^0 2 ON THE ANDAMAN ISLAND. 



small vessels. The Little Andaman is the most south • 

 erly of the two, and lies within thirty leagues of the 

 island Carnicobar. Its length is 28 miles by 17 in 

 breadth, being more compact, but does not afford 

 any harbour, although tolerable anchorage is found 

 near its shores. The former is surrounded by a great 

 number of smaller islands. 



The shores of the main island, and indeed of all 

 the rest, are in some parts rocky, and in a few places 

 are lined with a smooth and sandy beach, where boats 

 may easily land. The interior shores of the bays and 

 creeks are almost invariably lined with mangroves, 

 prickly fern, and a species of wild rattan ; while the 

 inland parts are covered with a variety of tall trees, 

 darkened by the intermixture of creepers, parasite 

 plants, and underwood ; which form altogether a vast 

 and almoff impervious forest, spreading over the 

 whole country. The smaller islands are equally co- 

 vered with wood; they mostly contain hills of a mo- 

 derate height, but the main island is distinguished by 

 a mountain of prodigious bulk, called from its shape 

 the Saddle- Peak; it is visible in clear weather at the 

 distance of twenty-five leagues, being nearly twothou- 

 r hundred feet in perpendicularheight. There 

 are no rivers of any size upon these islands, but a 

 rtumber of small rills pour down from the mountains 

 affording goad water, and exhibiting in their descent 

 over the rorks a variety of little cascades, which are 

 overshaded by the superincumbent woods. 



Ti I is various in different parts of these 



islands 5 



