New-York tribune., 1911-10-01

man type As such they are OF great Az
biological importance. probably preserus.
in their persons and customs, owing 20 -
indefinite period Of complete isolauos
characteristics Of the oldest races. Tn,
have been called dwarfs and pygmies ls.
without truth IN stature they are snae
the average height Of the men being
feet 102, inches. the women feet ~ inch...
but their figures as a rule are symmetnesl
and graceful. While among tn darkest q,
savsRes. the Andamaneso are not absoutely
black. he hair. which varies from soyy,
black 10 yellowish brown. is wo0lly ana
Is known as the "peprcrcoru' type a,t
when kept short IL resembles nothing .,
much as a worn-out backing brush. asb
grows in little knobs @ith bare space b..
tween. The hair Of the women is worn on
about the top Of the head in most cases
and some OF the men have affected y par.
ing Of the hair IN the centre hy rubbing
the head with a stone Until the tair wear.
. away.
"rhere r. no animal life 90 sr,9H 1l TIE
occasional grunt OF a wild pig ard Tie
fight ard song OF tirds being Che only
sounds 10 break the stiffness.
children, as a rule, are buried 90 shal.
low graves In the huts. and occasion Sigh,
concern. Deaths Of adults. however cause
! loud lamentations from all connected with
] the deceased. and mourning is observed by
| smearing the body with clay and by re-
! framing from dancing Some Of the dead
| rotably chiefs, are disposed OF by placing
| the bodies on platforms erected in tho forks
! OF suitable trees. After tho corpse has de-
: composed the bones are cleaned and made
I into souvenirs. which are distributed among
! relatives and friends. who prize them high
J ~ II was with difficulty tnat ] managed
/ TO secure some Of these ghastly relies
/ In the middle Of the hut was iar,s
] fireplace and about the sides We're smaller
/ hreplaces. indicating the occupancy OF the
/ hut by "A large group Of Jarawas. Com
| munal life is the rule. Previous 30 mar
riage unchastity Is common with both
sexes Once married. conjugal fidelity until
death IS the rule. and bigamy poiygamy
and divorce are unknown. Husband and
wife may eat together but widows and
widowers bachelors and maidens may eat
only with their own sex. The women show
a disposition 20 herd together, and custom
Of sucking one another's babies prevails
THE Andamanese have no words Tor
ordinary sautations. greetings or Tor ex-
pressing thanks; relatives however. st IN
one another's laps at meeting, flddlei
close together weeping loudly If tn sepa-
ration has been "A long one.
IAN odd custom OF mourning is general-
ly observed by women after the death q
their husbands. His skull-the jaw always
separated-s carried about continually.
Just why the jaw is detached is nor clear.
It may be that they have had quite enough
OF It during the lifetime Of the deceased,
though I noticed that the women dd most
, Of the talking.
Immediately after the death Of her dIs-
band the head is placed on a crude pla,-
form in the trees by the widow, and left
there for the weather and yoracious in-
sects. when thoroughly dried she cleans
II. and. after decorating IT with shells and
beads. wears II constantly about her neck
between the shoulders. even when working
or engaged i'm cooking.
After year OF mourning in this reals-
tic manner the widow begins 10 look about
for another partner making her wishes
known to her neighbors The CHIEF man o.
the tribe selects a warrior and presents
him to the widow. She usually approves Oh
sight, and thercupon removes 90 a lonely
spot. takes the dear dead mans skull from
her shoulders and buries it, covering
well. She then returns 10 the camp where
feastlng and dancing await her Later
retiring from the scene of the festivities
she spends week or more IN fasting ana
vigil by the lonely grave OF the skull
AT the end Of that period the widow
emerges into festive life again. th-s time
bringing the skull with her. This Is placed
iupon a long bamboo pole and borne before
her by one Of the head men OF the COM
munity who leads a procession oil Women.
The natives follow the skull bearer ana
the widow. singing and dancing 10 me
music Of the yemnga. In the space DO ifoht
Of the communal hut the pole is SCI up
The men then come forward, and the poor
: old skull looks down on a wild re'ei OF
= feastine and dancing. The festivities con-
tinue until the food is devoured ana lhe
dancers drop from sheer exhaustion
"As the bride and bridegroom retire iIoln
the scene pigskins ana mats are thrown a.
them by way of wedding presents Inc
guests then depart, the men carrying tne
= skull. which is again buried ana IoIsouel'
AS we were picking our way 'nrous"
the tangle Of underbrush one day III S'
2 effort TO reach a comparatively clear spa''
heard 4 slight noise. As 1 was some ols-
= tance ahead. | turned aside TO inEesusa'..
? could see what appeared TO be- a sllaH
2 animal moving about near the Daso VI
scrub palm, and naturally concluded "N
wild pig, and cautiously approacAeo' a.
! tree was between me and the OBJECT
} Finally. the animal. as ] supposed r.
p naming perfectly quiet ] stepped OUT INV
the slight clearing.
5 The pig was a human dwarf ana We
E interrupted just as he was settlns oo"N
| a full meal OF cocoanuts. nave "1','
seen such an expression OF min5.eu 81
prise. fear and rage I'm nay life as was y
the face and eyes OF that creature a. y
, looked up at me- We captured me "'-.
fellow without trouble and l brought AH
back 10 India.
, "Cocos-for that was the name we s"'0
I him-was a real dwarf The natives OF 'D'
Andamans are not I'm any sense 1Nn'e
r though underszed. There are pIo0ao'
great many dwarfs sitting down 70 .eis.'
of cocoauuts on the islands every 'a'' ~.
they are not a race or missing links n ..S
, human chain According 20 the 'e. 'l''1''.
of rnea suremcnt. Cocos is a cross st,
a Chittagongese and Burmese. ana
height is feet inches