THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS. 4 . . 



(and without arms, they instantly rush out from their 

 lurking places, and attack them. In these skirmishes 

 they display much resolution, and will sometimes- 

 plunge into the water to seize the boat ; and they ha 

 been known even to discharge their arrows while in 

 the act of swimming. Their mode of life is degrad- 

 ing to human nature, and, like brutes, their whole 

 time is spent in search of food. They have yet made 

 no attempts to cultivate their lands, but live en:ir 

 upon what they can pick up, or kill. In the morn- 

 ing they rub their skins with mud, or wallow in It 

 like buffaloes, to prevent the annoyance of insects, 

 and daub their woolly heads with red ochre, or cinna- 

 bar. Thus attired, they walk forth to their different 

 occupations. The women bear the greatest part of 

 the drudgery in collecting food, repairing to the reefs 

 at the recess of the tide, to pick up shell-fish, while 

 the men are hunting in the woods, or wading in the 

 water to shoot fish with their bows and arrows. Th 

 are very dexterous at this extraordinary mode of fish- 

 ing, which they practice also at flight, by the light of 

 * a torch. In their excursions through the woods, a 

 wild hog sometimes rewards their toil, and affords 

 them a more ample repast. They broil their meat or 

 fish over a kind of grid, made of bamboos; but :. 

 no salt, or any other seasoning. 



The Audiimaners display at times much collo- 

 quial vivacity, and are fond of singing and dancing ; 

 in which amusements the women equally participate. 

 Their language is rather smooth than guttural ; and 

 their melodies are in the nature of recitative and cho- 



D d 4 rus, 



