160 GREAT NICOBAR— W. AND S. COASTS 



" Later in the day we strolled through the coast village to 

 watch the progress towards completion of a partially-finished 

 canoe we had purchased. With a little supervision it was 

 only a short afternoon's work for three or four men to cut 

 and fit, by means of their ddos, the stem and stern, cross- 

 pieces, outriggers, and float, and quickly do all the fastening 

 required with tough strips of rattan. 



" Our guides of the morning were rewarded with a sarong- 

 apiece and we purchased with rupees a pair of captive nutmeg- 

 pigeons — somewhat uncommon pets — and a couple of grey- 

 headed parrots {P. caniceps) that had been obtained as fledglings 

 by the villagers. 



" Once again on board we found canoes arriving with loads 

 of coconuts and numbers of fowls. Old shoes were the prin- 

 cipal articles demanded, but the skipper got six chickens for 

 a white linen coat. Our estimable captain is actuated by a 

 commercial spirit ; his invariable greeting to a new arrival 

 is ' Ah, hang sudaJi datang ! apa Jiang bawa ? ' — ' Ah, you've 

 come ! what are you bringing ? ' " 



" March 26. — Spent an hour on shore, and then left with the 

 breeze at 7 A.M. Sailing slowly down the coast we passed 

 Henpoin, Pulo Kotah, and Henhoa, at all of which places are 

 many coco palms, with one or two houses visible. Two or 

 three miles inland a range of hills runs down the coast, and 

 must form the eastern slope of the Galathea Valley ; until 

 their foot is reached, the country is low and level. 



" Off South Point the wind became very light at midday, and 

 subsequently we worked up and down against a strong north- 

 westerly tide, barely maintaining our position. After a small 

 advance, at 10 P.M. we were back again where we had been at noon, 

 so, getting soundings of 9 fathoms, we anchored for the night." 



" March 27. — At daybreak the current was running S.S.W., at 

 2 knots. This slackened at nine o'clock, and with a light breeze 

 from the N.E. we gradually made our way towards South Bay, 

 until, the wind becoming more easterly, we tacked up it, and 

 anchored towards the top in 7^ fathoms. 



