Aq6 ON THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS. 



fiat noses. They go quite naked, the women wearing 

 only at times a? kind of tassel, or fringe, round the 

 middle; which is intended merely for ornament, as they 

 do not betray any fignsof bashfulncss when seen with- 

 out it. The men are cunning, crafty, and revengeful ; 

 and frequently express their aversion to strangers, in 

 a loud and threatening tone of voice, exhibiting va- 

 rious signs of defiance, and expressing their contempt 

 by the most indecent gestures. At other times they 

 appear quiet and docile, with the most insidious in- 

 tent. They will affect to enter into a friendly confe- 

 rence, when after receiving with. a show of humility 

 whatever articles may be presented to them, they set 

 up a shout, and discharge their arrows at the donors, 

 On the appearance of a vessel or boat, they frequently 

 lie in ambush among the trees, and send one of their 

 gang, who is generally the oldest among them, to the 

 w r ater's edge, to endeavour by friendly signs to allure 

 the strangers on shore. Should the crew venture to 



should be true ; in which case they might probably retain a tradition 

 of having once been in a state of slavery. This in some degree 

 would account for the rancour and enmity they shew ; and they would 

 naturally wage perpetual war with those whom they might suspect 

 were come to invade their country, or enslave them again. 



It would appear that these islands were known to the antients (see 

 Major Rennei/s Memoirs, introduction, pagexxxix). They are 

 mentioned, I believe, by Murco Polo; and in the ancient accounts 

 of India and China, by two Mahomedan travellers, who went to those 

 parts in the ninth century (translated from the Arabic by Eusebiuj 

 Renaudot) may be seen the following curious account. " Beyond 

 " these two islands (A'ejaba/us, probably Nicobars) lies the sea of Anda- 

 •* man ; the people on this coast eat human flesh quite raw ; their com- 

 " plexion is black, their hair frizzled, their countenance and eyes 

 *' frightful, their feet are very large and almost a cubit in length, 

 " and they go quite naked. They have no embarkation?; if they had, 

 * f they would devour all the jjassengers they could lay hands on, &c." 



land 



