Indian Antiquary Vol 59

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 285

FEBRUARY, 1930)
REMARKS ON THE ANDAMAN ISLANDERS AND THEIR COUNTRY 61
We then separated in two parties again and after our having crossed & short distance of sungle, we came on a large Járaws path. Having followed it a little way up, we were caught up by Mr. Vaux's party. This path led us on to a large hut. After having unguccessfully searched the jungle for another mile or so, Mr. Vaux decided that we should take & few of the Jarawa objects of interest out of their hut and return with the launch to Port Blair.
lat February.--Left Dum-la-chôrag at daybreak and arrived at Port Blair, about 10-30 A.M.
2nd February.Left Port Blair at 7-50 A.M. for Kyd Island and arrived at the latter place at 10-10 A.M., rowed up Játang creck with Mr. Vaux and party, and landed at the Forest Department depôt, where we picked up Mr. Rogers, and then returned to Kyd Island.
3rd February.-Left Kyd Island at 6 A.M. and arrived at Dum-la-chôrag at 8-40 A.M. Went ashore with Mr. Vaux and party to the Járawa camp. We took away from it as many pigs' skulls, baskets, etc., as we could carry. The Jarawas, who had been there the day previous, had taken away all the wooden buckets we had seen there on Friday, of which a specimen had been taken away by us. We returned on board and left Dum-la-chôrag at 4-35 P.m. for Leker&-lunta, where we anchored at 5-30 P.M. 4th February.--Left Leker£-lunt A at 11-40 A.m., and arrived Port Blair at 4-30 P.M.
SECOND RECONNAISSANCE, (a) Extract from the Diary of the late Mr. P. Vau, Port Officer, Port Blair,
from 17th to 23rd February 1902. 17th February.-Left Port Blair 5 P.M., arriving at Macpherson's Straits at 8 P.X.; anchored for the night.
18th February.Left Macpherson's Straits at daybreak, arriving at Baj A-lunta at 10 A.M. Left at 10-30 with Mr. Rogers. It was a long pull and by the time we had landed and separated it was past 11. Beat about the swamp for some time for footsteps, and while doing so came on Mr. Rogers. Left him at once, going south mysell, while he went north. We goon came on tracks, and these we followed for the remainder of the day. We soon discovered that the party of Jarawas was only just in front of us. So close were we to them, that at one place where they had sat down to take their food, we found a live fish that they had canght in the creek. We were following up a small stream and our direction was nearly due east. We slacked off somewhat as our intention was to come up with them in the evening. At about 2 P.M. we heard them cutting down branches and afterwards came to the boughs of trees that had been cut down for the insects inside them.
The Andamanese said the party would be sure to camp in the evening and that then was our time. They were proceeding quite slowly, and we did the same occasionally losing their stops, but never for long. About 4 P.M., we heard them commence to cut down trees for their camp, and we could distinctly hear the voices of men, women and children. It took them about an hour to prepare their huts, and then they settled down and every sound nearly was audible. With the utmost caution we got to within a few hundred yards of them and there waited, deciding, as it was moonlight, in fact full moon, that we would rush their camp at night. It was most weary work waiting, and very cold and miserable, as we were all wet through. About 7-30 all sounds ceased, and at 8 o'clock the three best Andamanese crept away to discover where their camp was. It seemed an eternity before their return, which, as a matter of fact, was just an hour. They reported that they had found the huts and that all the Jara was were gound asleep.
We thon all advanced, in nearly absolute silence, at about the pace of a yard a minute. It must have been half-past ten, when in the flickering moonlight, we discerned their huts. I got separated from the Andamanoso, who went to the back of the huts, while I and the