The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-03-02
Pigmies in the Andamans.

In the Bay of Bengal is a chain of islands
known as the Andamans, whose inhabitants
have long been famous for their extreme
ferocity, their very diminutive stature and
the utter failure of missionaries who have
labored among them for twenty years with
out making single convert. 1t has been
almost certain death for stranger to set
foot on some of these islands, and it may
now be said for the first time that, through
the exercise of long and patient kindness,
these little folks have been infused with
some measure of confidence in the outer
world. A large part of their coasts may
now be visited without inviting the TRACE
dies of which we have often read as occur
ring there.
We find that the pigmies of the Anda-
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 opportunity to
drag the natives into slavery. Col. Cadet,
Mr.. Man, and others who have known them
best, say they are good natured and pleas
ant people to meet when once their conf
dence is gained,
It was long before the idea dawned upon
these people that 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 ans
wered with showers of arrows. At last
this persistent hostility has been overcome,
aud the most intraetable of savages are on
good terms with the white race.
The Indian Government has long main
tanned penal colony on South Andaman.
The white officers in charge of it resolved
to try upon the fierce dwarfs of Little An
daman the policy that had won for them the
GOOD will of many other islanders. A while
ago an expedition, assailed as usual when it
landed with arrows and battle axes, took
three women and six men prisoners and
carried them nearly 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 presents they
could carry. Upon the next visit OF the
whites the released captives came to see
them, and in few days men, women aud
children fearlessly visited the camp, and
even ventured on board the steam launch.
Some of them have since visited the white
settlement on South Audaman, and, though
tact and caution are still required in dealing
with them, it is believed that soon ship
wrecked crews viii be able to land on Little
Andanan with perfect safety.
As far as we know, the Andamanese are
one Of the smallest races Of men that ever
existed. The average height Of the men,
Prof. Flower tells us, is / feet inches; that
Of the women feet 6 inches. They are
about the same size as the South African
Bushmen, and we know no people smaller
than the Bushmen except the Aka Of
Central Africa. Evidently Of Negrito
stock, the isolation resulting from their
ferceness has kept them pure and prim-
tive race, still in. the stone age, forming
their huts Of boughs and leaves. and pre-
senting to ethnologists most interesting
field Of study.
Only one tribe Of these wild people has
thus far proved wholly untamable- The
Jarawas Of Great Andaman keep their ar
rows sharpened for any whites who pass
their way. Some Of them have been taken
captive. honored with the kindest attention,
and finally sent home loaded with presents,
but the hatred they cherish for the white
race Is still as fierce and vindictive as ever.