"FRIEND OF ENGLAND" 55 



Hindustani, and Kamortan, he speaks well, and has some 

 acquaintance with Malay and Burmese.* 



Visits to the Terrapin occurred frequently during our stay, 

 but none were of long duration, for a growing squeamishness 

 on the part of our guests generally cut them short. 



Although accustomed to travel in canoes, they could not 

 withstand the motion of the schooner. Indeed, for the whole 

 time we lay in Sdwi Bay, the Terrapin, on account of the swell 

 that set into the bay, so rocked and rolled at her anchor that 

 life on board was scarcely comfortable. The fiddle was always 

 on the table, the preparation of our specimens went on under 

 difficulties, and at night sleep was almost impossible unless we 

 wedged ourselves on our mattresses by means of extra cushions 

 and pillows. The vessel frequently took water over her sides, 

 until at times it almost seemed that she would roll her masts 

 out. We generally had to exercise the greatest care in leaving 

 or boarding the ship, and yet with it all the sea was quite 

 unbroken save for the line of surf along the beach. The bigger 

 trading - vessels — brigs and barquentines — anchored more off 

 shore, and, because of their greater size, were scarcely affected 

 by the motion. 



Whenever the tide was low, the reef-bordered portions of the 

 coast were always frequented by various parties of natives, busily 

 occupied in searching in the pools and under the coral boulders 

 for fish, crabs, and molluscs ; at night, when the sea was calm, 

 bright fires blazed on the water and the shore, and marked 

 where fish - spearing was going on from sheltered ledges of 

 rock or slowly-moving canoes. 



Of all the people, " Friend of England " was perhaps the most 

 amusing. He was infected with the garrulity of old age, and 

 made the most of his opportunities by unblushing mendicancy. 



As he came alongside, sitting — a very dignified figure in 

 top - hat and white knickerbockers — upright and motionless in 

 his canoe, which was manned by juvenile paddlers, he always, 



* "A century ago, all the natives of Kar Nicobar spoke the Portuguese of 

 the Indian Eurasians." — Hamilton, Asiatic Researches, vol. ii. 



