188 ANDAMAN ISLANDS AND INHABITANTS 



injury, and its spread has, it is believed, been greatly accelerated 

 by the custom prevailing of the women suckling each other's 

 children. 



The " sense of shame " is but little developed, and the natives 

 pay no attention to their own nudity, although by nature 

 they are modest. Of the various objects worn, those only 

 coming under the heading of clothing are the aprons or leaves 

 worn with the girdle by the women, and always carefully 

 adjusted. 



Previous to marriage, which is not permitted to those between 

 whom any degree of consanguinity can be traced, unchastity is 

 the rule with both sexes. Births out of wedlock, however, are 

 considered discreditable, and marriage generally follows on a 

 girl becoming enceinte, in which case there seems no objection 

 on the part of the lover to become the husband. 



Once married, conjugal fidelity until death is the rule, and 

 bigamy, polygamy, and divorce are unknown. 



Restrictions from various tabooed articles of food, which begin 

 at puberty and often last for years, are brought to a conclusion 

 after a long series of initiatory ceremonies undergone by both 

 sexes. 



When a death occurs, the corpse is buried with a method 

 and ceremonies differing somewhat according as to whether it 

 be adult or child ; * and after some months, during which the 

 encampment in which the death took place is deserted, the 

 body is exhumed, and the bones cleaned and made into 

 souvenirs, which are distributed to relatives and friends. 



Numerous superstitions are extant among them, and there 

 is credence in wizardry. 



No form of worship is to be found ; but there exists a belief 

 in a spiritual being, called Puluga, the Creator ; and in evil 

 spirits, Erem-chaugala, the spirit of the woods ; and Juruwinda, 

 the spirit of the sea, the first of whom causes sickness and earth- 

 quakes, the latter cramp ; both are demoniacal. There are also 



* " The dead are often disposed of on platforms erected in the fork of some 

 suitable tree. Old people and infants are generally buried." — E. H. Man. 



