Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 59
Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications
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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ JANUARY, 1930
leaving a guard of one policeman and several Andamanese at the boat, Mr. Bonig and myself followed them for about half a mile, but as we found they were only following our tracks of Friday we returned, and all made for the Jarawa camp at Pêchang. We arrived about noon. We found the Jarawag had visited it since our discovery of it on January 31st and had carried off all the more valuable articles, such as the dégchi and the honey pots. I had feared this when we came on their fresh footsteps. They had also slightly dismantled the house so as to make rude barricades on the unprotected approaches. I sent our Andaman. ese into the jungle to see that there were none lurking near, and then Mr. Rogers photographed the house, exterior and interior, while Mr. Needham, who was also with us, sketched it, after which we removed all the remaining baskets and other belongings, and cut down the pig skulls in the centre. After this we collected the Andamanese, and they executed a war dance with the Jarawa leaf-fans. Then gathering up the trophies, consist. ing mostly of pig skulls, we returned to the launch, arriving at 4 P.M. Weighed anchor and proceeded to the Andaman Home at Port Anson, where we remained for the night.
February 4th.-Loft Port Anson at 11-30 A.M., arriving at Port Blair at 4-30 PM. The four policemen who accompanied Mr. Bonig and myself on our several marches worked very well, and were always close to us. The work of the smarter boys among the Anda. manese was splendid, and their tracking was a revelation to me. Their unerring knowledge of the jungle, too, was marvellous. For instance they had only visited Ceringch&pa-jig once previously, and that years before. Yet without a compags and with hardly a glimpse of the sun to guido them, they never faltered, knew exactly where they were and took the nearest way home. Two or three of them afterwards pointed out our position correctly on the map, and told as where we should have to go to find the Jerawa Headquarters. Without them we should have accomplished nothing. I am rewarding them suitably for their good work. (6) Extracts from the Report of Mr. C. G. Rogers, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Port Blair,
from 26th January to 4th February 1902. My party went out into the forest beyond the Jatâng camp, but did not find any traces of Járawas. They were out the whole day long and returned in the evening to camp. As they returned very late to camp on the evening of the 28th, I gave them a day's rest on the 29th and started on the 30th myself for a three days' trip into the interior. The Andamanese sent were all young, and I think I may say inexperienced men, for we came upon comparatively recent tracks of the Jarawas and a fresh camp, which I think they must have occupied the night before they killed the two convicts on the 11th January last, and they absolutely failed to follow up this clue.
As soon as I had satisfied myself that the Andamanese were not working properly and that they were only moving in circuits and not going far from camp, I tonk the direction of our course into my own hands and steered due west, We passed over & succession of hills, chiefly running in a generally north and south direction, and crossed a large number of streams, also for the most part flowing south or north. Many of these contained running water which was shallow where it was flowing (6 to 9 inches dee), but contained a large number of deep pools. Two at least of these streams containe. fresh water fish, 8 to 12 inches long, and, I think, may be considered to be perpetual water-supplies which never dry up. The water in them was deliciously cold and pe rectly sweet and goad. The sun only shines on the water in the middle of the day, so they lose very little water by ev: ration. There is infinitely more water in the interior of the island than there is near the coast, and the Jarawas oan never have come to Jatang or other places where they have attacked convicts-in my opinion-in search of water. Pig tracks were also plentiful. An streams mentioned in my diary contained a good supply of drinking water.
