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
(MABOH, 1930
of these places, as they once occupied this country and were driven out of it by the Jarawas, when these last were pushed north by the expansion of the settlement,
Mr. Vaux's body was slung to a strong bamboo and hung down from it and the bamboo was carried by:-(1) the policeman, (2) my mallah Sher Khan, (3) Mr. Vaux's Burman, (4) Mr. Bonig's Burman, until the Police met us and after that it was carried by the Police to the coast. The policemen behaved admirably. They met us about half mile to the south of the Rains Camp on the high hill (intersection point on survey map). We left the camp which we had rushed at daybreak, and must have reached the camp where the policemen were left behind about 11 o'clock. The women and children came with us quite cheerfully and willingly, and gave us no trouble.
We halted about quarter of an hour at Gôrlâkâbang Camp, where we all had some food, while the things were packed up, and then pushed on to Pôchàng Camp, leaving behind us what rations we had not consumed, so as to lighten the loads to be carried as much as possible. About four miles from the Pôchâng Camp MBonig, who was in the front part of the line, told me that Andamanese Matthew had been shot in the arm by à Jerawa. Shortly before this some of the Andamanese with me told me that they thought they had heard some Jarawas going on ahead.
Mr. Bonig then led the line, while I stayed in the rear with two policemen and three Andamanese, and I put some more policemen in the middle, and after a temporary halt pushed on as fast as we could, keeping all close together and firing at intervals to keep off the Jårawas. I was not told how many Járawas had been seen and what they had done, BO was anxious until we had got right out to the estuary. We reached the estuary of Dum. la-chôrag about 5-30 P.M.: so if we consider that we walked if miles an hour, which I think we did, we must have covered about 17 miles of country.
The tide was out when we reached the sea coast, and as it was full tide when we had landed, we had considerable diffioulty in pulling the boat to the water and getting off through about three-quarters of a mile of soft mud to get the boat afloat. I reached the launch at 7-30 P.M. Mr. Bonig at once started. Crossed the bar at the entrance of the Middle Straits and ran straight down to Port Blair. (c) Extract from the Diary of Mr. M. Bonig, Assistant Harbour Master,
from the 17th to 26th February 1902. 17th February.-Left Port Blair 5 P.M. arriving at Macpherson's Strait at 8 P.M.; anchored for the night.
18th February.--Left Macpherson's Strait at daybreak for Bajálunta. Baja-lunta-log is the Andamanese name of the Bay, about 8 miles south of Port Campbell. It is named on the chart Talap-longtå, which the Andamanese informed us to be incorrect. Anchored in this Bay at 10 A.m., and went ashore in the dinghy with six Andamanese, three Polioe and two Burmans. Landed on the north shore of the Bay, Messrs. Rogers and Vaux and party landing at the mouth of the creek at the head of the Bay.
We found new tracks of Jarawas almost as soon as we landed, and followed them up; the Andamanege also shot a pig which had been previously wounded by Jàrawas. When it was getting late in the afternoon we lost the Járawa tracks, so we cut through the jungle towards the seashore, and followed it. We then came upon a temporary Jarawa encampment, and from it we took away two bamboo water vessels which had been left behind. This is the only Jarawa encampment we found near the seashore, the others all being in the interior.
As it was getting dark and the tide rising, we had a very diffioult journey back to the ship; often going up to our necks through the sea. The place was infested with sharks, but we kept them off by shouting constantly. One of them, about 6 feet long, came straight for us and I only just managed to scare it away by jumping on it, touching it with my hands.
