still called, as then, Tripjet, or the
"Habitation of the Friends." Here in quick succession most of the Brethren
died, (no fewer than eleven out of the thirteen,) upon which the mission
was transferred to the opposite island of Kamorta, first of all to the
clearing at Kalaha, and ultimately to Kamut. But all these sites were as
ill-selected as the first. An abode located between swamp and forest, of
which latter only a space of barely 1000 feet in circumference was
cleared, could not but prove fatal in a very short space of time to the
unfortunate colonists. At the village of Enuang too it would seem to be
that the last attempt at founding a settlement was made in 1835 by the two
French missionaries; at least we were informed by several natives, who
seemed to be at present about 34 to 36 years of age, that they were
themselves but boys when the last missionaries lived at Nangkauri. They
also further recollected that the gigantic cocoa-palms, which at present
skirt the forest, were at that time quite small saplings, and the only
vegetation between the beach and the mission house. At present enormous
roots are stretching over the foundations of the earlier settlement. The
natives who accompanied us spoke with warm feeling of the missionaries,
and seemed to regret their departure. Many professed themselves with much
earnestness to be Christians, but they were so only in name. According to
what they reported, many natives must at that period have been baptized
in the islands of Chowra and Bampoka.
During this visit to Enuang and Malacca, it had been one of the objects
aimed at by the members of the Expedition to draw up a small vocabulary of
the language of the natives, when it speedily appeared that, despite the
proximity of the two islands, the dialects used by the inhabitants were
entirely different. Even for trees and plants, for the feathered
inhabitants of the forests, as well as domestic animals, the inhabitants
of the central groups of islands have different names. The cocoa-palm and
its noble fruit, the betel and its ingredients, are here known by entirely
different names. The accurate transcription of each individual word into
German as pronounced by the native was hard work. It took us two days to
make a vocabulary of one hundred words! And even this slight success would
have been impossible but for our serviceable Chinese friend, Bing-Hong,
who had gone to school for two years at Pulo Penang, and could read and
write English with tolerable readiness and accuracy. The distortion of
their mouths is one main reason why the natives pronounce the greater
number of their words almost unintelligibly; it is more a lisping mutter
than a language. Hence, apparently, their ability to follow out the
concatenation of ideas is so slightly developed, that it is only with much
difficulty they can be made to comprehend the particular subject
respecting which the information was wanted. For example, if it was wished
to know the word in their language which expressed "_blue_," and in order
to make more intelligible what was required, a variety of objects of a
blue colour were pointed out, they almost invariably named the object
itself, and not the colour. Or again, one wanted to know what they called
"_leaf_" in their language, and indicated the leaf of a tree standing
near; the native, however, replies by giving the name of the tree
_itself_, instead of the word expressing leaf. It seems to us not
unimportant to call attention to this circumstance, in order more
completely to lay before the reader the great and manifold obstacles which
present themselves in drawing up vocabularies of the languages of
half-savage races, and thus more readily secure indulgence for the
discrepancies which are frequently to be met with in such works.[14]
Bing-Hong invited us to pay him a visit on board his vessel, which had
already been lying for several months at anchor in Nangkauri harbour,
taking in a cargo of ripe cocoa-nuts, of which a _Picul_, or 133-1/3
pounds, is worth in the Pulo Penang market 5-1/2 American dollars (L1
3_s._ sterling). This hospitable Chinese informed us it was at the period
of our visit the least unhealthy season in Nangkauri harbour: that as soon
as the S.W. monsoon sets in, all foreign ships hurry away, through dread
of the illnesses that follow in its track. However, feverish attacks are
of daily occurrence throughout the year. Of the thirteen men who formed
the crew of the barque, ten were laid up with fever. The disorderly habits
of life, however, of foreign visitors are much more to blame for these
frequent attacks of disease than the unhealthiness of the climate.
Constantly they are guilty of excesses in diet and general negligence of
health, bathing during the utmost heat of the day without any covering to
the head, exposing themselves to the burning rays of the noonday sun,
drinking for the most part nothing but the fluid contents of the unripe
cocoa-nut, eating quantities of juicy fruits, the constant use of which
acts injuriously on the systems of strangers, and sleeping on the damp
soil under the open air, exposed to all the noxious influences of the
atmosphere of a tropical forest without the slightest shelter. Bing-Hong
showed us the dried edible nests of the _Hirundo esculenta_ (in Malay
_Salang_, in Nicobar _Hegai_), and presented us with a small packet of
about thirty nests. When properly dried, seventy-two of these tiny nests
weigh one catty, or 1-1/4 lb., and they are sold at two rupees (4_s._) for
three of the inferior sort. The best quality is far more expensive. We
caused some of these Chinese dainties to be prepared exactly as prescribed
by Bing-Hong, that is to say, they were boiled for one hour in hot water,
but we found the gelatinous mass quite tasteless, and, in fact, resembling
dissolved gum. The swallow which constructs these edible nests does not
however seem to be a regular visitant of the Nicobar Islands, and the
profits on this article of commerce, which is of such importance in Java
and the rest of the Sunda Islands, are here scarcely worth naming.
It has been long disputed whence this industrious little warbler obtains
the material for his nest, and it was in all probability the circumstance
that it was generally believed to consist of particles of sea-weed,
fish-roe, and marine animalculae of the _medusa_ class, which secured for
these nests such a celebrity among Chinese gourmands. A German naturalist,
Professor Troschel of Bonn, affirms however, on the strength of an
analysis of these nests, that the notion hitherto prevalent as to the
component parts of these nests is entirely erroneous, as they consist of
nothing else than a thick, glutinous slime, secreted from the salivary
glands, which, at the period when the Indian swallow builds its nest,
swell out into large whitish masses. This slime, which is susceptible of
being drawn out in long filaments from the bill of the animal, is quite
analogous to gum Arabic. Whenever the bird is desirous of constructing its
nest, it causes this salivary substance, which at that period is copiously
secreted, to adhere to the crags, till its elegant nest is finished.
One of the days during which the frigate lay in Nangkauri harbour, the
geologist of the Expedition made an excursion in a native canoe along the
coasts of Kamorta and Tringkut, as these islands at the points where the
shores are precipitous furnish the only possible geognostic facilities,
the forest or the thick covering of vegetation in the interior of the
island quite concealing the geological conformation. Our Chinese friend
Bing-Hong aforesaid accompanied him in the capacity of interpreter. When
the geologist had got some distance from the frigate, he found that the
natives had not abandoned their villages, and to this one alone of our
fellow-travellers, manned and rowed along by natives, did some of the
women become visible. They were as tall as the men, and quite as loathsome
in appearance, the mouth similarly disfigured by betel-chewing, but the
hair cut short. Around the body they wore a petticoat of red or blue
cloth, reaching from the loins to the knee.
Another excursion was made to Ulala Cove, distant about four nautical
miles from our anchorage on the W. side of the island of Kamorta, on which
occasion our Venetian gondola, specially constructed for similar
expeditions, was pressed into the service. The entrance to the cove is
about 3/4 of a mile in breadth, after which it expands in an easterly
direction with varying width, at the same time sending off arms in every
direction. The vegetation is exceedingly luxuriant and plentiful, and
along the swampy shore consists mainly of mangrove bushes, which at most
points make it almost impracticable to disembark, and impart to the entire
bay a dreary, desolate appearance. At the few villages scattered along the
shore, most of the natives had taken to flight. On this occasion, however,
it was not child-like terror that had driven them away, but an evil
conscience, for among the other inhabitants this bay enjoys the sad
reputation of having on various occasions massacred the crews of small
vessels, after having plundered them of everything. So strong is this
feeling that the natives of the rest of the Nicobar group, according to
their own report, refuse to have anything to do with this ferocious set,
and could not by any means be induced to accompany us in their canoes as
far as Ulala Cove.
The frigate lay five days in Nangkauri harbour, until the soundings and
general survey of this large bay with its numerous branches had been
completed, when, on the morning of the 11th March, she sailed, with a
fresh breeze from N.W., through the western entrance, which is scarcely a
hundred fathoms wide, by fourteen in depth, and is marked by two rocky
pinnacles. Directly opposite lies the island of Katchal, thickly wooded to
the water-edge, and stretching out long and low, without any marked
elevation above sea-level. We now sailed in between these islands of
Katchal and Kamorta in a northerly direction towards the islands of
Teressa and Bampoka. On the W. side of Kamorta a number of villages were
visible; on the N.W. we perceived at several spots natural meadows, while
hereabouts the land gradually culminated into the highest point of the
island,--a conical hill, rising not very far from the shore, almost
entirely without trees, except where near the summit a number of bushes
and shrubs nestled in a sort of hollow. Three days were now lost in
unsuccessful attempts to make head-way against wind and tide, so that for
four mortal days we were tossed about in full view of Bampoka, Teressa,
and Chowra, never indeed above twenty miles distant, yet utterly unable to
make any one of them. As the time at our disposal for visiting these was
exhausted in consequence of this unexpected difficulty, we were, very much
to our regret, compelled to forego the satisfaction of setting foot on
either of these islands, which, especially Chowra, would have presented a
rare opportunity of examining the effect upon tropical races of men of an
excess of population. That rather barren island possesses, it seems, more
inhabitants than it has the means of subsisting, and appears to be the
only spot of the entire Nicobar group where the natives follow industrial
avocations. All manner of pottery ware comes from Chowra, so that it would
almost seem as though the lamentable spectacle of a superabundant
population had given the natives the first impulse towards active
industry.
In the island of Teressa the Austrian Expedition had a more special
interest, in so far as it is by no means improbable that the adventurous
Bolts, who in 1778 visited the Nicobar Archipelago in the Austrian ship
_Joseph and Theresa_, named this island, as he already had done in the
case of a fort on the coast of Africa, after the renowned Austrian
Empress, which, corrupted by the native dialect, had been gradually
transformed into Teressa or Terassa.
At sunrise on the 17th March there loomed on the horizon in a S.E.
direction, first the island of Meroe, then the two small islands of Treis
and Track, and lastly the long mountain-chain of Little Nicobar, with the
beautiful island of Pulo Milu. The breeze was light, and a current of a
velocity of five miles an hour, which ran rushing and seething like a
mill-race through the calm sea, so completely checked our progress that
the anchor had to be let go. This procured us the very unexpected pleasure
of visiting these two small wooded islands. Owing to the heavy surf, we
only succeeded in effecting a landing by the assistance of some natives,
whom we happened to fall in with in their canoes off these all but
uninhabited islets. Treis is a veritable pigeon island, full of the most
various and beautiful species of that bird; nevertheless we could only
procure a single specimen of the exceedingly elegant Nicobar dove. Here
too it was that the geologist found the first traces of brown coal, which
however did not present itself in layers suitable for domestic use.
The same afternoon, with the turn of the tide the current set in our
favour, and towards 10 P.M. we reached the roadstead protected to the
eastward by the northernmost point of Little Nicobar, to the westward by
the island of Pulo Milu, and southward by the mainland of Little Nicobar
itself. It is not very large, but it has excellent holding ground, and
would be available at all seasons as a harbour of refuge for vessels. As
most of the villages of Little Nicobar lie on the N.W. and S. sides of the
island, and were with difficulty accessible from our anchorage, it was
thought preferable to select the small but beautiful island of Pulo Milu
for our visit. Already, while we were lying at anchor in front of the
island of Treis, a few natives had come on board the frigate, and had
shown much confidence. They possessed all the characteristics of the
residents of Nangkauri, and they also spoke, with but slight variations,
the same idiom. Only for certain objects, and those, singular to say,
articles of the very first necessity, such as cocoa-nut trees, palms,
screw-pines, and the like, did they employ different expressions.
The island of Pulo Milu, with its variety of forest-vegetation, and its
charming woodland-scenery, displays all the beauty and all the marvels of
the tropics. The screw-pine (of the family of _Pandaneae_), that peculiar
tree which imparts to the forests of Asia a character so different from
those of America, is seen here in exceptional size and majesty. Nowhere
have we met with this marvellous tree growing in such luxuriance as on
Pulo Milu, where it appears in such quantities as to resemble a forest,
and leaves an impression of such lonely wildness as makes one almost
imagine it a remnant of some earlier period of our earth. Wondering at the
capricious vagaries of nature, the traveller contemplates these
extraordinary trees, which have leaves arranged in spiral order like the
dragon trees, trunks like those of palms, boughs like those trees
presenting the ordinary characteristics of foliage, fruit-cones like the
_conifer[oe]_, and yet have nothing in common with all these plants, so
that they form a family by themselves. On Pulo Milu we saw some of these
trees with slim smooth stems 40 or 50 feet in height, which are nourished
by and supported upon a pile of roots of 10 to 12 feet high, resembling a
neatly-finished conical piece of wicker-work, composed of spindle-shaped
staves. Many of these roots do not reach the soil, and in this undeveloped
state these atmospheric roots assume the most peculiar shapes. Higher up
the same formation is repeated among the branches, from which depend
beautiful massy fruit-cones, a foot and a half in length, by one in
thickness, which, when ripe, are of a splendid orange hue.
The screw-pine is not cultivated in the Nicobar Islands; it grows wild in
the utmost luxuriance, and, after the cocoa-nut, is for the natives the
most important plant that furnishes them with subsistence. The immense
fruit-cones borne by this tree consist of several single wedge-shaped
fruits, which when raw are uneatable, but boiled in water, and subjected
to pressure, give out a sort of mealy mass, the "Melori" of the
Portuguese, and called by the natives "Larohm," which is also occasionally
used with the fleshy interior of the ripe fruit, and forms the daily bread
of the islanders. The flavour of the mass thus prepared strongly resembles
that of apple-marmalade, and is by no means unpalatable to Europeans. The
woody, brush-like fibres of the fruit which remain behind, after the mealy
contents have been squeezed out, are made use of by the natives as natural
brooms and brushes, while the dried leaves of the Pandanus serve instead
of paper to surround their cigarettes.
At Pulo Milu, as is yet more markedly the case among the southernmost
islands, the cocoa-palm does not grow so luxuriantly as on Kar-Nicobar,
and to this circumstance may be chiefly ascribed the fact that the
natives are not so liberal as at the last-named island. The Swedish
naturalist, Dr. Rink, who has so largely and valuably added to our stock
of information respecting the Nicobar group, resided here for a
considerable time with some forty Chinese labourers, and, with a view to
ultimate colonization, had caused to be cut through the forest several
paths, by means of which this island has been rendered much more permeable
than any other in the Archipelago. The selection was an extremely happy
one, and had the projected colonization of the island been carried into
effect, very different results would have been obtained than those of poor
Dr. Rosen in Nangkauri Harbour. Next to Kar-Nicobar, it has been clearly
decided that Pulo Milu is the most suitable spot for a first settlement,
in the event of any European power or any capitalist undertaking to solve
the problem of colonizing this Archipelago.
In the cove at which we landed five huts stand upon the beach, much
similar to those at Nangkauri, and like them having before them a number
of lofty singularly ornamented poles emerging from the water, called by
the natives Handschuop, and intended to keep Davy Jones at a respectful
distance from the village,--not unlike the scarecrow with which we at home
seek to frighten from the ripening corn the rapacious troop of feathered
epicures. These banners for scaring away the Eewees are erected within the
sea limit by the Manluena, or exorcist, who in these islands, like the
medicine-man of the Red Indian of America, or the Ach-Itz of the Indian
races among the highlands of Guatemala, exercises the utmost influence
over all the affairs of life. Here, as elsewhere, most of the natives had
disappeared on our approach. We found but five men, who were all at least
partially clad; some wore shirts, trowsers, and caps; another had
enveloped his person in an immense, and by no means over-clean, piece of
linen. One of this number, who acted as our guide through the island, and
called himself "John Bull," was not a regular resident in Pulo Milu, but
in Lesser-Nicobar, and had only come over to the island for the purpose of
constructing canoes of trunks of trees hollowed out. He spoke English with
tolerable fluency, and displayed quite child-like satisfaction, as often
as any English word, no matter what, was recalled to his recollection,
which had slipped his memory from want of practice. John Bull soon became
very insinuating, and expressed a wish to accompany us to Great Nicobar,
where, as he assured us, at Hinkvala, one of the villages on the southern
shore, he had several relatives, among others one named "London," who
could be of the utmost service to us. For his kind offices we promised him
a present, upon which he asked with the most naive simplicity: "You not
talk lie?" from which we may conjecture that not every promise made to him
by a stranger was duly fulfilled. The huts of the natives were constructed
of beams, exactly like those in the central island; and the internal
arrangements were precisely identical. Here also are figures sculptured
in wood, Eewee-charms, which especially are found in the interiors of the
houses in such numbers and in such quaint costumes, that one is almost
tempted to imagine the inhabitants of these huts must be proprietors of
some Marionette-theatre. We also found here various objects carved in soft
wood, among others a large serpent, a tortoise, and several droll figures,
as also a seven-holed flute of bamboo-reed, the model for which had
evidently been supplied by some of the Malay sailors from Pulo Penang.
The same evening we weighed anchor, and shaped our course along the
eastern shore of Lesser-Nicobar, which is thickly covered with swamp and
forest. On the morning of 19th March, we were abreast of the island of
Montial in St. George's Channel, and by evening had anchored on the
northern side of Great Nicobar, S.E. of the island of Kondul, which also
lies in the Channel. Already before sunrise the boats were lowered and
everything got in readiness for a visit to the small but delightful island
of Kondul, which, though on the N.W. side so lofty and rocky as to be
almost inaccessible, presents on its E. side a tolerably secure
landing-place, situated according to our observations in 7 deg. 12' 17'' N.
and 93 deg. 39' 57'' E. Here we found a number of huts, but not one single
native was visible. We now endeavoured, by following up a torrent bed, to
climb to the highest point of the island, which has an elevation of 350 to
400 feet. In this we only succeeded after most severe exertion,
occasionally having to avail ourselves at the steepest parts of the ascent
of the gigantic roots of trees, or of the climbing plants that hung
suspended like natural ropes, by means of which we swung ourselves among
the huge blocks of rock, till we could gain a secure footing. Instead,
however, of finding, as we had hoped, a small _plateau_ at the summit, or
at all events discovering some less difficult path by which to descend, we
were sorely disconcerted, on arriving thoroughly exhausted on the top, at
finding the rock descended so sheer and precipitous on the other side that
it was impossible to make one step further. However, we found here a
delicious refreshing breeze. With pleasure indescribable, our gaze
wandered to the island of Great Nicobar and the islet of Cabra, lying
immediately opposite us, their green luxuriant shores bathed on all sides
by the azure ripple of the ocean. Although no rain had fallen for more
than six months, the vegetation was on the whole wonderfully fresh and
abundant, the forest lovely and majestic as on "the first day of
Creation!"
We found ourselves compelled to retrace our steps by the same break-neck
path by which we had ascended the peak. On the shore we encountered some
of the natives, whose curiosity had got the better of their apprehensions,
and who now slunk out of the forest, to discover what was our peculiar
object in landing on the island. Among their number was a native doctor,
and Eewee exorciser; he was however in no way distinguishable from the
rest of his brethren, unless by the inordinate length of his hair, which
flowed down far below his shoulders. One of the members of the Commission,
desirous of getting at the treatment pursued by these sly knaves when
they go to work with their poor credulous dupes of patients, promised this
dusky disciple of AEsculapius a present, if he would cure him by his own
method, and affected to have an intolerably severe pain in the left arm.
The Manluena displayed his treatment with a vengeance; he laid hold of the
supposed sufferer by the arm, which he pinched and punched, till there was
not a spot that had not received his attentions, while during the entire
process he now screamed aloud, now whistled, now blew vigorously upon the
bare skin, as though endeavouring to expel the Evil Spirit. According to
the belief of these poor people, every bodily pain is nothing other than a
demon magically introduced into the system through the evil influence of
an Eewee. The Manluena commenced to pinch the arm from above, performing
this anything but agreeable manipulation with his hands lubricated with
cocoa-nut oil, from above downwards, the object being to drive out the
Eewee from the arm by the finger points! Although the doctor had not used
his patient very tenderly, he nevertheless in the opinion of the natives
had not appeared to put forth all his powers, and had made use of far
fewer noises and contortions than had been usual with him when one of
themselves was undergoing treatment. Moreover his original confidence
seemed to fail him in his anxiety lest some mischance should befall him in
case this attempt at a cure should miscarry, and accordingly he speedily
made off, after he had been complimented with a few threepenny bits for
his trouble, nor did he again make his appearance the whole day.
Some of the members of the Expedition had resolved to ramble quite round
the island; the circumference of which is little if at all more than eight
English miles. At early morning they had started with their guns and
botanical boxes on their shoulders full of the most buoyant expectation of
securing an ample store of curiosities, starting from the east coast and
thence to the north side of the island; and towards sunset they made their
appearance at the south side, foot-sore and nearly exhausted. In the
ardour of the chase and of collecting "specimens," they had plunged so
deep into the forest, thereby losing all trace of the direction by which
they had entered, that as the sun was already beginning to descend, they
had no alternative but to hew a path with their hatchets through the
thickest of the forest, so as to reach the beach once more. At times
hanging by creepers, at others swimming at various spots where the rocks
dipped perpendicularly into the sea, they at length arrived at the spot
where we were re-embarking, hungry, thirsty, and in a state of such
extreme exhaustion that we at first were really apprehensive for their
lives. Singularly enough these severe hardships were followed by no evil
consequences to any one of the party, though the recollection of them will
surely not fade out of their memory for the rest of their lives.
The 21st March, being a Sunday, was duly observed, and was kept as a
much-needed day of rest, no boat going to shore. Towards noon a pretty
smart shower of rain fell, the first for six months. Several of the
natives came off in their canoes, and brought fowls, eggs, cocoa-nuts, and
various other fruits, as also monkeys and parrots. Rupees, English
shillings and sixpences, were evidently not unknown to them, as they
greatly preferred these in exchange to mere toys and showy articles.
On the 22nd we made an excursion to a bay on the island of Great Nicobar
or Sambelong. All that portion of the coast lying opposite our anchorage
was quite uninhabited, evidently in consequence of the entire absence at
this point of the cocoa-palm, whereas on the west coast there are several
good-sized villages. Unfortunately, however, these lay at far too great a
distance from the frigate to permit of an excursion being made thither. As
our boat, after an hour's rowing, approached the little bay, we perceived
at the mouth of a small creek the singular spectacle of a dead mangrove
forest. Some great storm had apparently thrown up a sand-drive here, so as
to cut off the supply of sea-water even at full tide. As the mangrove only
flourishes in salt or brackish water, it had thus been deprived of its
vital element, and the trees had accordingly perished in the fresh water.
But the lofty stems still stood, withered and blighted, a ghastly garden
of death amidst delicious green peaks covered with forest. As the sun
rose, a white vapour lay like a winding-sheet over the dead swamp: one
felt the uncomfortable sensation of being in a place where miasmata were
poisoning the air, while the soil was generating death. The rigid
skeletons of these trees recall to the recollection of the stranger, who
stands marvelling at the all-powerful energies of Nature to create and
destroy in these regions, how many corpses of his fellow-Europeans are
mouldering beneath the damp soil of this island! Fortunately the river has
once more broken through the bar, and given access to the sea-water, so
that beneath the dead forest a fresh green vegetation was fast springing
up.
The crew of a Malay prahu from Penang had selected this dull spot for a
regular settlement, in order to collect ripe cocoa-nuts, and Trepang, the
edible sea-slug (_Holothuria_) already mentioned, the latter for the
Chinese market. These people occupied a large wooden shed, and were
provisioned for a somewhat long stay. Except this shed there was not one
single hut here, all around being nothing but dense forest and swamp; but
some natives of the island of Kondul came over in their canoes to trade
hens and eggs with us. The Malay vessels which visit these islands almost
all come hither from Penang, about the beginning of the N.E. monsoon, and
remain during the whole of the dry season, so as to take in a full cargo
of the various natural produce of the island. They bring for barter fine
Chinese tobacco, calico, knives, axes, hatchets, cutlasses, clothes, and
black round hats. In former years they also imported the betel shrub into
Great Nicobar for propagation; where, in fact, it has been planted, and
has since then increased to such an extent that its importation is no
longer remunerative. With the commencement of the S.W. monsoons and the
rainy season, the Malay traders with their profitable cargoes make their
way back to Penang, and the other places along the coast of the peninsula
of Malacca. Thanks to the presence of these people, the members of the
Expedition were enabled to compare the Nicobar idiom with that of the
Malays, and could thus ascertain the exceeding discrepancies between these
two languages.[15] These merchants ordinarily bring with them a few
individuals who have a slight knowledge of the Nicobar language, as the
Malay tongue is not understood anywhere in this archipelago.
One of the Malay seamen, named Tschingi, from Penang, whose caste was
indicated by the long stripes of a bluish green colour painted upon his
dark brown forehead, peculiar to the Hindu god Siva, told us that he
recollected being employed as a boy in the service of Pastor Rosen on the
island of Kamorta, with whom he remained till his return to Europe. He
spoke with much admiration of that estimable and thoroughly deserving
gentleman, and remarked that many Chinese and other settlers had
accompanied him to Kamorta, all of whom speedily succumbed to the fever.
The native known as John Bull, who had followed us hither from Pulo Milu,
made his appearance at the bay, accompanied by some of his kindred, and
brought us some provisions. He seemed firmly to believe that in the
interior of the island of Sambelong, in its southern part, there existed
some wild inhabitants of a different race, Baju-oal-Tschua (or junglemen,
as he called them), who lived entirely in the woods, in small huts
erected upon the banks of the streams, and were so timid that they took to
flight so soon as any one endeavoured to approach them. He also told us
that in the S. and S.W. sides of Sambelong there were eleven villages:
viz. Hinkoata, Changanhei, Hinhaha, Haengangloeh, Kanalla, Taeingha,
Dayak, Kanchingtong, Dagoak, Hinlawua, and Kalemma.
In the course of the day, not only was a highly successful onslaught made
on the denizens of the woodland, but even the fishes in bay were not
exempted from our attentions;--a net, which was flung over the side and
retained there barely half an hour, being hauled ashore with upwards of a
hundred weight of small fish. Of this the entire ship's company partook,
and sufficient was left over for the next day. Our quarry in the swamps
and forest consisted of snipes, of a splendidly plumed Maina bird
(_Gracula Indica_), eagles, and apes; unfortunately a number of the
animals shot were lost by their retreating into the thicket, where they
could not be recovered.