38 Voyage of the Novara. 



On 27tli February, towards evening, after a stay of seven 

 days on the north side of Kar-Nicobar, which had been spent 

 in scientific operations of the most varied natui'e, we again 

 set sail, and next morning cast anchor on the south side of the 

 same island, close to the village of Komios. The current, 

 which at this point sets to the E.S. E., runs about three miles 

 an hour, so long as the flood-tide continues, but as soon as 

 the ebb-tide sets in, it chops round, and runs with greatly di- 

 minished velocity. The landings on the south side, which, on 

 leaving the northern promontory, shows a much richer vege- 

 tation, are somewhat difficult to discover, since at almost all 

 points reefs and coral-banks project from the shore far into 

 the sea, so that after doubling the cape it is necessary to stop 

 short a pretty considerable distance from the land. 



While we were coasting along the eastern shore we could 

 perceive through the telescope, at the village of Lapate, con- 

 sisting of some eight or ten huts, a great number of women 

 and children, who were rushing to and fro among the huts in 

 the utmost confusion, till suddenly all disappeared in the 

 forest. These were evidently fugitives from the north side, 

 who were now once more betaking themselves to the forest, 

 accompanied by the native females of the east and south sides, 

 when they saw the dreaded floating giant approaching them. 

 A beach of dazzling white coral-sand, sprinkled over with 

 thousands of living mussels, low melancholy-looking man- 

 grove swamps, and a superb forest of trees with lofty stems, 

 through which lay a beaten footpath, was all that the flat shore 



