1847.] 



Liiccadive Islcmds. 



^ Laiid^^^'^ There is still a good deal of unoccupied land in 



Chetlat perhaps \\h or i-lh of the whole, but it is gene- 

 rally the most worthless. This will be carefully marked off this year. 

 The coir exported from this island is of the first description. 



_ , , „ . The island of Bitra alone remains to be mentioned. 



Island of Bitra. , , , ... , , , ' 



I was unable to visit it myseii but endeavoured to 



iearn all the particulars relative to it. The island itself is not half 

 the size of the others described, but the shoal on which it is situated, 

 is very extensive and abounds with fish, and is on that account 

 much frequented by the islanders, chiefly those of Chetlat. The 

 island is sacred to a Peer whose tomb stands in the middle of it, and 

 there are from 150 to 200 trees planted round it as votive offerings 

 to his name, the fruit of these is used by any of the fishermen who 

 happen to land there. The greater part of the island is covered with 

 a thick low brushwood among which, till within the last 10 years, 

 extraordinary flocks of sea birds laid their eggs and bred. The 

 Islanders told me that they have gathered from 30 to 50,000 egg3 

 in a day. While these birds continued here, their eggs were a 

 great support to the whole group, but not one remains, all having, 

 v/ithout any apparent cause, migrated, it is supposed, to the Mal- 

 dives. The soil is said to be excellent and the cocoanut tree grows 

 rank and luxuriant, and would doubtless prove a most productive 

 tree were its exuberance kept down by the regular and proper 

 exercise of its powers. 



Want of fresh The want of fresh water has impeded the occupa- 

 water. ^.-^j^ (.^-g jgiand. When told so, I was incredulous 



and had the stone cut through this year where it was 5 or 6 feet 

 thick, but the water within, which in all the other islands is quite 

 fresh, was found, as the Islanders assured me before, quite salt. I 

 was unable to see it myself, but report and experiment go to confirm 

 a fact which must render this island unproductive for ever, for at a 

 distance of 40 miles from the nearest island, and the passage imprac- 

 ticable for 5 months in the year, a population could never be suppli- 

 ed elsewhere. When the fishermen run short of water thev di?- a 

 hole in the sand near the sea, and use the brackish percolations from 

 the sea, in preference to the well water. This fact the Islanders at- 

 tribute to the effect of the roots of the brushwood, and various other 

 insuflicient causes. 



Sea Slug and '^^^^ tortoise is frequently taken while laying itg 

 Shark. ^g.^^ \\^\^ lonely island, and amongst its extensive 



