COLLECTION FROM THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS 87 



Since the establishment of the penal settlement at Port Blair, on 

 South Andaman, the race, as is shown by government statistics, has 

 been rapidly approaching extinction. 



Description of Illustrations and Specimens. 



The illustration on page 80 shows a man shooting fish, a pursuit in 

 Avhich the natives are very expert. As he stands in the edge of the water 

 with drawn bow, every line of his supple body is full of grace. Note the 

 peculiar shape of the bow in his hand, which is generally mafle of a kind 

 of wood known in the islands as "Chai" (Alphonsea ventricosa). The 

 arrows used for shooting fish are made of a reed- like variety of bamboo 

 (Bambusa nana) and have a very short foreshaft of wood, to which is bound 

 an iron point and one or more barbs of iron. 



In the upper figure on j)age 83 are illustrated the customs in vogue 

 at meeting and parting. Unlike most peoples, the Andamanese testify their 

 joy at meeting by excessive weeping. When relatives meet after an ab- 

 sence of a few weeks, they sit together with their arms around each other's 

 necks and indulge in loud wailings until nearly exhausted. At parting, 

 the guest takes the hand of his host and blows on it. The compliment 

 being returned, the guest takes his leave, shouting out invitations and prom- 

 ises of future meetings until out of earshot. 



The marriage ceremony is shown in the lower figure of page 83. This 

 consists in the chief of the tribe leading the bashful groom up to the equally 

 bashful bride, and seating him in her lap, the prospective wife being in 

 the meantime held in position by the women of the tribe. The chief 

 then gives the young couple some advice as to their future conduct, and 

 the ceremony is ended. 



The illustration on page 84 shows objects connected with some of the 

 most curious customs of the Andamanese. Figs. 1 and 5 show prepared 

 human skulls, already referred to, which are worn as a token of respect 

 for lost members of the family. These are carefully cleaned and painted; 

 after which pendants with shells or fringe are attached, and a strap is put 

 on by which they are suspended around the neck of the wearer. There 

 is no obligation to wear this sign of mourning for any great length of time, 

 and it is passed from one to another of the relatives. Figs. 2 and 4 are 

 human jaws which are prepared and worn in the same way and for the 

 same purpose as the skulls just described. Fig. 3 shows a band of hu- 

 man bones with pendant fringe and shells. This is a fetish, and is worn 

 by friends of a sick person, as a cure. When a person is suffering pain, the 

 fetish is frequently placed over the affected part. 



