Indian Antiquary Vol 60

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

Page 160

136
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ JULY, 1931
Handed over certificate for Sajbu, new chief of Malacca, vice Iskol, who is undergoing imprisonment at Port Blair. Mr. Man gave directions to Mr. Solomon for taking the Census. The chiefs Offandi, Sampson and McPherson met us at Mus.
6th January.-Left Sawi Bay at 12 o'clock last night, and anchored off Sanenya village in Chowra Island at 7-45 a.m. Three or four canoes came off to us. The people seemed friendly enough and informed us that their headman Tamkoi was away on his annual visit to Nencowry. The Census party went ashore at 10 a.m., landing in canoes through the surf, which was not much. Having guides detailed, I proceeded to do my share of the work at Kotasuk and Olteak villages. Met Mr. Man and Captain Anderson at 1 p.m. at Sanenya and returned to the ship. At 4-30 p.m. I went ashore again to check the enumeration of the morning.
7th January.Left Chowra at 5 a.m. and arrived off Bengala village on Teressa Island at 7 a.m. The headman, Gibson, with his wife and child came on board. He was under the influence of liquor. Mr. Man landed and took the Census of three villages near Bengala. The ship then went on to Kerkwa further south on the same coast and landed Captain Anderson and myself. Procuring a guide I walked across the Island, about three miles to the village of Laksi on the West Coast, over high open lands covered with grass with Pandanus trees only, scattered about. Found the headman Wenechia away, said to be looking after a plantation of yams. Obtained information for the Census and returned to the ship, getting on board at 4-30 p.m. Remained at this anchorage off Keráwa for the night.
8th January.-Left Keráwa anchorage at 5 &.m., and arrived off Poabat village on Bompoka Island at 6 a.m., accompanied Mr. Man ashore to take Census of that village and of Yatkirana, the only two villages of this island. At 7-45 a.m. the ship left Bompoka for Nancowry Harbour, arriving there at 11-30 a.m. The Government Agent, Rati Lal, and headman Tanamara and others came off and reported all well. The Census Party went ashore in the afternoon and arranged for guides to visit the different parts of Camorta, Nancowry and Trinkat Islands the following day. Two bagalas from Bombay were lying in this harbour.
9th January.- I left the ship with three of the officers at 6-30 a.m. in a steam launch, towing & Nicobarese canoe, with guides. We first visited Hentoin village on the east coast of Camorta. The tide being low I had to walk over a coral reef for about 200 yards partly under water. Took the Census of this village and of four others to the north on the same coast. Three others, which were in existence at the Census of 1883, were found to be abandoned. Then proceeded in the steam launch from Hentoin aoroes to Trinkat Island, making for Okchedka, the principal village there. A Chinese junk was lying a mile off the shore opposite this village. The crew told us that the water was too shoal for us to proceed further. There was a fringing coral reef extending to a mile from the shore. The steam-launch was anchored and the party taken ashore in sampans by the crew of the junk. Even so there was difficulty as the boats were scraping over coral most of the way. I took the Census of Okcheaka and of the three other inhabited viilages of this Island. Found that seven villages had been abandoned since the last Census. We got some imperial pigeon and teal shooting at a jhil close to the landing place. The tide being high on our return to the launch, the passage over a mile of coral reefs was effected without difficulty in the Chinese sampans, We reached the ship in Nancowry Harbour åt 4 p.m. Remained here for the night.
10th January.-Left Nancowry Harbour at 6 a.m. for the east coast of Katchall, where Mr. Man was landed at Kirehenpoan at 7a.m., and Captain Anderson and myself at Oyantapah at 8 a.m. Moung Poen, the headman of all the villages on the east coast, was found to be very much the worse for liquor, and several men were lying in his hut intoxicated. We took the Census of the seven villages allotted to us and then returned to the ship and were taken to an anchorage oft Hoinipoh village, where Mr. Man was picked up. At II a.m.,