318 CUSTOMS OF THE KAR NICOBARESE 



the first half of the north-east monsoon — or fine season, the 

 people of Kar Nicobar live a busy life. 



At first they are engaged in husking the coconuts which 

 are to be exported to Calcutta and Moulmein. The wages 

 they obtain for this work are the value of lOO nuts for husking 

 looo nuts. They are generally paid in cloth, or two-anna bits, 

 which are utilised by manufacture into head — or neck — ornaments. 



Next they are employed in landing the goods of the Burmese 

 kopra - makers, and in carrying the same to their villages, for 

 as no ships can anchor on the north-east coast during the season, 

 everything has to be transported by the natives. The people 

 of Mils carry the things of those traders who own stores in 

 their villages ; in like manner the villagers of Malacca go to 

 Sawi Bay, and carry the goods of those Burmans who dwell 

 amongst them. They are remunerated according to the follow- 

 ing scale : — 

 For carrying a 3-maund bag of rice — 



(a) From Hog Point (N.-W. of Sawi Bay) 

 to . . . Elpanam at Mus 



{b) ... Kenmai 



[c] ... Lapati 



I Tapoeming 

 id) . . , < Chokchuacha 



I Kenyuaka 

 (e) ... Tamalu 



(/)... Perka 

 (^) , . . Malacca 



It costs a trader about 30 rupees to transport one cartload of goods from 

 Mus to Malacca. 



When this work is done, the Nicobarese are employed in 

 erecting huts, to serve the traders as bazaars. Each hut is built 

 by contract by one man with the help of friends, and on its 

 completion the owner has to give the contractor 14 to 20 

 yards of red cloth, a Burmese betel-box and a ddo, and 

 besides this, has to supply the men with food until the work is 

 finished. 



After the hut has been built, the natives proceed to make 

 a fence round a small compound, in order to prevent pigs from 



