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OCTOBER, 1899.]
NOTES ON THE NICOBARESE.
255
(d)
(e)
A stretcher for the corpse, called da-yung, is constructed by breaking up a canoe, made of commonl wood, belonging to the deceased or one of the mourners. The board thus obtained must be of about the same length as the corpse, and from six to ten inches wide. Curious pegs, called shinpan or shanipán, to the number of 5, 7, or 9-again no even number is permissible - are made by lashing together in an inverted V shape () the ends of two sticks, about two feet in length, of the Garcinia speciosa, and pointing the other ends (ante, Vol. XXIV. p. 170),
To every village (mattai) - and be it here mentioned that this term is applied to a collection of huts however few in number, - excepting those of comparatively recent origin or which are not occupied throughout the year, 63 a graveyard (chuk-penttla) is attached ;58 and thither other mourners or their friends repair with wooden hoes and old paddles in order to dig the grave, which must be about five feet deep65. Certain others are at the same time engaged in making the three posts which are needed for the grave, viz. - the head-post (kanoi-koi) which is the largest and about eight feet long, and is made of hard-grained wood called komching; the extra head-post (pendla), which is about six feet long; and the foot-post (kanoi-láh), which is of about the same length.
The chips and shavings, produced while making the da-yung, the shanipán and the three grave-posts, are then collected and placed in a heap on the ground near the foot of the ladder of the hut where the corpse is lying. A quantity of cocoanut husks - safficient to maintain a fire antil the hour fixed for the interment, — is added to the pile, which is then ignited by a flame kindled with fre-sticks (ante, Vol. XXIV. p. 49), or obtained from a fire known to have been recently so kindled. In wet weather this restriction necessarily entails no little inconvenience. The object of the fire is said to be two-fold, viz., to keep the disembodied spirit at a distance, 56 and to apprize friends approaching or passing the shore in a canoe of the sad occurrence : on no other occasion is a fire so lighted.
As soon as the two head-posts have been made and the grave dag, the kanoi-koi is firmly planted into the head of the grave, while to the apper portion
(9)
61 The canoe must not be one made of the favourite minfda wood (Calophyllum sp.), as this is said to excite the recently disembodied spirit, whom it is advisable to propitiate by the strict observance of all traditional practices.
63 When a death occurs at any such village the corpse ia at once conveyed to a hut in the old established village to which it is affiliated.
* In the Central and Southern groups the cometery is usually situated between the village and the adjacent jungle ; and as these sites are generally within a short distanco (40 yards or loss) of the son the soil usually consiste chiefly of sand. Certain portions of each grave-yard are recognised as belonging to different families, and they are sufficiently spacious to allow of additional interments without disturbing the remains of those whose bones have not yet crumbled into dast. At Chowra, Teressa aud Bompoka the dead are temporarily interred near their 'late home and not in a general oemetery. At those islands, as well as at Car Nicobar, they have osemaries at a little distance from their villages whither, after celebrating various memorial feasts in honour of the dead, the bones are eventually consigned.
These implements are subsequently laid on the grave, and, at the expiration of a few months, removed and thrown into the jungle.
4 The position of the grave is not determined by any regard to the points of the compass, but, at the Central group and Car Nicobar, the head must be towards the jungle and the feet towards the shore, 1. e., the body must be buried at night-angles to the coast. The natives of Chowra and the Coast people of the Southern group bury thair females, however, in the oppoeite direction, I. e., the feet towards the jungle and the head towards the shore, while the inland tribe (Shom Pon) bury their dead in squatting position, with the face towards the nearest river or crook. At Torosas and Bompoks the corpse is interrod parallel to the shore, without reference to the direction of the bead and feet.
"This custom would appear to be connected with the superstition known as "barring the ghost by fire." Furthermore, at sunset on these occasions torches are lit and carried down to the water's-edge by a party of young men and waved rapidly seaward to the accompaniment of shouts of "fe,fo, fo, fe !" which is said to be intrepreted by the Evil Spirits, whose names are severally rehearsed, es " Go away!" This ceremony is known by the name of ko.chung. It is as well to mention here that among all the tribes in these islands the young leaves and flowers of the cocoanut tree are credited with the power of scaring away desnona, for which purpose they are extensively used.
