1876.] F. A. de Eoepstorff — On tie InlialiianU of the Nicobars. 14:9 



is quite different in root and construction from the otlier dialects, and tlieir 

 women do not use cloth as the Nancowry tribe, but fringed belts made of 

 cocoanut leaves. This tribe and the Shombongs are possibly the remains 

 of a race of Mongolians, who were peaceably settled on the Nicobar Islands, 

 cultivating the land and perhaps in a higher state of civilisation. They 

 were perhajDS attacked by the Malay race that is now living on the Nancow- 

 ry grouj). They were driven away from the fertile alluvial soil which they 

 cultivated and had to take refuge on the sterile Island of Schowra (there 

 is no fresh water on Schowra) which they by care have made into a lovely 

 garden. It resembles a park. ' Every available spot is cultivated and well 

 kept. Some of this tribe were diiven south, and took refuge in the interior 

 of Great Nicobar where they, shut off from the outer world, lead a miser- 

 able existence, still tilhng the soil as did their forefathers. 



I have collected a great many words of the language of the Schowi'a peo- 

 ple, but not very many of the inland race of Great Nicobar, not sufficient 

 to ascertain by comparison, whether their languages might not be closely 

 related. 



But I think it will be found that the (Shorn) Tatat of Schowra and 

 the (Shom) Bong of Great Nicobar are the remains of what was once one 

 people. 



Me. W. T. Blaitfoed thought that Mr. de Eoepstorff was misled by 

 his experience of the Andamanese when he supposed that a Nigrito tribe would 

 have any difficulty in sujDporting itself away from the coast. Possibly the 

 Andaman islanders might starve tmder such circiimstances, but it is certain 

 that Nigrito tribes are found far from the sea in the interior of the great 

 Malay islands. They unquestionably exist in New Guinea,, and almost cer- 

 tainly in the interior of Borneo, and they are said to be found in the Phil- 

 lijiines and in the interior of the Malay Peninsula. It is very difficult for 

 a civilized human being to understand how savages hve, or even to conceive 

 what a marvelloiis variety of animal and vegetable productions, on which 

 savage man, at any rate, can s\ibsist, are to be found in the forests of all 

 tropical regions. Mr. Blanford believed that man could certainly find food 

 wherever monkeys cotdd exist. 



The reading of the f oUoAving papers was postj)oned — 



1. On the physical explanation of the Inequality of the two semi- 

 diurnal Oscillations of Barometric Pressure. By Henet F. Blanfoed, 

 Esq., Mcteorolof/ical Reporter to the Govt, of India. 



2. The Cyclostomaceoe of the Dalla Hills, Assam. By Major H. H. 

 Godwin- Austen, F. R. G. S., F. Z. S., &c., DepTj. Supt. Toi^ocjraplikal 

 Survey of India, 



