163 
THE ANDAMAN GEOTTP. 
near the southern extremity of the Great Island, which is 
about one hundred and forty miles long, and twenty 
miles broad. The chief object was the establishment 
of a naval station, at which ships of war on the Indian 
station might repair and refresh^ the luxuriant growth of 
the timber trees, and the favourable position of the 
islands for communication vnih all points of India, having 
led to the selection of the Andauiana for thi^t purpose. 
The establishment consisted of a few companies of native 
troops from Bengal, and of a body of convicts from the 
same place. In 1793, the eatablishment was removed, at 
the suggestion of Admiral Comuallis, to the port at the 
opposite end of the island, which now bears his name. 
The establishment was only maintained for a few years 
longer ; but in the interim the settlement had been 
visited by Colonel Symes, when on his voyage to Burmah 
on a diplomatic mission, and the interesting description 
of the inhabitants, which is contained in the narrative of 
his embassy, is that by which the natives of these islands 
arc best known. An account of the Andamans by Lieu- 
tenant K. H. Colebrooke, an officer attached to the 
establishment, is also given in the Asiatic Eesearches for 
1725 ; and as his description of the natives is less known 
than that of Colonel Synies, it will be extracted here. 
Mr* Colebrooke introduces his account with the following 
remarks : 
*' It is perhaps a wonder that islands so extensive, and 
lying in the track of so many ships, should have been, 
until of late years, so little known, that while the coun- 
tries by which they are almost encircled have beea 
increasing in population and wealth, having been from 
