Indian Antiquary Vol 59

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

Page 286

62
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(FEBRUARY, 1930
Police went to Alank. The camp was in absolute sleep. A baby oried and was hushed to sleep, while we were within 20 yards of the camp. As we stole along through the jungle, dead twigs broke and cracked and their noise at last awakened the sleepers ; there were voices, exclanations, then figures could be seen einerging from the huts. A shot was fired from a rifle, then others, and all was confusion. I rushed into the middle and pulled at the post of one of the houses. I then saw a figure escaping into the jungle and I seized hold of it. This I believe to have been a woman. She escaped owing to the stupidity of a policeman. I called to one of the sepoys to seize her, and ran back again to order the firing to cease. The policeinan let her go and she escaped. I believe her to be a woman, as she was smeared with white and as she did not attack me or bite, but only struggled to get loose. I had dragged her out of the jungle to the edge of the fire and all that the policeman had to do was to hold her, but even this he did not do. Two children, a girl aged about seven, and a baby ten months or so, were seized by my direction close by. When the confusion had subsided, I made the Police and Andamanese make large fires around the camp and we collected the bows and arrows of the Jarawas and sat round the fires. I ordered a shot to be fired every quarter of an hour to scare them away in case they should return.
The camp was of three huts, a mere shelter in the middle of the jungle. It was occupied by two families and two lads who did not belong to them, i.e., two full grown men, two boys, two women and four children.What must have happened is that the Andamanese got close up to the huts and then the inmates awoke. They said they shot one of the men, put. ting two arrows into him, a large one under the arin and another fish arrow through his thigh. Then the boys and women ran out and the Police fired, and then all was confusion. I had expected when the sounds of our coming had aroused the Járawas, that they would have ran out in front and fired at myself and the Police, who were plainly visible, but they were caught so sound asleep that they could do nothing and only thought of escaping.
We passed a most miserable night crouched round the tires, with a shot being fired every Afteen minutes or so. None of us had had anything to eat since seven o'clock in the morning, but fish and pigs' flesh and potatoes were found in the huts and the Andamaneso had a little, while I and the Police had a few chupatis (unleavened pancakes). Sleep of course was impossible for me and the Police, and we shivered over the fires from eleven in the night
till daybreak. When it was light enough, I and the Andamanese followed up the blood staing. and found the two arrows covered with blood that the Andamanese had shot into one of the Jårawas, and which the man had succeeded in pulling out. We lost the blood stains very soon and then there was nothing to be done but to return. So we set off for the coast. taking the two children with us, and came out about 9. We then had a two-mile walk through the sea and mangrove swamp getting back at 10 o'clock. Mr. Rogers pulled off with the boat when he heard us fire a shot. Mr. Bonig had gone south and returned in the evening, having found no signs of anything.
20th Februry.-Learning from the Andamanese that there was a woman giving milk at Port Anson, we changed all previous arrangements and proceeded to Port Anson, as it was very necessary to give the Jarawa baby some milk. Left at 7-39 and arrived at 1. To my great disappointment the woman was absent in the jungle. We tried feeding the child with milk, but we could hardly force any down its throat. So after waiting until the night for the woman to return and finding she did not, I decided to send the launch back to Port Blair in the morning with both the children and Mr. Bonig, and to camp at Pôchang. the site of the chief Járawa camp, till the morning with Mr. Rogers.
21 February.-Left Port Anson at daybreak and anchored at Dum-la-chorag at 7.30 AM. Mr. Rogers and myself, a dozen Andamanese and 12 policeinen landed, Mr. Bonig with the remaining Andamanese, the 2 Jarawa children and 5 Police returning to Port Blair.