TEIE NICOBAR ISLANDS, 
275 
of, can prevail upon the inhabitants of the southern islands to 
perpetrate murder. Silver either coined or in other shapes, 
seems to have a peculiar attraction for them, and is the article 
which chiefly induces them to commit murder upon the crews 
of vessels they suspect to have on board money or silver 
things. Cowardice accompanies them in the execution ot 
their nefarious designs. They wait for the moment when the 
poor sailors are not on their guard to fall upon them and 
dispatch them as quickly as they can, but they would never 
dare to make an open attack even upon a native crew. 
The following instance is an illustration of their way of 
attacking and murdering people. I vouch for the accuracy ot 
the facts which I am about to relate, as I heard the story 
related to me by different natives on the very spot where the 
murder took place. 
This year about the end of January, a brig coming from 
Calcutta anchored at Caramata Islands, in a place called 
False-point ; the vessel was commanded by a Native, There 
was on board either a European, or a half caste (he was 
dressed like a European) a Chinese carpenter, and a crew of 
about 25 lascars, half Malays and half Bengalese- After 
having taken on board about 1,000 cocoanuts, the boat with 
a part of the crew was sent on shore to take water; they 
were well received by the natives, who invited them to rest 
and drink some cocoanut water:—the treacherous offer was 
gladly accepted by the unsuspecting sailors. When they 
were quietly enjoying the refreshing drink, a party of natives 
hidden behind bushes, rushed out suddenly and with their 
large knives killed the poor sailors before they had time to 
act in defence, at the same time another party went to the 
vessel, as they were in the habit of doing ; the sailors were 
eating their rice, the natives instantly fell upon them and 
soon dispatched them* It appears that they did not stab the 
captain, but three stout men seized him by the waist, and 
smashed his head upon the deck; this being done, they plun¬ 
dered the vessel; having taken what they liked, they brought 
to the vessel the corpses of those who had been murdered on 
shore, made a hole at the hull and sunk her. 
An inhabitant of that island, about 35 years old, told me 
that he recollected of 7 other vessels which had been cut off 
in the same manner ; at great Nicobar island, a still greater 
number of similar deeds have been perpetrated, because the 
inhabitants are more cruel than in any other place, 
Pinang, 2nd June, 1844. 
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