Frugal Fare of Natives. — Gigantic Bat. 41 



the screw-pine (Pandanus odoratissima), whose fruit forms his 

 chief article of food, as also the betel-shrub and the Areca 

 palm, which furnish their cherished masticatory, grow here, 

 and the coral sand, which can be worked into the most excel- 

 lent lime for building purposes, is only used by them for the 

 purpose of obtaining that ingredient so ^prejudicial to the 

 teeth, which serves to impart to the betel the j)roper relish. 



From a passing observation of Wilkinson's we gathered 

 that occasionally, during the S. W. monsoons, earthquakes are 

 experienced at Kar-Nicobar, and this volcanic indication is 

 yet more strongly marked on the adjoining island of Bam- 

 poka. Despite the almost stifling heat, which raised the 

 column of mercury to 99° in the shade, some of the members 

 of the expedition endeavoured to penetrate, with indescribable 

 toil, into the swampy forest tract along the shore, and eventu- 

 ally succeeded in bringing back several objects which, though 

 few in number, were of the utmost importance, and well re- 

 paid their labour. Among tlie animals knocked over, there 

 was a gigantic bat, or flying Maki (Pterops), the native name 

 of which is Daiahm. 



A foot-track led direct through the forest, cutting off the 

 southern corner of the island towards the western side. The 

 natives had in vain endeavoui'ed, with their customary im- 

 portunities, to deter us from following this path, assuring us 

 that we should land ourselves in the thick of the jungle, which 

 was full of poisonous serpents. However, nothing would 

 serve us but to penetrate for once a little deeper into the 



