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XXVII. 

 ON THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS, 



BY LIEUT. R. H. COLEBROOKE. 



THE Andaman islands are situated on the eastern 

 side of the bay of Bengal* y extending from 

 north latitude io Q 32' to 13 40'. Their longitude is 

 from 92 ° 6' to 92 ° 59' east of Greenwich, The Great 

 Andaman, or that portion of the land hitherto so 

 called, is about one hundred and forty British miles 

 in length, but not more than twenty in the broadest 

 parts. Its coasts are indented by several deep bays, 

 affording excellent harbours, and it is intersected by- 

 many vast inlets and creeks, one of which has been 

 found to run quite through, and is navigable for 



* It is perhaps a wonder, that islands so extensive, and lying in 

 the track of so many ships, should have been, till of late years, so 

 little known; that while the countries by which they are almost en- 

 circled, have been increasing in population and wealth, having been 

 from time immemorial in a state of a tolerable civilization, these 

 islands should have remained in a state of nature, and their inhabi- 

 tants plunged in the grossest ignorance and barbarity. 



The wild appearance of the country, and the (intractable and fe- 

 rocious disposition of the natives, have been the causes, probablv, 

 which hav« leterred navigators from frequenting them; and they 

 have justly dreaded a shipwreck at the Andaman; more than the dan- 

 ger of Foundering in the ocean ; for although it is highly probable, 

 tl i the course of time mar-v vesself have been wrecked upon their 

 s, an instance does not occur of any of the crews being saved, or 

 of a single person returning to give any account of such a disaster. 



Vol. IV. D d small 



