The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-06-23
The Andaman Islands.

Some interesting observations on the
habits of the inhabitants Of the Andaman
Islands, by Surgeon Major Holder, ap-
pear in the appendix to the report of the
Army Medical Department for 1875.
The account given of these people, though
not on the whole uniavorable, does not
leave the impression that they form pleas.
ant society, or that the islands are de-
sirable place of residence. With the ex.
ception of considerable variety Of birds,
there is great deficiency Of animal life
wild pigs and cats are nearly all that are
known or believed to exist. Insects, lizards
and snakes are, however, common. The
aborgines are not cannibals, as reported,
and Indignantly deny the imputation, nor
are they, as has been stated, deformed and
hideouS, though not exactly prepossessing
in appearance, In height they vary from
4 feet 8 inches TO 8 feet ! inch; they are
extremely black, more so than the African
negro, and some Of them have "a dull,
leaden hue, like that Of a black Headed
stove" They are fond of dancing, have a
strong sense Of the ridiculous, are exceed
ingly passionate and easily aroused by
trihes, when their appearance becomes dia-
bolical. The men wear no clothing, and
the women very little. They cover their
bodies with red earth, and as ornaments
wear strings Of their ancestors bones
round their necEs, or 'scull slung in a
basket over their shoulders. They are
tattoed all over their bodies, their heads
are shayen, with the exception of narrow
streak from the crown to the nape of the
neck. They rarely have eyebrows, beard,
moustache whiskers or eyelashes, and are
fond of liquor and smoking. They are
short lived aud not healthy, not many
passing forty years of age, Their Ian
guage consists of few words, and these
sound harsh and explosive, and are princi-
pally monosyllables Their chief amuse.
ment, aud indeed nearly their only one, is
dancing, monotonous song, and the music
of a rough skin drum, which they play by
stamping on it with their feet. Their
method of courtship and marriage has the
merit Of simplicity, The youth who is a
candidate eats a certain kind Of ray-fsh,
which gives him the appellation of "Goo-
mo, or bachelor desirous of marrying. ="
The girls who are marriageable wear
certain kind Of flower. The ceremony
consists in the pair about to be married
sitting down apart from the others and
staring at one another in silence. To-
wards evening the girls father or guardian
joins the hands Of the pair; they then re-
tire and live alone in the jungle for some
days, The islanders make nothing but
canoes, bows, arrows, spears and nets, and
these are necessary to supply them with
their daily food. On the first establish
ment of the penal settlement in the Anda-
mans the fayorite occupation was murder
Ing the convicts and taking their irons for
arrow-heads; but they gradually gave up
this Objectionable practice, and now, with
in radius Of ten or fifteen miles from
the settlement, stragglers are as a rule,
safe from attack, though beyond this radi.
us Europeans, except in sufficient numbers
and with arms for protection, would prob.
ably be roughly handled OF late years
"homes" have been established for the
Andamanese, consisting. of large bamboo
sheds, in which those who come in from
the jungle put up, coming and going at
will. They seem, however, to prefer the
jungle, and the attempts made to cultivate
their acquaintance do not appear to have
been crowned with success.