DISLIKE TO STRANGERS 317 



found that in buying land in Kar Nicobar, the bargain must be 

 made with the chief, as overlord of all the land in the village, 

 but that he, on his part, is bound to share the proceeds with 

 all who are interested in it. 



The price fixed on for the piece in question (about 8^ acres) 

 was : — twelve black suits, one piece of red cloth, six bags rice, 

 twenty packets Chinese tobacco, and twelve bottles rum. 



These things were distributed amongst the people of the 

 village by the headman, Offandi, who retained nothing for him- 

 self; but for some time subsequently he was in bad odour for 

 having given up the land to the Government, and for a long 

 period the Agency was looked on with much disfavour. 



The Kar Nicobarese have a deeply rooted aversion to the 

 settlement of strangers in their midst, and more than once have 

 expelled from their island intruding missionaries. Nowadays, 

 great discontent is caused by the traders leaving agents to 

 carry on business during the south-west monsoon, when the 

 weather is not suitable for vessels to remain amongst these 

 islands. 



The habit the natives have of using their crossbows in the 

 immediate neighbourhood of the villages is sometimes productive 

 of fatal accidents. Two men were shooting at Sawi, and one of 

 them having shot at a bird and missed, the arrow in falling 

 pierced the chest of his friend, who had run forward to recover 

 it. Several similar mischances have occurred recently in Mus ; 

 in the latest, a lad named Sinkin shot at a bird, and his arrow, 

 glancing from a tree, struck a man, Ka Noe, and entered his 

 side, causing a serious, but not fatal, wound. 



The not infrequent mishaps that occur on the annual canoe 

 voyages undertaken by the Kar Nicobarese to Chaura have 

 much to do with the stationary condition of the population of 

 the island. Canoes containing thirty to forty men are regularly 

 sent out by the villages of the island, and when they meet 

 with bad weather a total loss is not an uncommon occur- 

 rence. 



During the months of October, November, and December — 



