20 Voyage of the No vara. 



us, which was dated 15th January, and bore the signature of 

 the captain of the ship Arracan, there was written beneath, 

 ^' Dickson, though a shabby-looking fellow, is a man of sub- 

 stance." In a second testimonial, it was said of a native : 

 *' He will do honour to England when she comes !" a remark 

 which leaves plainly apparent the hope of the ship captain 

 that these islands will speedily be occupied by the English. 

 These certificates likewise contain a variety of important 

 hints, especially with reference to the method of dealing with 

 the natives, the most commodious anchorage, the difficulty 

 encountered in landing, &c.* 



Thus the most cursory communication with the natives 

 convinced us that they must already have repeatedly done 

 business with English ship captains, who had imparted to them 

 a slight knowledge of the English language, and a few of the 

 simpler principles of humanity and religion. Wlien we gave 

 them to understand that we visited them as friends, they replied 

 in their broken English : " Not merely friends — brothers ! all 

 brothers ! all only one father and one mother ! " Hereupon 

 each proceeded to light one of the cigars that had been pre- 



* Thus, for instance, there occurred in one of these documents : — " In the village 

 of Aurong, or Arrow, the best anchorage is opposite Capt. Marshall's hut, in from 13 

 to 15 fathoms water. At many points the coast is so dangerous, that one ship lost 

 two of her men, who were endeavouring to land in a boat." In another certificate it 

 was announced that the hsxqwQ Bata via of Rotterdam, freighted with rice, of 442 tons 

 burthen, while on her voyage from Rangoon to Europe, was wrecked in Danson's 

 passage, 7th April, 1857, and her crew was very hospitably treated by the natives of 

 Kar-Nicobar. Almost every one of these certificates concludes with the remark that 

 wlioever wishes to be on friendly terms with the natives must play no pranks with 

 their women, nor shoot their fowls or hogs in the forest. 



