AN OLD ACCOUNT OF KAR NICOBAR 277 



" Our captain knew this country very well : it was the first of 

 the Nequebar * islands, which is called ' Kare Nequebar.' He 

 therefore ordered the ship to be steered towards its north-eastern 

 coast, in such manner as not to come too near a stony bank 

 stretching far into the sea. The more we approached the land, 

 the more agreeable it seemed to the eye, on account of the 

 pleasant change of wood with green fields, and trees standing in 

 thin rows between them. There was such perpetual change of 

 scenery, that it was almost impossible to believe this island to be 

 inhabited by uncivilized people. One field was specially conspic- 

 uous. It reached in a slope down to the sea, and there was 

 bordered by a row of thinly planted trees, the waves beating 

 against it with great violence ; in all other parts the sea was 

 bordered by thick trees like by a wall. After this we passed 

 another side of the island pretty closely, this coast not being 

 dangerous at all, and at the same time we came behind the wind. 

 The ship cast anchor a quarter of a German mile from the shore, 

 the water being fifteen fathoms deep. It was then 3 o'clock in 

 the afternoon. 



"The country seemed to be level and flat for about one 

 German mile, and was thickly overgrown with trees down to 

 the seashore. There were some semicircular openings hewn out, 

 in which one could perceive several houses with thatched roofs. 



" We had scarcely cast anchor, when some of the natives of 

 Necquebar came in their canoes ; they arrived rowing in silence. 

 Their canoes were long, narrow, and pointed ; they were hewn 

 out of trees, the best of them having a thin staff, about U man's 

 height, right in front, at the end of which was fastened a little 

 flag, by means of diametrical pieces of wood ; the flag, however, 

 was not movable, and stood out straight in front. There were 

 two bamboos tied to the top of the canoe, about i foot apart 

 from each other,-f- and at one side there was a kind of wing 

 fastened to the same, for the purpose of preventing the canoe 

 from being overset. 



'■ This wing was made of two bamboo sticks as long as the 

 * Nicobar. + Planksheers (?) 



