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276
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[OCTOBER, 1897.
Nicobar. Sometimes they stoer their course by keeping one or other of these stars directly stern of the canoe. Save to this limited extent no attempt is made to utilize their observations of the movements of tbe planetary bodies.
6. The Winds and Clouds. I give here a diagram of the various terms used in order to denote the different winds. It should be mentioned that the term (mahai-chiam) applied in the diagram to the N. N.-W. and S. S.-E. winds implies "straight," by reason of their proceeding direct from these two points where lie adjacent inhabited islands, i.e., Chowra, Teressa, and Bompoka on the one hand, and the Southern Group on the other ; so that, making their voyages thitherwards during the prevalence of either of these winds, they know that on one course or the other they can make sure of being driven straight to their destination.
With regard to the clouds, the Nicobarese lave but one word to express the different formations of cirrus, cumulus, and stratus, viz., mifainya, while to denote nimbus they merely say mifainya-ta-al, lit., a black cloud. Diagram showing the terms used to denote the direction of the various winds.
А
Z KAPA-MAHAI-CHIAM.
Z KAPA (OR KABA)
KAPA-FUL
NNE
NAS
NNW
N
APA-SHOHONG
NW
NE
4 WNW
ENE
ENE
8
w
WSW
SE
SHO-HONG
V
LOHNGA-FUL
SW
SE
SHOHÔNG-TA
LÖHNGA-SHOHÔNG C
LOHNGA.
LOHNGA-MAHAI-CHIAMI
