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
[ FEBRUARY, 1930
Jarawas appear to walk in a crouching attitude with their toes turned inwards, most probably the result of having to live in the dense jungle of the Andamans, where upright walking would be impossible. We also observed that a large tree had been stripped by them of its bark for the purpose, as the Andamanese informed me, of making waist ornaments.
After having searched in the jungle for another four miles to try and find our other party, we returned to the beach. The three other Andamanese had not yet arrived, so we forded the creek and followed them up and observed by the footprints, that they had followed a single Járawa along the shore. We caught them up again after a little while, and as it was getting late then, I decided to return on board. Going along the shore I saw the remains of a wreck: there were only left of it three anchors, some chains, part of the windlass and about 20 tons of cast iron kentledge ; judging from the size of the anchors it must have been a 200 to 300 ton vessel. When I returned to the boat, I found that my other party had returned before noon without having seen anything, so I decided not to send them alone in future. Arrived on board at 6:30 P.M.
29th January.-Left Port Campbell for Bilep at daybreak, arriving at the latter place at 70-3 A.M. Mr. Vaux and myself divided again into two parties, Mr. Vaux following up Gering-châpâ-jig, while I went up Bilep-jig. We rowed about a mile up the creek and went ashore, leaving the boat by itself. We soon found the Járawa tracks and followed them up through the jungle. We saw by the footprints that there were two men, one woman and a child in the vicinity. We followed these up and came on a temporary encampment, where they had been resting the night previous. It consisted of only a few leaves put on the gronnd to sleep on and a piece of wood as a head-rest, they having selected for this camp a promon. tory on the bank of a small waterfall, where it would have been extremely difficult to have taken them by surprise.
After having followed the footprints a few miles further south, we came on the foot. ateps of Mr. Vaux's party, which the Jåra was had followed to the beach, so we followed these as fast as we possibly could. When we came near the launch the crew shouted out to us that ten Járawas were sitting under a certain tree on the beach, so we advanced cautiously, keeping a good distance from the edge of the jungle. I left the Police behind a little so as not to frighten the Jårawas by our large numbers, but we found to our great disappointment that the Járawas had left the place and gone up the creek again ; coming on our boat, they had taken away from it two rowlocks and a bucket, having left the other two rowlocks with the remainder of the gear undisturbed. They had then followed our tracks into the jungle again. As it was getting dark now, it was of no use following them any further, so we returned in our boat to the ship. I may say that the number of Jàrawas who passed the ship had been greatly exaggerated by the crew, as we saw by the footprints, there had only been the three adults and one child that we had followed the whole day. Mr. Vaux returned on board at 9-30 PM.
30th January.--We went on shore in the early morning and remained on the beach, thinking that the Jarawas would either return to the beach or else leave this place altogether. But as the Jarawas did not come out, we returned on board and left Bilep for Kaichwa-log, whilo Mr. Vaux went with his party along the beach. Arrived at Kaichwalôg at about 4-30 P. M. and anchored inside the small harbour there at about 4-30 P.M.
This is a very good anchorage in any wind, except when it is blowing from the west. Deepest water is found near the north shore of the entrance. Went on shore again with the Andamanese and searched the jungle in the neighbourhood, but no traces of Járawas were seen. We returned on board at 6-30 P.M., Mr. Vaux having arrived an hour previously.
31st January.-Left Kaichwa-log at 6 A.M. and arrived at Port Anson at 9 A.M. Took two other Andamanese on board here and steamed down to Dum-la-chorag, where we anchored at 10 A.M. Went ashore and passed through about four miles of mangrove swamp.
