1881.] Mr. de Roepsiorf on the Nicobarese. 11 



danus bread) from the Coast people. I would not suggest that this panda- 

 nus bread had been made by Coast-women on a visit because it is a very 

 slow process. The layer of these shells and husks was so thin that it 

 showed that this clearing was not old, for their meals had not got time to 

 grow into a Kiokkenmiodding. 



The rain then began pouring down violently and the guides were anxious 

 to return. I showed them, however, what they might expect if we actual- 

 ly came across the people, and as they could not withstand the promise of 

 possessing a couple of plated spoons, they decided that they would find 

 them. 



As the rain was heavy the guides left our dry clothes in one of the 

 Shom-Beng houses, a sign, it seemed to me, that property is pretty safe with 

 these people. We then started, and now our guides were very energetic. 

 The road led us up the stream we had hitherto ascended, and it was a des- 

 perate scrambling over big, slippery stones, through waterpools, now and 

 then along the sides of the streams. The natives with their naked feet 

 felt none of the inconvenience we did. One guide disappeared ahead, and 

 it was with great trouble we kept the others with our party. 



The sun was pretty high when we came to a shady nook where we 

 were to commence climbing the hills. I now resisted and said that the 

 guides must go on, and that we would await their return as it seemed to 

 me useless to go any further, if we were not sure of coming across the 

 people. We only kept the Nan cowry man with us. The stream made a 

 turn at this place and formed a big pool. The west side of the stream 

 was bordered by a precipitous cliff, and on our side a few flat rocks gave us 

 a resting-place. The same abundance of vegetation as at the Andamans 

 presented itself on all sides. Trees were growing immediately on the rock, 

 between them was a dense undergrowth of rattans and other palms ; up the 

 the trunks of the trees were ferns growing, and the tops were interwoven 

 with creepers. Green leaves in every shade from the faded ones that the 

 current carried away past us to the finest light-green were to be seen, but there 

 were no flowers visible. The shade where we lay was complete and cool, and 

 the steadily falling rain helped to keep us from feeling the sun. I noticed that 

 not one little fish nor a shrimp made its appearance and the Nancowry man 

 showed us the artificial stone settings of the Shom-Bengs all along, and said 

 that the stream was well worked by them, and that whenever the rain was 

 not too heavy they scoured it of everything eatable. As the rain became hea- 

 vier we retreated under the lee of a big tree sitting on the rock under its 

 roots, and were beginning after an hour's waiting to feel rather cool. Sud- 

 denly the scene changed. To our left was half hidden to us the spot where 

 our guides had disappeared. 



