344 [No. 173. 



Notice of the Nicobar Islands, by the Reverend P. Barbe. 



The Nicobar Islands, lying between the sixth and tenth degrees 

 of north latitude, have for sometime attracted very much the atten- 

 tion of the public in India, not so much on account of the productive 

 qualities of their soil, but because of the Islanders having committed 

 repeated murders on the crews of several vessels under the British Flag. 

 Vessels sailing from the Coast or from Penang have, for a long period of 

 years, touched there during the NE. monsoon to take a cargo of cocoa- 

 nuts, as do also large China junks, Malay prahus, and Burmese boats 

 from Bassein, Rangoon, and the Tenasserim Coast. Not a single year 

 has passed without hearing of some vessels or boats being lost. But as 

 no one suspected the Islanders to be capable of piracy, the loss was 

 always attributed either to bad weather or to the incapacity of the 

 captains. It is but a few years since Government has been convinced, 

 that the Nicobarians, although destitute of real courage and bravery, 

 have been guilty of the greatest crimes, in murdering peaceful people, 

 who could not suspect that the natives, whose appearance is so simple 

 and timid, would ever conceive and dare to execute such treacherous 

 designs. So there is very little doubt now, that a great part of the 

 vessels which were supposed to be lost in the Bay, have been cut off 

 and plundered by the natives of these islands, and their crews found 

 there a watery grave. 



The various islands forming the group of the Nicobars are Chowry, 

 Teressa, Bompka, Tilhanchong, Karmorta, Nancowry, Katchall, Car- 

 Nicobar, the Little Nicobar, the Great Nicobar, and some other smaller is- 

 lands. The SW. monsoon begins in the latter part of May and lasts till Oc- 

 tober. During that period, rain falls in great abundance, and the wind 

 blows hard : there is a heavy swell, and it is dangerous to approach the 

 islands. Few vessels touch there during that monsoon ; but in the NE. 

 monsoon, vessels, and Burmese, Chinese, and Malay boats are seen 

 there taking a cargo of cocoanuts, betelnuts, and collecting birds' nests, 

 trepan or sea-slug, ambergris, tortoise-shell, &c. They give in barter 

 black and blue cloths, coarse handkerchiefs, red cloth, cutlasses, Bur- 

 mese daws, silver or German silver spoons, ardent spirits, tobacco, red 

 woollen caps, old pantaloons and jackets, black hats, &c. When a vessel 

 reaches the place, the people of the village contract for supplying a cargo 



