The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-02-24
pIaMlRs OF THE ANpAMANs.
The Fiercest Little Savages in the
World at Last Won by Kindness.


World at Last Won by Kindness.
From the Ne,o YORK. Sun.
In the Bay of Bengal is chain of islands
known as the And ,mans, whose inhabi-
tants have long been famous for their OK
IRENE ferocitv, their diminutive stature and
the utter failure of missionaries who have
laborei among them for twenty years with
out making a single convert. IL has been
almost certain death for a stranger to set
foot OF some Of es9 isla DIS, and it may
now be slid for the first time that, through
IRE exercise Of long aid patient kindne s,
these little folks have been infuse with some
measure of contde ce in the outer world.
A large part Of their coasts NAV now be
visited without inviting the tragedies of
which we have often read as occurring
there.
We find that the pigmies of the Auda-
mans, like most misunderstood and little
known people, are not so black as they have
been painted by every writer from Marco
Polo to this day, and that their ferocity
was due TO the inhumanity of Chinese and
Malay traders, who improved every oppo-
tn ity to drag the natives into slavery.
Col. Cadet, Mr.. Man, and others who have
known them best, say they are good-na-
tured and pleasant people to meet when
once their couti lence is gained.
1t was long before the idea dawned upon
these people at the whole world was not
necessarily hostile TO them. In Little An
daman, for instance, every shipwrecked
crew or casual visitor, until year or two
ago, was killed if the natives could get at
them. Every friendly overture was an
swered with showers of arrows. At last
this persistent hostility has been overcome,
and the most intractable of savages are on
gooi terms with the white race.
The indian government has long main
tanned a penal colony on S nth Andaman.
The white officers in charge of it resolved
to try upon the fierce dwarfS of Little
Andaman the policy that had won for them
the good will of many other islanders. A
while ago an expedition, assai ed as usual
whel it landed with arrows and battle
axes, took three womsn and six men pris-
oners and carried them nearly a hundred
miles away to Port Blair. They were
treated with the utmost kindness, and
after while began to think they were
among friends In two months they
were restored to their island loaded with
all the prese is they could carry. Upon
the next visit of the whites the released
captiyes came to sea them, aud in few
days men, women and children fearlessly
visited the camp, and even ventured on
board the steam launch. Some of them
have'slnce visited the white settlement
South Audaman, and, though tact and
caution are still required in dealing wi h
thea, it's believed Uhat soon ship Nrec ell
crews will be able to land on Little
Audarhan with perfect safety.
As far as we kuo \, the Andamanese are
one of the smallest races of men that ever
existed. The average hight of the men,
Prof. Flower tails Us, is feet Q inches. that
Of the women 4 feet inches. Trey are
about the same size as the South African
Bush,nen, and We know no people smaller
than tn Bushmen except the Aka of Cen
raj Africa. Evidently of Negrito stock,
the isolation resulting from their fierceness
has sept them pure and primitive race,
still in the stone age, forming their huts OF
boughs and leaves, and presenting to
ethnologists a most interesting fed Of
study.
Only one tribe Of these wild people has
thus far proved wholly untamable. Tho
Jarawas Of Great Auda.nau keep their ar
rows sharpe ed for any whites who pass
their way. Some Of them have been taken
captive, honored wi the kindest att n
tion. aud finally sent home loaded with
presents. but the hatred they cherish for
the white race is still as fierce and vindic-
tive as ever.