APPEARANCE 225 



pelago was originally occupied by primitive peoples of Malayan 

 stock, now represented by the Shorn Pen of Great Nicobar, and 

 was afterwards resettled on the coast-lands by Indo-Chinese and 

 Malayan intruders, who intermingled, and either extirpated and 

 absorbed, or else drove to the interior, the first occupants." * 



It is difficult to picture a typical representative of this much- 

 mixed people, as even in those islands that have a distinct 

 speech of their own, and whose inhabitants might be supposed 

 to be fairly homogenous, wide differences are met with, as above 

 pointed out. The variations, however, are not sufficient on the 

 whole to merit separate descriptions of the inhabitants of each 

 island. 



These variations occurring in size, features, and hair, show that 

 the Nicobarese are a thoroughly mixed race, for the points do not 

 coincide with each other ; that is to say, curly hair does not always 

 go with a prominent nose, or straight hair with Malayan features. 



It is hardly possible to describe a representative specimen 

 who combines all the prominent prevalent characteristics, but 

 they seem capable of division into two classes, the smaller of 

 which is superior in appearance to the other, and is often 

 strikingly Caucasian, with oval face, straight eyes, aquiline nose, 

 and thin lips.-j- 



The result of about forty measurements shows that the 

 maximum height of an adult male Nicobarese is 7of inches ; 

 the minimum, 59I inches ; and the average stature, 63.9 inches.:|: 

 While thus somewhat under middle height, they are well built 

 (average chest measurement, 35.3 inches) and proportioned, 

 muscular, and on the whole a sturdy-looking race. 



* Professor A. H. Keane, " Man, Past and Present," Camb. Geog. Series, 

 1899. 



t Comparing the group of Kar Nicobar boys (page 60) with those of Kondul 

 (p. 138), it is not easy, at a glance, to perceive much racial resemblance. The 

 first, scowling and flat-nosed, with prominent teeth and thick lips, and the 

 others intelligent-looking, with almost European features. Yet the eldest of 

 these latter exactly resembled in every way Little John, the man who was my 

 shikari in Kar Nicobar. 



X Although the average is no more than with the Shorn Peii, there is a much 

 greater individual variation of stature. 



P 



