GREAT NICOBAR--WEST COAST
Pulo Kunyi--Area of Great Nicobar--Mountains--Rivers--The Village--
The Shom Pe[.n]--Casuarina Bay--An ingenious "Dog-hobble"--In the
Jungle--A Shom Pe[.n] Village--Men of the Shom Pe[.n]--A lazy
Morning---The Shom Pe[.n] again--Their Similarity to the
Nicobarese--Food--Implements--Cooking-vessel--The Dagmar River--
Casuarina Bay--Pulo Nyur--Water--A Boat Expedition--The Alexandra
River--Shom Pe[.n] Villages--Kopenheat--More Shom Pe[.n]--
Elephantiasis--Pet Monkeys--Anchorage.
"_March_ 17, 1901.--At 6.30 A.M. both junks left, and we followed half
an hour later. The breeze was light, the sea smooth, and the Chinese
kept ahead all the way: in fact, we only caught up the smaller just
abreast of Pulo[77] Kunyi, our destination on the west coast, where we
anchored shortly after the big junk about midday; the other boat did not
stop, but sailed on for another village more to the south.
"Great Nicobar is the southernmost and the largest of the islands of the
group, having a length of 30 miles north and south, and a breadth of
from 7 to 14 miles, while the area is 334 square miles. The highest part
of the island is that to the north, where Mount Thuillier attains an
altitude of 2105 feet. A continuous range of hills runs down the east
side of the island close to the coast, making the surface hilly; and
near the centre a range 1333 feet high extends crossways in an E.N.E.
direction. On the west side the hills are much more irregular in
disposition, and there are broad alluvial plains between their bases and
the sea.
"Both in vegetation and geological formation it resembles Little
Nicobar, but is the only island of the group that possesses navigable
rivers; for, when their bars are passable, the Dagmar and Alexandra
rivers on the west, and the Galathea River in the south, can be ascended
some distance towards the interior.
"The coastal population is barely two-thirds what it was computed at in
1886, and now numbers 87 only. In the interior are the Shom Pe[.n], who,
liberally estimated, may number from 300 to 400; but, as a few friendly
families alone are all with whom communication has been held, it is
impossible to arrive at any definite conclusion.
"Great Nicobar is the least known of all the islands; the Government
steamer seldom visits it, on account of its few inhabitants, the rough
weather frequently met with on its coasts, and the absence of harbours
near the populated districts.
"As we sailed along the north-west portion, we perceived it to be low
and flat for some distance inland, but towards the south the land rose
in irregular forest-clad hills.
"The village of Pulo Kunyi lies along the shore of a small bay, from
either end of which two long reefs of coral stretch out seaward to form
the harbour. This is further protected by a submerged coral bank which
lies across the mouth, leaving only two narrow passages to north and
south, of which the former is the more practicable.
"With a man in the cross-trees and a lead from the junk, we got in
safely--finding 6 fathoms in the middle of the entrance--and brought up
in 3-1/2 fathoms, in a well-sheltered anchorage where there was plenty
of room for several small vessels to lie.
"As soon as all was shipshape on board, we went ashore with our guns. In
the village, which consists of five buildings (sheds and houses), we met
but two men--women and children had disappeared from fear of the Chinese
and ourselves; but there are probably not more than ten inhabitants
altogether.
"The Chinese were already at work, busily appropriating all the
coconuts that lay about. When purchasing these, they give a bag of rice
for 530 nuts, which sell at Singapore for $15. Barter worth $1 is given
for half a dozen bundles of rattan, which fetch about $12 in the same
market. The trade of this island is mostly in canes, for very few more
coconuts are produced than suffice for the wants of the inhabitants.
"The one beehive hut in the village was occupied by an old man named
Awang, with his wife and child. A large charm hung in the centre of the
house--a frame about 8 feet by 6 feet, covered with palm leaves, across
the top a row of birds, and at the foot a line of wooden men, each
supplied with a ration of fat pork.
"Our persistent inquiries about the Shom Pe[.n] seemed to amuse Awang
excessively; but we were delighted to find we had arrived in their
neighbourhood at last. The aborigines live a short distance in the
interior, and often come down to the coast; as they would do on the
morrow, when we should have an opportunity of meeting them, since notice
had been sent that the traders were waiting to purchase their stock of
rattan.
"The inland tribe is split into two main divisions. The larger inhabits
the interior proper, and is still hostile (there was a man in the
village with some ugly open wounds beneath the shoulderblades, who had
been speared by them close to the houses a year ago); the members of the
other division, who form small settlements near the coast villages, are
known as "mawas Shom Pe[.n]" (quiet, or tame Shom Pe[.n]), and are on
intimate terms with the Nicobarese, fearing equally with them the wilder
natives. When the latter are out on the warpath, the friendlies come
down to the shore, and, with the coast people, leave the district by
canoe until it is safe to return.
"The village is surrounded by open scrub and jungle, in which large
numbers of screw-pines flourish. The little scarlet-breasted _Aethopyga_
was common here, and numbers of them were flitting about the crowns of
the coco palms, searching the fruit-stalks and bases of the leaves for
insects.
"Good paths ran through the jungle, and following one to the southward,
we reached the shore of Casuarina Bay, so named from the long grove of
dark-foliaged trees that extends right along the coast. All round the
head of the bay white surf rolled on the flat sandy beach, but there was
a fair landing-place within the point, protected by a reef, and free
from breakers.
"Before returning to the village we shot a number of tupais, some
sunbirds, and a serpent-eagle. The local dogs all wore a large coconut
slung loosely about the neck. This heavy burdening would hardly meet
with the approval of the S.P.C.A.; but it prevents the dogs from chasing
sows and their litters, and is a most effective hobble, as it hangs
right between the fore-legs.
"Darkness was approaching as we passed through the village, and the
fowls were all retiring to rest in the branches of the trees--a return
to early habits that they may indulge in with security in these islands,
where no mammal more dangerous than the monkey exists.
"The boat soon came off to fetch us in answer to a hail, and we returned
to the schooner, where, after a bath and a dinner, we settled down to an
evening's work."
"_March_ 18.--Armed respectively with guns and camera, we struck inland,
at sunrise, along a path running eastward through beautiful open forest.
The ground was level, and our way lay for some time within sound of the
breakers of Casuarina Bay. Picking up a bird now and again as we went
along, we had proceeded some three or four miles when we heard the sound
of voices in the bush. We stopped for a moment to listen, and then moved
on. Presently the roof of a hut appeared between the trees. "Shom
Pe[.n]!" we whispered, and, creeping down the path with the idea of
getting among them before they could run, did they feel inclined,
walked--oh, miserable swindle!--into a camp of Nicobarese
rattan-gatherers; for the numerous bundles of canes hanging from the
trees, and the heaps of scrapings, showed plainly what their occupation
was.
"In a clearing about 30 yards across, surrounded by jungle, and standing
in the shade of a few isolated trees, five huts stood along the bank of
a little brook.
"Women and girls in waistcloths, busy preparing food from pandanus
fruit, dropped their work when they caught sight of us, and rushed away
for more clothes!
"Pigs, chickens, and dogs wandered about beneath the houses, and the
only representative of the stronger sex was a young man, whose activity
was much handicapped by a leg swollen with elephantiasis.
"The houses were small structures built on piles, 4 to 6 feet high, with
open sides, and roofs of attaps.
"After taking photographs of the village, we returned to the shore,
where consolation awaited us in the persons of three Shom Pe[.n] men,
who had come in and were detained in Awang's house. Thither we
proceeded, and took photographs and measurements of each. They were very
docile, and stood like statues before the camera; neither did they
object to being measured. We obtained from them a roll of coarse
cloth--made from the inner bark of a tree,[78] which is stripped from
the trunk and pounded--and a rattan basket, giving in return an extra
quantity of red cotton, in token of goodwill, for they had been inclined
to bolt when they first heard we were coming.
"In general appearance these men resembled the Nicobarese, but were of
slightly darker complexion--muddy-coloured--and physically of more
slender build, and leaner: they wore cotton _kissats_, and large wooden
ear-distenders.
"Through Awang, who enacted the part of interpreter, we arranged with
them to come down the next morning, and bring their whole party,
baskets, spears, and more cloth."
"_March_ 19.--We did not shoot for long this morning, for fear of
frightening the Shom Pe[.n]; but though we waited about till 10 o'clock,
they had not appeared, and we then returned to the _Terrapin_.
"But for flies, which were rather numerous about the village, it was
very pleasant lying in the shade of the palms, lazily watching the many
butterflies which floated about, listening to the cries of oriole,
calornis, and sunbird, and often catching glimpses of their brilliant
plumage as they flew from tree to tree. In the clear waters of a little
stream that flowed behind the village, we could see shoals of fish
slowly drifting about, or poising themselves in the shade of the
overhanging branches. The mouth of this stream is closed by the
coral-reef, but a few small canoes are kept on its surface to carry the
natives to the other bank. We were too lazy even to explore its course,
but loafed drowsily beneath the coco palms, while
"All round the coast the languid air did swoon,
Breathing like one that hath a weary dream,"
until, stirred by prosaic thoughts of breakfast, we returned to the
schooner. Hardly had we done so when we caught sight of a string of
people walking along the beach, whereupon, gathering together the
necessary paraphernalia for an interview, we jumped into a boat and were
soon on shore again.
"The party consisted of five men, three women, and three girls--there
were no boys or babies in it. They had brought with them several rolls
of new bark cloth--pieces about 4 feet by 6 feet--which, when fresh, is
much lighter in colour than the old piece we got before; some rattan
baskets of various shapes, ear-distenders, and a bundle of spears made
of the hard wood of the nibong palm. These spears are about 8 feet long,
and half an inch in diameter, tapering towards the butt. The makers have
grasped the principle of the sail and surgeon's needle, for the points
are triangular, with sharp edges; immediately below them, slight barbs,
generally six in number, are carved on the shaft.[79]
"In physique, the men were less robust than the coast people, but at the
same time were tough and wiry-looking--the lesser chest and arm
development being probably accounted for by the absence of paddling
exercise, for they own no canoes.
"In person they were somewhat dirty, more markedly in the case of the
women, to whose clothes the odour of stale pandanus-bread clung
strongly. All chewed quids of betel, lime, and sireh leaves.
"The teeth of one woman presented a most extraordinary appearance, that
at first sight appeared to be a case of macrodontism; the upper row
projected outwards at an extreme angle, and, when closely examined,
proved to be concreted together by a substance that was apparently a
deposit of lime from the ever-renewed quid.
"Their hair, like that of the Nicobarese, varied from wavy to curly, and
so slightly did they differ from the coast people that if one did not
know who they were, they would pass, unless carefully examined, for
ordinary Nicobarese, so far as appearance and mode of life are
concerned.
"In proof of this statement it will suffice if I say that the settlement
which--with minds primed by tales of bark-garments and triple-storied,
fenced-in huts--we had thought to be a camp of the coast people
gathering rattan, was, in truth, the village of this identical party.
"Such a mistake was, under the circumstances, almost justifiable--their
food, utensils for its preparation, cooking-pots, clothing, and domestic
animals, were all exactly similar to those of the Nicobarese.
"It would appear, that, from constant intercourse with the shore people,
the Shom Pe[.n] have adopted many of their customs, and become possessed
of similar property. The leader of this party even spoke a few words of
Malay.
"All of them willingly submitted to be photographed and measured,
especially when they saw that after the process there was a reward of
red cotton, or brass cartridge cases, to be used as ear-plugs. Such
things as they received in this way, or in payment for baskets and other
articles, were immediately handed over to the women.
"They seemed to indicate time by pointing to the sun, and by such a
method we made them understand that we should pay another visit to their
camp on the morrow."
"_March_ 20.--We reached the Shom Pe[.n] village early in the morning,
and found its occupants variously engaged--some sitting listlessly
about, and others busied in splitting and cleaning the rattan which they
trade with the coast people.
"The community was well supplied with food, in the shape of coconuts,
bananas, and various tubers, besides possessing a plentiful store of
pandanus fruit. Several young pigs, all obtained from the litters of
wild sows, which are chased with a view to capture, were domiciled in
cages within the houses.
[Illustration: Shom Pe[.n] Cooking-vessel (Great Nicobar).]
"Principal amongst the articles in use were iron-pronged fish-spears,
axes, and _daos_, with baskets, of which we purchased a selection; but
the most interesting object visible, and one that had been overlooked
during our former visit, was an apparatus for preparing the food of
pandanus paste.
"Some 6 inches above a clay hearth on the floor of the huts, a
receptacle, about 3 feet by 3 feet by 6 inches, was formed of five
sheets of thin green bark. These, two on a side, and the fifth doubled
at the bottom to form a trough, were inserted at either end between
split stakes, which--bound tightly together with rattans--pressed the
edges of the sheets against each other. The lower part was thickly luted
with clay, and where the edges of the bark overlapped, a strip of cane
was stretched from stake to stake to compress the join. This ingenious
vessel was narrow at the bottom but gaped widely at the mouth.
"In cooking the pandanus, a little water is first poured in, and the
fruit piled above it and steamed; when sufficiently done, the bread is
prepared by the same method as practised on the coast.
"Several paths led beyond the camp; and following one, we crossed a
small stream by a tree bridge (a couple of saplings laid side by side),
300 or 400 yards beyond which we arrived at the bank of the Dagmar
River, here a stream about 40 yards wide flowing between low
jungle-covered banks.
"Once more by the sea we photographed Awang and his family, bought some
of his belongings, and also took possession of about twenty megapodes'
eggs which he had collected for us.
"The Shom Pe[.n] we had seen, he informed us, were all there were in the
neighbourhood, although far back in the interior were other, but
unfriendly, groups. The only child in the village was his own son, and
the same old story was repeated--that where formerly there were two or
three men with their families in each house, now there was only one.
"In the afternoon we walked along the shore of Casuarina Bay to the
mouth of the Dagmar. Fortunately the tide was low, and exposed a broad
strip of hard wet sand, which made the tramp very pleasant, in spite of
the hot sun. On the way, we passed the half-dry bed of a small stream,
crammed with thousands of a little black red-bellied mud-fish, so
crowded together that numbers had died.
"The Dagmar River emerges suddenly from jungle, with banks almost free
from mangrove and nipah, and makes its way to the sea through a curving
channel in the sand, where at low tide it is very shallow.
"Bundles of rattan hung from several trees, and a small hut full of the
same material stood near a path that evidently led to the Shom Pe[.n]
village. More cane was to be seen across the river, and a canoe lay on
the bank.
"So much we discovered by a little exploring; then, after climbing a
palm and refreshing ourselves with stolen coconuts, we set out on the
return walk, in order to avoid being overtaken by darkness."
"_March_ 21.--A light breeze set in shortly after 8 A.M., and we weighed
anchor. It soon freshened somewhat, and we worked down the coast,
tacking on and off. First we passed the point forming the north
extremity of Casuarina Bay, distinguished by a single palm tree which
rises high above the jungle, and next came abreast of Kopenheat, marked
by a grove of palms and a hut, finally bringing up at 1.15 P.M. in 9
fathoms, at a spot well protected by a reef from the S.W. swell, with a
conspicuous round house bearing E. This anchorage was a little bay
formed by the shore running roughly N. and W., and we were in an
indentation of the reef, which, when the latter dries at low tide, is
about 300 yards wide.
"The village here is called Pulo Nyur (_Malay_ = Coconut Island), seven
houses in all, and lies in the shade of palm trees broken into groups by
intervening stretches of jungle.
"Going ashore in the afternoon we met in the largest house several men
and boys from Pulo Babi, the next village southward. Of the other
buildings, four or five are uninhabited and falling to pieces. There was
only one regular inhabitant in the place--a man whose father, brother,
and wife had all died six months previously, and who, unless he could
get another wife shortly, intended to leave the spot, which will
probably soon be deserted, for his female acquaintances--not
unnaturally--objected to such a lonely life.
"A year ago a man was killed by the Shom Pe[.n] on the outskirts of the
village, and at the same time the man we saw at Pulo Kunyi barely
escaped with his life.
"Several paths lead towards the interior, but the village has no
(friendly) relations with the aborigines.
"Behind, and to one side, lay a large stretch of grass-covered swamp, on
which a herd of monkeys was playing until we appeared, while numbers of
herons, big and little, were perched in the surrounding trees. The
morass was composed of a sort of sawdust-like paste, into which one
sank up to the knees, yet the feet, when withdrawn, were not in the
least soiled. In the jungle we got Nicobar pigeons, and a serpent-eagle
that seemed to differ from the variety of Little Nicobar and Kachal
(_Spilornis_, sp. nov.).
"A path from the beach led to a water-hole, which only required clearing
out to afford a plentiful supply; the men set to work at this, and when
they had got rid of the water, took from the hole a pailful of mudfish
and eels.
"Learning in the evening, from people who came on board, that there were
Shom Pe[.n] on the Alexandra River and at Kopenheat, we determined on an
expedition in search of them next day."
"_March_ 22.--At sunrise we put off in the whaleboat, and now rowing and
now sailing, as the wind served, and all the time keeping well out from
shore, to clear the rollers that occurred at irregular intervals in most
unexpected places, reached Casuarina Bay (about 6 miles) at 8 A.M.
"The breakers at the mouth of the Dagmar were too big for us to enter
the river without an almost certain wetting, to avoid which we pulled
back to the south end of the bay, and first wading ashore with the
contents, ran the boat through the surf and quickly beached her. Almost
at once we perceived within the jungle a deserted Shom Pe[.n] village of
three huts, of a kind similar to those beyond Pulo Kunyi. In the camp
were two or three platforms or lounges, roughly shaded by a few palm
leaves, and some odds and ends were lying about; a small pig cage, food
baskets made from the butt of a palm leaf, and a rude lamp--a shell, in
which lay a bit of greasy rag supported on half a coconut.
"Several paths converged at the village, and these we followed up until
each gradually came to an end--bundles and strips of rattan lying along
them, showing plainly their _raison d'etre_.
"One path, however, led past a second camp. Some of the huts were merely
rough platforms built against the trunk of a tree; but others were
evidently of the kind we had been told about at Pulo Milo--one platform
above the other, respectively 3 and 7 feet above the ground, both
partially protected by a number of long palm leaves leaning butt
downwards against the structure. Continuing onward beyond this village
we reached the Dagmar River, and searched along the bank for further
paths without success.
"By midday, having thoroughly explored the locality, we returned to a
tiffin of biscuits and sardines, with unlimited numbers of young
coconuts, which one of the men quickly obtained from an adjacent tree.
Then the boat was launched and loaded, and with the wind helping for
part of the distance we travelled back to the _Terrapin_.
"As we passed Kopenheat two men put out in a canoe with palm-leaf sails
to inform us that a party of Shom Pe[.n] was then at their house. But it
was now getting late, and the plates for the camera had all been
exposed, so, after arranging for the aborigines to remain until next
day, we parted from the canoe and proceeded to the schooner."
"_March_ 22.--Off again by boat in the morning to Kopenheat and met the
Shom Pe[.n], who had remained overnight; they having come a distance
variously estimated at from half a day to two days' journey (!) down the
Alexandra River in small canoes of Nicobarese construction.
"The headman, who was of the darkest complexion yet met with--a dull
chocolate--spoke a little Malay. All were clothed--in far more garments
than the Nicobarese--and generally very dirty.
"Most of these people were afflicted with elephantiasis in various
stages--none seriously, however. Nicobar water is reported to be bad;
but, considering the state of the water-holes that the Shom Pe[.n] paths
lead to, no surprise can be felt that those who use such a supply should
be suffering from this disease. Often the water of the coast natives is
unsatisfactory enough in quality, but having plenty of coconuts, they
hardly ever use it for drinking purposes.
"After we had finished with the people we gave them presents of cotton
and sheath-knives, and then followed a path leading to the Dagmar
through forest of a very open character. A walk of half a mile brought
us to the bank of the river, here about 30 to 35 yards wide. There was
very little current, owing to a sandbar across the mouth, which the
natives say is dry at half-tide. The banks were jungle covered, and free
from mangroves.
"Before leaving the village we bought some fowls, and a pair of young
monkeys, said to be only three or four months old. They were imprisoned
in a pig cage, and seemed half-starved, and were certainly very
frightened as they sat clinging convulsively to each other.
"There is clear water, 300 or 400 yards wide, before Kopenheat, with a
reef on either side where the sea breaks heavily at high tide, but the
anchorage is not so good as at Kunyi or Nyur."