________________
APRIL, 1893.)
DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF OBJECTS.
109
:
90 (m). Tinlāata. Knotted cane-strip, employed in the Central and Southern Groups for the
purpose of intimating to friends at other villages when a memorial-feast is to be held. Also when proceeding on a distant journey, in order to intimate the pro- . bable date of return, a tinlõata is left with friends. As each knot denotes a day, one is in every case unravelled each succeeding morning. As the knots are arranged in pairs, a tinlāata with seven double knots and one single one would indicate 15 days. Owing to the comparative proximity of all the villages at Car Nicobar to each other, and the facilities for intercommunication, information in such
matters is there conveyed by word of mouth. 91 (m). Lenkòk-ngoat (C. N. Linkal-kok). Cane (or bamboo) tally-strips, usud in denoting
how many scores of cocoanuts have been promised, or have been already supplied to ship-traders, in exchange for goods advanced by the latter. As the Nicobarese system
of numeration is the vigesimal, each nick denotes "ten pairs" of nuts. 92 (m). Chuk panūe. Cane-basket, used for holding the ball of twine, when hook-fishing;
or the harpoon-line, when spearing large fish. (m). Nõama (C. N. Sanòng). Cane fish-trap : placed on the fore-shore with its mouth
towards the shore. Stones are placed on the under-lip, and along the sides, in order both to fix it in position and to conceal the cane-work; thereby averting suspicion as to its object. Except at Car Nicobar, - where it is used during the dry season and at neap tides, it is employed during the rains only and at spring tides. The practice is to trail throngh the water a basket in which a quantity of scrapings of the large seeds of the Barringtonia Asiatica have been placed. This has the effect of blinding the fish which happen to be near the spot, and they are consequently more easily
driven towards the trap, which has been set for them. 93 a. (m). Nõama-chafðin. This somewhat resembles the last, but is smaller and is used for
catching sardines by hand in shallow water. 94 (m). Kenbon (with float, Paha). Fish-trap, made of split-cane, or of the bark of a tree
called Afu (? Maranta dichotoma). The month is first made, then the top, sides, and bottom in succession. For bait, unripe cocoanut-frait is smeared on the inner side of the lip, and the trap, weighted with stones, is placed on the foreshore. The float, at high-water, indicates the position of the trap, and enables the owner to lift it suddenly before the fish, which may be inside, can escape. For this purpose, and if the water be sufficiently calm, he remains above in his canoe watching, in order that, before all the bait has been consumed, he may lift the trap out of the water at a time when there will be the best possible catch. Custom permits of the use of this trap during the rainy season only, and exclusively at certain villages in
and near Nancowry Harbour. 95 (m). Enyūn (C. N. Ta-rüe (large) and Tamatu (small) ). Cane fish-trap, placed where
there is sufficient water at low-tide to cover it. It is usually examined every alternate day. In order to avert suspicion, stones are placed round the trap, except near the mouth which faces the shore, thereby concealing as much of the cane-work as possible. If, when required to be lifted, it should happen to be high-water, & hen-hõat (vide No. 133) is employed for the purpose. In the case of the large trap, custom requires that it be used only during the rains; the smaller variety can be employed all the year round. When used with the kanshang (vide No. 98), the
enyün is styled hoya. 96 (f). Hannah-oal-ni (C. N. Fanöh-el-pati). Broom for sweeping the hut-floor. Made
of young cane-leaves fixed on to a håndle, which is often provided with a hook at the upper end for convenience of hanging to the cane frame-work of the hut.
