TALISMANS AND "SCARE-DEVILS" 85 



roof, where baskets and odds-and-ends are stowed away. Several 

 boxes, packed with the family possessions of cotton and spoons, 

 stood against the walls, on which hung various charms — small 

 figures {kareau), carved scrolls, tassels of palm leaf, and pigs' skulls 

 — all for scaring away devils. Hanging in the centre was a grass 

 string, with a few small coconuts attached : these are for the 

 purpose of feeding the house, and are periodically renewed : the 

 object so nourished does not seem possessed of much acumen, 

 however, for small green nuts, which have been blown down or 

 have fallen from disease, seem quite good enough to sustain it. 

 The house also contained some almost life-sized human figures 

 ipdiau), carved from wood, painted and clothed. These were 

 not at all badly shaped, and show an appreciation of anatomical 

 detail unusual among uncivilised people. The shape of the 

 Nicobarese head, and the peculiar angle at which the teeth are 

 set, were well noticed : the swelling muscles, the toes and fingers, 

 even the sharpness of the shin-bone in front of the leg, and the 

 form of the knee-cap, were faithfully copied. They were all 

 supplied with a piece of rancid pork hung from the neck or 

 placed in the mouth.* 



Several pictures {Jienta) drawn on slabs of wood were placed 

 against the walls. These originate from an attack of fever. 

 They are drawn by the village artist by order of the doctor 

 {menluand), who tells him what he should make. The latter 

 is paid in kind for his work. Of frequent occurrence are 

 pigs, crocodiles and coconut trees, whilst almost always there 

 appears a scene of men seated at a table and drinking 

 rum from large glasses. If the patient make a good recovery, 

 the picture is kept as a potent charm, since it has been 

 successful in scaring away the spirits of illness ; otherwise, it is 

 thrown away. A bird {kaldng)\ commonly made during fever 

 will also produce recovery. 



We could not persuade the people to part with any of these, 

 neither would they sell one of the large figures. Tanamara has 



* Canoes also are occasionally fed with chickens, 

 t The white-bellied sea-eagle {Cuncutna leucogaster). 



