CHAPTER IX 



KAMORTA 



The Old Settlement— The Cemetery— F. A. de Roepstorff— Mortality— Birds— 

 The Harbour — Appearance of Kamorta — Dring Harbour — Olta-moit — 

 Buffalo — Spirit Trafific — Cookery — Ceremonial Dress — A Visit from 

 Tanamara — Geology — Flora — Topography — Population — Hamilton's 

 Description. 



On several occasions we crossed the harbour and visited the 

 locality of the convict settlement formerly established on Kamorta, 

 but given up in 1888, when the buildings were dismantled, and 

 sepoys and prisoners withdrawn to Port Blair. 



The jetty on which one lands is more than a hundred yards 

 long, and although solidly constructed of coral blocks, is now 

 in need of partial repair. To the right is a long sea-wall, and 

 on the other hand a small boat harbour, both built of coral. 

 Beyond the agent's house at the foot of the jetty, one walks 

 along a grass-grown road shaded by an avenue of tall casuarinas, 

 and passes several large wells of strong brickwork, and a 

 large tank for rain water, with various other traces of past 

 occupation, till on the hill-top one comes on the remains of 

 the Government bungalow, of which only the foundations are 

 now to be seen. A little farther on is the only building now 

 standing — the old powder store — "where nothing's here that's 

 worth defence, they leave a magazine ! " 



On another hill close by — from which are to be seen the 



whole stretch of the beautiful harbour, the distant forest-clad 



slopes of Kachal and the grassy interior of Kamorta — lies the 



little cemetery with its two occupants — Nicolas Shimmings, 



chief engineer of the R.I. M.S. Kwangtung, and Frederick Adolph 

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