Indian Antiquary Vol 49

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

Page 97

MAY, 1920 ]
ANDAMANESE IN PENANG
Their sole occupation seems to be that of climbing rocks or roving along the margin of the sea in quest of a precarious meal of fish, which, during the tempestuous season, they often seek in vain.?
"It is an object of much curiosity to discover the origin of a race of people so widely differing, not only from all the inhabitants of the neighbouring continent, but also from those of the Nicobar Islands ; however, the inquiries of travellers have produced no satisfactory conclusion. In stature the Andamaners seldom exceed 5 feet; their limbs are disproportionately slender ; their bellies protuberant, with high shoulders and large heads; and they appear to be a degenerate race of negroes, with woolly hair, flat noses and thick lips : their eyes are small and red, their skin of a deep sooty black, while their countenances exhibit the extreme of wretchedness, a horrid mixture of famine and ferocity. They go quite naked, and are insensible to any shame from exposure. 10
“The few implements they use are of the rudest texture. Their principal weapon is a bow, from 4 to 5 feet long; the string made of the fibres of a tree or a slip of bamboo, with arrows of reed, headed with fish bone or wood hardened in the fire. Besides this, they carry a spear of heavy wood, sharp pointed, and a shield made of bark. They shoot and spear fish with great dexterity, and are said also to use a small hand net made of the filaments of bark.11 Having.kindled a fire, they throw the fish on the coals and devour it half broiled.12
" Their habitations display little more ingenuity than the dens of - wild beasts. Four sticks fixed in the ground are bound at top and fastened transversely to others to which branches of trees are suspended : an opening just large enough to admit of entrance is left on one side, and their bed is composed of leaves. Being much incommoded with insects, their first occupation of a morning is to plaster their bodies all over with mud, which hardening in the sun, forms an impenetrable armour. Their woolly heads they paint with ochre and water, and when thus oompletely dressed, a more hideous appearance is not to be found in the human form. Their salutation is performed by lifting up one leg, and smacking with the hand the lower part of the thigh.13
" Their canoes are hollowed out of the trunks of trees by fire and instruments of stone, having no iron in use among them but such as they accidentally procure from Europeans or from vessels wrecked on their coast. 11 The men are cunning and revengeful and have
? This is a mistake. They are found all over the islands, obtaining ample food all the year round from fruit, fish, turtle and pige.
. It is now known that they are aboriginal Negritos with probable ethnological conneotions still existing in the Malay Peninsula and Archipelago, at any rate. For the reason of their long isolation as a race, see Census of India, 1901, vol. III. Andaman and Nicobar Is., p. 51.
They are not negroes at all, nor are they a degenerato race.
10 For a correct physical description of the Andamanese, see Census of India, op. cit., p. 56; Man, Aboriginal Inhahts. of the Andaman Islands, pp. 11.
11 For Andamanese bows, arrows, spears and manufactures, see Man, op. cit., pp. 138–187. It is entirely an error to suppose that their implements are of the "rudest texture."
12 The Andamanese cook all their food, except fruit, on wood fires.
18 For Andaman dwellings, plastering the body with ochre and forms of salutation, see Man, op. cit., pp. 37–48, 184, 79-81.
14 For canoes, see Man, op. cit., pp. 149-150.