Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-09-18
From the Prince Of Waies Island Go,,u
PULo-PEyANG. ApriI q 100
ST. JhGO MARINc

S-' e'f'S, -lpIlI ), lSi4
on thursday morning. were landed O,
Tue beach t"o negroes IRON The And,p,.
Islands, captured by the crew of ca,
junk. Their appearance excited mu,b;.
teIest and curiosity, as a race OF pec,.
geIieraily considered as CsnuLais. II.
following account Of them has been ,Ig
ginsly communicated to Us by gentler.,
who has very humaneIy taken them u,se,
his care.
Chinese junk, manned partly h.
Chinese anu partly by Burmah., proceed.
ed to The Andaman Islands to collect B..
cho de Mar, aud laying about two mic,
from the shore, they observed about M.
or ten Of the savages approaching the Junk
wadlng through the water Upon COMM
within short distance Of the vessel thew
discharged several showers OF arrv:
which severely wounded four of the Chi.
Gese. TIE Burmahs gave immediate pu,.
suit in their boat, and after much difficulty
toph two OF the savages prisoners.
=" During the chase they were frequenrl7
observed TO dive and make their appear
ance at considerable distance, to elut.
their pursuers. Several of the arrows wer
picked up by the Chinese, which are DCs
in my possession-they are made Of rat.
tans with piece of hard wood for DON'T.
and an iron nail or fslbone fastened 10 The
extremity in such manner as to render,
difflcult to extract, il it enters the body.
" hese negroes are extremely dininu.
tive 10 stature, though apparently well
formed, and 'h.ir limbs and arms are IN.
commonly small cnc of them is 4 ieetS
inches, the other feet 7 inches high, and
each weighing 76 lbs. svoirdupois. Tier
have large paun:'hes, and though So small,
are in good condition. One is an elderly
man OF ferocious aspect, the other boy
about n, of good expression of counte.
nance. They appear dull and heavy, er.
trelneIy averse TO speaking when conver;.
ing, which they only 10 when left alone
and imagine they are unobseryed--lhpy
make noise resembling much the cack.
ling OF 'urkies. They are of a Jel black
colour, and their skin has an extraordinary
shining appearance, and their bodies are
ta,oed ali over; of most yoracious appe.
tile, and crack the bones OF fowls with
their teeth with the greatest facility
Their manner OF ascending a cocoa nut
tree is remarkable, running up ike mon.
key, and descending with astonishing We.
Iocity F"
As some account Of the inhabitants Of the
Andamans may not be unacceptable to o.,
readers: we have great pleasure in submit.
ing the following exlrac, from the " Es;
India Gazetteer" which, it will be obse7.
ed, corresponds materially with the Ge;.
cription given of the two negroes above
mentioned.
e" The population OF the great Andanan.
Sail its dependencies does not exceed 1000
or $500 souls: these are dispersed IN small
societies along the coast, or ON the lesser
island within The harbor, never pene,fat.
ing deeper into the interior than the skirt;
OF the forest. Their occupation seems to
De that OF climbing rocks, or rowing along
The margin Of the sea in quest OF precaTloui
meal Of fish, which during the tempes!c'
Gus season, they often seek in vain.
at is an objec, OF much curiosity 10 dis
cover the origin OF race of people 50
widely differing, not only from ali he IN
habitan,s Of the neighbouring continent,
but also from those Of the Nicobsr Islands,
however, the inquiries Of travellers have
produced no satisfactory conclusion. 10
stature The Andamaners seldom exceed
hve feet; their limbs are IisproporlIons'e'
ly slender; their bellies protubeIant, Wild
high shoulders and heads aud they APP
pear to be dsgenerated race Of negroes
with woolly hair, fat noses and thick lIpst
their eyes are small and red, their skin on
deep sooty black, while their coun'en'I
ances exhibit The extreme Of wretcnedness(
horrid mixture OF famine and ierosilYk
They go quite naked, and are insens'I'i
to any shame from exposure.
The lew implements they use are
the rudest texture. Their principal "e1
pon is bow, from 4 to 6 lee, long !"