ARMS AND IMFLEM£NTSt 
167 
that their bows are remarkably long and of an uncommon 
form J their arrows are beaded with fisb-bones, or the 
tusis oif wild hogs ; sometimes merely with a sharp bit of 
wood hardened in the fire, but these are sufficiently des- 
tructive. They use also a kind of shield, and one or two 
other weapons have been seen amongst them.* Of their 
implements for fishing and other purposes, little can be 
said. Hand-nets of different sizes are used in catching 
the small fry, and a kind of wicker-basket, which they 
carry on their backs, ser^^ea to deposit whatever articles of 
food they can pick up. A few specimens of pottery 
ware have been seen in these islands."t 
With regard to cannibaUsm, which has been imputed 
to these people, Mr. Colebrooke says : " That they are 
cannibals baa never been fully proved, although from 
their cruel and sanguinary disposition, great voracity^ and 
cunning modes of living in ambush, there is reason to 
suspect that in attacking strangers, they are frequently 
impelled by hunger, as they invariably put to death the 
nnfortunate victims that fall into their hands. No 
positive instance, however, has been known of their 
eating the tlesb of their enemies, although the bodies of 
some whom they have killed have been found mangled 
and torn." J The testimony of Colouel Symes is to the 
same effect j and be notes as an instance that when two 
of the Bengali fishermen were killed by the natives for 
attempting violence on one of their women, the bodies 
*' were pierced by sharp weapons, and ponnded by stones 
• Colonel Symcs adds, "A spear of heavy Ts-ood sharply poiated." 
t "Asiatic KesearcUeSi" vol iv, p. 3 SO et sc/p 
I Note to p. 389, 
