BOMPOKA 105 



The census returns of 1901 give the population of Teressa as 

 624, making the number of inhabitants 50 more than in 1886. 



Bompoka, having the appearance of a truncated cone, and 

 634 feet high, is an oblong-shaped island, about 4 square miles in 

 area, separated from Teressa by a channel 50 fathoms in depth, 

 and scarcely more than 2 miles wide. Its inhabitants, who number 

 less than a hundred, and the people of Teressa, have an interesting 

 legend to account for the formation of the island. Once upon a 

 time a vessel, having a prince for its captain, visited Teressa, 

 where he, on landing, was murdered by the inhabitants. His 

 wife was taken on shore and treated with the greatest respect ; 

 but, since the spot on which her husband's blood was shed was 

 always before her eyes, she was very miserable. One night, 

 however, she was advised in a dream, by her mother, to remove 

 the bloody spot from Teressa if she would be happy. This she 

 did, and Bompoka was thus separated from that island.* 



The geological formation and the vegetation are similar to 

 those of Teressa. The inhabitants have good plantations of 

 fruit-trees — papaya, plantains, and limes — neatly fenced to keep 

 out the pigs. At Poahat, on the west coast, good water is to be 

 obtained from a stream at the back of the village. 



These two islands, with perhaps Chaura, seem those referred 

 to by Hamilton as the Somerera Islands, so called because " on 

 the south end of the largest island is a hill that resembles the 

 top of an umbrella or somerera. They are fine champaign 

 ground, and, all but one, well inhabited. The island Somerera 

 lies about 8 leagues to the northward of Ning and Goury (the 

 Nankauri group), and is well inhabited for the number of 

 villages that show themselves as we sail along the shores. The 

 people, like those of Ning and Goury, are very courteous, and 

 bring the product of their island aboard of ships to exchange 

 for commodities. Silver nor gold they neither have nor care 

 for, so the root of all evil can never send out branches of misery, 

 or bear fruit to poison their happiness ! The men's clothing 

 is a bit of string round the middle, and about ih feet of cloth, 

 * Vz(fe Pere Barbe, Jour. Asiatic Soc. Bengal., vol. xv. 



