Indian Antiquary Vol 49

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 96

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
( MAY, 192
1. Un Thursday morning were landed on the beach two Negroesi from the Andaman Islands, captured by the crew of a China Junk. Their appearance excited much interest and curiosity as a race of people generally considered as Cannibals. The following account of them has been obligingly communicated to us by a Gentleman who has very humanely taken them under his care.
"A Chinese Junk manned partly by Chinese and partly by Burmahs, proceeded to the Andaman Islands to collect Becho de Mar (bêche de mer], and laying about 2 Miles from the shore, they observed about 8 or 10 of the Savages approaching the Junk, wading through the water. Upon coming within a short distance of the vessel they discharged several showers of arrows, which severely wounded four of the Chinese. The Burmahs gave immediate pursuit in their boat, and after much difficulty took two of the Savages prisoners.
“During the chase they were frequently observed to dive and to make their appearance at a considerable distance to elude their pursuers. Several of the arrows were picked up by the Chinese, which are now in my possession; they are made of Rattans with a piece of hard wood for a point, and an iron nail or fish bone fastened to the extremity in such a manner as to make it difficult to extract, if it enters the body.
"Thege Negroes are extremely diminutive in stature, though apparently well formed and their limbs and arms are uncommonly small; one of them is 4 feet 6 inches, the other 4 feet 7 inches high, and each weighing 76 lbs. Avoirdupois. They have large paunches and though so small, are in good condition. One is an elderly man of ferocious aspect, the other a boy of about 17, of a good expression of countenance. They appear dull and heavy, extremely averse to speaking; when conversing, which they only do when left alone and imagine they are unobserved, they make a noise resembling much the cackling of Turkies. They are of a jet black colour and their skin has an extraordinary shining appearance, and their bodies are tattooed all over; of a most voracious appetite, and crack the bones of fowls with their teeth with the greatest facility. Their manner of ascending a Cocoanut Tree is remarkable, running up like a monkey, and descending with astonishing velocity."
As some account of the inhabitants of the Andamans may not be unacceptable to our readers, we have great pleasure in submitting the following extract from the East India Gazetteer, which, it will be observed, corresponde materially with the description given of the two Negroes abovementioned. 6
"The population of the great Andaman and all its dependencies does not exceed 2,000 or 2,500 soule : these are dispersed in small societies along the coast, or on the lesser islands within the harbour, never penetrating deeper into the interior than the skirts of the forest.
The Andamanese are not Nogroes but Nogritos.
? They are not and never have been cannibals. See Temple, Census of India, 1001, Vol. III. Andaman and Nicobar Iolanda, pp. 48 and 44, where it is explained how the error arose and also why the Andamanese first met with by the English were hostile to all strangers 8 That is, Mr. John Anderson himself.
. * See E. H. Men, On the Aboriginal Inhabitants of the Andaman Islands, pp. 139–141.
5 This is a gross misrepresentation. Andamanese on growing old are apt to become dull, but are anything but unintelligent while young and in the vigour of life. Their languages are characteristio of savagee, but show a long history of intelligent dovelopment.
• The rest of the description is taken from Hamilton, East India Gatotteor, vol. I (ed. 1815), ..v. Andamane.
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