184 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Nov. 



house, for an hour or two, watching their peculiarities. We could not 

 but be struck with Mr. Homfray's good management of those under 

 his care, and with his extreme kindness to them, coupled with great 

 firmness and constant consideration for their wants. In a moment 

 they seemed to see whether he was in earnest or in play. On the 

 whole he made himself very quickly understood ; and they obeyed him 

 readily. 



" On his desiring them to do so, they plunged into a tank and dis- 

 played great rapidity in swimming. When they are at home, great 

 part of their time is passed in the water. 



" The regular occupation of the men— in their state of nature — is to 

 look out for and collect food. At one time they subsist upon roots 

 and herbs ; at another they hunt the wild pig of the jungles. This 

 sport has been rendered much more easy to them since they have 

 possessed themselves of dogs, — brought to their islands by Europeans, 

 or subsequently bred there. 



" They also succeed in adroitly killing fish with the bow and arrow 

 which implements are of the most primitive description : the bow being 

 composed of a single piece of wood, about 4 feet in length, roughly 

 flattened on one side, and merely stripped of its bark on the other ; 

 the cord was made from the stem of some creeping plant ; the arrows 

 consisted of pieces of wood, about 2 feet long, roughly sharpened at the 

 end, sometimes having an iron spike rudely attached. 



" The chief duty of the women is to draw water and to attend to the 

 keeping alight of fire. 



" If Mr. Homfray be correct in his opinion, it would appear that 

 before the arrival of Europeans amongst them, the Andamanese were 

 absolutely ignorant of any means by which to strike light and to obtain 

 fire artificially. In consequence of this ignorance, the women were 

 required to be most careful that no fire should be extinguished, without 

 a fresh one being prepared and lighted. 



" In journeying about their native wilds, this duty of perpetuating fire 

 on the line of march is particularly insisted on ; — the custom being for 

 the women to carry the fire in front of them, close to the chest, so that 

 it shall be protected from wind and other external agencies. 



" The Andamanese men in their wild state are absolutely naked. 

 The women have a twisted band of woody fibre round their loins, 



