WRECK AND DEATH OF CAPTAIN OWEN 71 



taken off by several canoes that came across fronn the Nankauri 

 group. 



Their further adventures, although more properly appertain- 

 ing to the history of the central islands of the Nicobars, may as 

 well, for the sake of continuity, be given here. 



" The natives," writes Hamilton, "... very courteously 

 carried the shipwrecked men to their islands of Ning and Goury, 

 with what little things they had saved of their apparel and other 

 necessaries. 



" The captain had saved a broken knife about four inches long 

 in the blade, and he having laid it carelessly by, one of the 

 natives made bold to take it, but did not offer to hide it. The 

 captain, finding his knife in the poor native's hand, took it from 

 him and bestowed some kicks and blows on him for his ill 

 manners, which were taken very ill, for all in general showed 

 they were dissatisfied with the action ; and the shipwrecked men 

 could observe contention arising among those who were their 

 benefactors in bringing them to the island, and others who were 

 not concerned in it : however, next day, as the captain was sitting 

 under a tree at dinner, there came about a dozen of the natives 

 towards him and saluted him with a shower of darts made of 

 heavy wood, with their points hardened in the fire, and so he 

 expired in a moment. 



" How far they had a mind to pursue their resentment I know 

 not, but the benefactors of the shipwrecked men kept guard 

 about their house till next day, and then presented them with 

 two canoes, and fitted them with outleagers to keep them from 

 overturning, and put some water in pots, some coconuts and dry 

 fish, and pointed to them to be immediately gone, which they 

 did. 



" Being six in company, they divided equally, and steered their 

 course for Junkceylon, but in the way one of the boats lost her 

 outleager and drowned all her crew. The rest arrived safely, 

 and I carried them afterwards to Masulipatam." 



People from Kamorta, from which it can be seen, and who 

 own the plantations on it, come to the island from time to time 

 for the sake of the coconuts, of which there are a fair quantit}-, and 



