Indian Antiquary Vol 59

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

Page 296

72
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
MARCH, 1930
24th February.-Left camp at 7-30 A.M. with Messrs. Vaux and Rogors, one policeman, three convict servants and sixteen Andamanese. We followed up the Járawa track and came on an encampment about 9 o'clock. We proceeded on our way and came on another encampment an hour later. As the Jarawas had apparently only recently left this, we did not disturb it, for fear of disclosing our whereabouts to the Jårawas, should they be in the neighbourhood. After having rested a little while, we proceeded till at about 11 A.M., we heard the Járawas shouting a short distance ahead. Mr. Vaux then decided to wait till the evening until the Jårawas had gone to sleep and to attack their encampment as soon as the moon rose.
So we waited there the whole day, and when the moon rose we proceeded very slowly to the attack, a few Andamaneso going ahead; and Mr. Vaux, Mr. Rogers and myself holding each other's hands so as not to lose ourselves in the dark, slowly crept up to the Járawa camp. As soon as we got near the camp we waited for a second and when Mr. Vaux pass. ed the word, the Andamanese shouted and shot a number of arrows in the Jårawa huts. Mr. Vaux then at once with his dah in his hand rushed to the nearest hut on the left, while Mr. Rogers went to the right and I went straight ahead. When I had advanced a few yards the Andamanese Golat shouted out to me in Hindustani “Sahib baithô; Jarawa tir maria hai; band ale máró (Sir, sit down; a Jarawa is shooting arrows; fire your revolver) : " so I lay down flat on the ground, and not seeing auy Jarawa about I fired my revolver in the air. I had not done this before, as Mr. Vaux had previously ordered us not to fire till he passed the word. I then saw several children come out of the hut behind which Mr. Rogers had disappeared. I crept up and secured these with the help of an Andainanese.
I then heard Mr. Vaux shonting out "I am hurt," and turning round I saw him stag. gering and fall down. I at once went to him and asked him where he was hurt, Mr. Vaux only replied "I am donc," and the Andamanese showed me that he was wounded by an arrow in the left side. Mr. Vavx then said " For God's sake take this arrow out." As I saw that the whole of the arrow head had disappeared into his body, I went for Mr. Rogers' assistance. I found Mr. Rogers struggling with a Járawa woman, and he said that he would come in a second, as ho did not wish to let the woman go. I then returned to Mr. Vaux. The Andamanese were just extracting the arrow, and Mr. Vaux asked for Mr. Rogers and myself, and if we could do nothing for him. As Mr. Rogers had not turned up then, I be. came anxious about him, thinking that the Jarawas might have wounded him also. I went to him again and told him that I thought Mr. Vaux was dying. We both went back to Mr. Vaux, who was only a couple of yards away. We bandaged hipi ur. Mr. Vaux asked for light and water, which we gave him. After this Mr. Vaux fell back and died, We then waited in the Jarawa camp till the inorning, firing a gun every half an hour to keep the Jara was away.
25th and 26th February.-As soon as the day broke we gathered together the bows and arrows the Jàrawas bad left behind, and made arrangements for carrying Mr. Vaux's body. Having done this, we started back for the launch with it and the six Jarawa children and two women we had captured. Mr. Rogers sent two Andamanese ahead to go to the camp and tell the Havildar of Police to send six policemen to carry Mr. Vaux's body. We reached the camp about noon and after having packed all our things we proceedod, I going ahead and Mr. Rogers bringing up the rear. As I thought the launch would have po steam I sent some Andamanese and a free Burman with a gun ahead to inform the syrang (Indian mate) to have the launch ready to proceed to Port Blair that evening.
We had not advanced more than a few hundred yards when we heard the report of a gun; and direotly afterwards caught up the party we had sent in advance. We then saw that the Andamaneso Matthew had been wounded by a Jarawa, who had bidden behind a