102 KAMO.RTA 



from Chaura and other islands, from 359 in 1886 to 488 at the 

 present day. 



Of the central group of islands, Hamilton writes : — 



" Ning and Goury are two fine, smooth islands, well inhabited, 

 and plentifully furnished with several sorts of good fish, hogs, 

 and poultry ; but they have no horses, cows, sheep, nor goats, 

 nor wild beasts of any sort but monkeys. They have no 

 rice nor pulse, so that the kernels of coconuts, yams, and potatoes 

 serve them for bread. 



Along the north end of the easternmost of the two islands 

 are good soundings, from 6 to 10 fathoms sand, about 2 miles 

 offshore. The people come thronging on board in their canoes, 

 and bring fowl, cocks ; fish, fresh, salted, and dried ; yams, the 

 best I ever tasted ; potatoes, parrots, and monkeys, to barter 

 for old hatchets, sword-blades, and pieces of iron hoops, to make 

 defensive weapons against their common disturbers and im- 

 placable enemies the Andamaners ; and tobacco they are very 

 greedy for ; for a leaf, if pretty large, they will give a cock ; 

 for 3 feet of an iron hoop a large hog, and for i foot in length, 

 a pig. They all speak a little broken Portuguese, but what 

 religious worship they use I could not learn." * 



* Hamilton's Account of the East Indies^ Pinkerton's Collection of Travels. 



