SUPPLIES 65 



Although ranking only fourth or fifth in point of size, Kar 

 Nicobar contains nearly three - fifths of the total population 

 of the group ; the number of its inhabitants has remained 

 stationary for many years, and has lately been ascertained to 

 stand at a trifle under 3500. 



" The people of Kar Nicobar ought to be among the most 

 contented in the world. Everyone lives on terms of perfect 

 equality with his neighbours. Beyond occasional illnesses, they 

 have no cares or troubles, and there is absolutely no struggle 

 for existence, coconuts and pandanus, their staple foods, being 

 in such profusion that a child old enough to climb a tree could 

 support himself without exertion." * 



Our sojourn at Kar Nicobar lasted from the 21st to 27th of 

 January, and was spent in making a collection of the fauna (which 

 was not entirely without result in the way of new species), and 

 in obtaining as much information as possible about the natives 

 during the opportunities open to us. Besides this, we secured, 

 through the agent, a fairly representative series of such articles 

 as are used by the islanders in their daily occupations and 

 pursuits. 



The well from which we filled our tanks was situated near 

 the agent's house : no good water was to be obtained elsewhere 

 in the bay. In this well the water rose and fell with the tides, 

 the explanation of which is, not that the sea-water is filtered 

 by the coral sand, but that fresh and salt water do not combine ; 

 the former rests on the latter, which is of course heavier, and 

 the close and porous coral rock prevents the mixture of the two. 



Having given all the time we could spare to Kar Nicobar, 

 and found it a most interesting locality and one worthy of far 

 more protracted attention, it was with feelings of regret that on 

 the 26th we, as Dampier would say, " refreshed ourselves very 

 well with hens, coconuts, and oranges, and the next day sailed 

 from thence." 



* A. L. Butler, Supp. And. and Nic. Gazette, Nov, 1897. 



