Geographic Literature 



469 



had never been visited until a Japanese 

 commission, accompanied by Mr David- 

 son, landed and explored it soon after 

 the Chinese-Japanese war. 



Mr Davidson's account of the island 

 is the first that has been published. 

 The following extracts are reprinted 

 here with his permission. The photo- 

 graphs have not been previously pub- 

 lished. 



The inhabitants of Botel Tobago, some 

 1,200 or 1,300 in all, occupy eight vil- 

 lages ; Yakunawymen, the largest set- 

 tlement, being on the west coast and 

 containing about fifty 

 houses. The natives are 

 small, averaging only 

 five feet two inches in 

 height. They are yel- 

 lowish brown in color, 

 and, with one individ- 

 ual exception, possess 

 straight hair, black with 

 a brownish tint. 



The habitations of the 

 Botel Tobago savages 

 are very remarkable, 

 not to say unique. Each 

 family possesses a splen- 

 did walled and stone 

 paved compound, where- 

 in are three distinct 

 houses, attesting the 

 cleverness of the na- 

 tives and their desire to 

 obtain the maximum of 

 comfort. One house, built half under 

 ground, is their winter residence. For 

 the warmer weather they have a com- 

 fortable building, elevated some feet 

 above ground, and for protection against 

 the heat of summer they have a tower- 

 like edifice, sufficient^ elevated to catch 

 the cool breezes. These huts serve not 

 only as habitations, but also as work- 

 shops and storehouses. In construc- 

 tion a considerable amount of wood is 

 used as supports and cross-beams and 

 for the inner floor, ceiling, and walls of 

 the two large huts. The elevated struct- 



ure is of wood, bamboo, and straw. A 

 shelf projects level with the entrance, 

 and the inhabitants are obliged to mount 

 this and then crawl in on all fours, the 

 doorway not being much larger than the 

 entrance to a good-sized dog kennel. 



The room is like a large flat box, some 

 7 by 8 feet, and is so low that one lying 

 down can almost touch the ceiling with 

 uplifted hands; but the savages always 

 squat, so the place is high enough 

 for them. Human figures and various 

 rather pleasing geometrical designs are 

 engraved on the interior woodwork; the 



Landing on Botel Tobago 



only other decorations (for such they 

 are considered by the natives) are rows 

 of animal jaw-bones, hung from side to 

 side. The roof is thatched with a strong 

 dried grass, and a similar material ap- 

 pears on the outer walls. The two 

 buildings supported on piles have cir- 

 cular boards surmounting each post to 

 keep off the large rats that literally 

 overrun the island at night. During 

 my first two nights in the island I shared 

 a tent with Major Kikuchi, but on the 

 third night a terrific tropical downpour 

 threatened to sweep us out into the sea, 



