Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 60
Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications
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216
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ NOVEMBER, 1931
Great Nicobar ..
Loong
.. .. 333.20 Kondul
Lamongshe .. .. 0.50 *Cabra
Konwana .. .. 0.20 The Southern Group of islands are known to the Malays as Sambilong or the Nine Islands.
I have not been able to trace the modern geographical names of these islands to their sources, except in a few cases, and the old maps do not help much. Nicobar turns up as a general name for the islands in maps of 1560, 1688, and 1710, but this name is separately traced out. Nicobar, and corruption Nicular means, however, on the maps the Great Nicobar (1695, 1642, 1710, 1720, 1764). It did so to Dampier in 1688. Car Nicobar has a variety of names; some through misprintsCarecusaya ..
.. 1560 for Carenicaya ? Caremcubar .. .. .. .. .. 1595 for Carenicubar. Carenicubar ..
1642. Cara Nicobar ..
1710. Cornaloa bar..
1720 for Cornaccabar ? Cumicubar, Carnicular and
.. .. 1720 all for Carnicubar. Carnioubas. Carnicobar ..
.. .. 1764, 1785. Chowra appears as Jara, 1764, 1785, and all the other names for it are corruptions of sombrero, from the remarkable umbrella-shaped hill to the south of itDosombr
.. .. 1595 for Dos Sombros? Sombrero .. .
.. 1642, 1710, 1720. Dos Sombreros ..
.. .. 1686. Sombrera
.. .. 1720. Hence the existing (Canal de Sombreiro) Sombrero Channel in these islands.
Terenga was always distinguished and shows its origin in the village of Tras, with which, no doubt, trading was done. Rasa . .
.. 1595, 1642. Raya ..
.. .. .. .. .. 1686 for Raza. Ras& .. ..
. 1710. Possa, Raza, and de Richo ..
.. 1720 all for Rasa. .. .. .. .. .. 1764 for Rasa. Terache
.. .. 1764, 1785. Bompoka appears as Pemboo, 1764, and Perboo, 1785 (misprint for Pemboc).
Camorta was called the Isle of Palms. Thus, Das Palmeiras, 1642; Des Palmas, 1720. But later by its native name Nicavari (=Nancowry) 1764, 1785.
Tillanohong is Talichan, 1764, 1785. Trinkat is Sequinte in 1710. Nanoowry is Souri in 1764, 1785 (and in all reports up to 1800 and some time after). Katohall is de Achens in 1710. And Great Nicobar is Seneda for some reason in 1710.
There is considerablo variety in the appearance of the several islands of the Nicobar groups. Thus, from north to south, Car Nicobar is & flat coral-covered island; Chowra is also flat, with one remarkable table-hill at the south end (343 feet); Teressa is a curved line of hills rising to 897 feet, and Bompoka is one hill (634 feet) said by some to be voloanio; Tillanchong is a long, narrow hill (1,058 feet); Camorta and Nancowry are both hilly (up to 735 feet); Trinkat is quite flat; Katchall is hilly (835 feet), but belongs to the Great and Little Nicobars in general form, differing much from the others of the Central Group; the Great and Little Nicobars are both mountainous, the peaks rising to 1,428 feet in the Little, and to
