The Lamar register., 1896-05-16

cupidity. " ilhln recent years they
have become comparatively traetable.
however.
There are several shades Of color
among these little people, ranging
from bronze to sooiy and black. Their
hair is extremely frizziy. so as to look
as IL il grew in spiral tufts II is fine
In texture and seldom mere than two
or three inches long Most Of the
women shave their heads once week.
leaving only two narrow strips OF
hair from the crown TO The nape OF the
neck. Many OF the men follow the
same practice. though the style Is dlf-
ferent. circular patch OF hair six
inches In diameter being left. like a
skull cap on the crown Of the head.
Men sometimes shave each others
heads. but only when the services of a
woman are not available. for II is one
OF the duties OF the fair sex in these
tribes to act as BARRIERS. Their eye
brows are generally removed also. The
razor is fake OF quartz or glass.
These dwarfs are almost naked, The
women wear small aprons OF leaves.
but the men wear nothing. The men
wear punches Of leaves attached to
their knees and wrists. Carriers, brace
lets and necklaces OF bones. shells or
wood are common ornaments Tattoo
ing serves to a certain extent as .
substitute for raiment Women do the
tAtooing As a protection against the
hot tropical sun. the people smear their
bodies with a white-wash OF clay and
water Efforts to reclaim the Anda-
manese from their savage state have
not produced results OF unmixed good.
Homes having been established for
their benefit by missionary influence,
those accommodated at these ins,itu-
tons arc fat and lazy. spending their
time for days together in singing. dane
Ing and feasting.
It Is an old story that wherever
civilization goes. with It's diseases and
whisky. II wipes out tine primitive
savage races. The Andaman islands
AFFORD no exception to the rule. The
original population there Is rapidly
disappearing. the death rate far exceed
ing the birth rate. and before very
long these interesting little peoie will
be practically extinct They have deli
cate constitutions, not being able
to withstand slcknesSes from which
Europeans easily recover Fifty years
Is the extreme limit OF age among them.
and. partly owing to the great mortality
of Infants, the average length OF life
IL only about twenty-five years From
time to time epidemics OF measles and
other complaints communicated from
the whites. have destroyed large num-
bcrs of them. Their III success In rear
ing their offspring Ia due. in great
measure. 20 the custom 10y which each
infant Is suekled by the women indis-
eriminately. In this manner diseases
are spread. II Is a notable fact that
no idiots or Iunaties are found among
the Andamanese.
The little niggers had no knowledge
OF intoxicants until the Europeans
came. Like most savages. they have
readily acquired n taste for whisky
and both men and women have become
inveteraie smokers Of tobacco. II used
to be supposed that the Andamanese
were cannibals. but this belief has no
foundation. in fact they express the
greatest horror of the custom Mar
riages among them are arranged by
go-betweens, and newly married
couples are so bashful that commonly
they do not exchange a word or even a
look at each other for some days afte1