The Monticellonian., 1915-02-25

the Bay of Bengal, but they X V are a fruitful field Of research
 for ethnologists and other sci entists, and would be of great interest to anyone of intelligence. However, the archipelago is not easy to reach, and the average tourist might not find such accommodations as he is used to-
 Recently Dr. W. L. Abbott, an ex- plorer, made a trip to the Nicobars and brought back to the National mu- scum in Washington images carved in wood, the votive offerings made by the natives to ward off disease and bad luck. If gentleman of Nicobar is seriously i'll, says R. L. Honeyman, in Grit, the first and most important thing for him to do is to make some sort of an image. The object to be represented is chosen at random, ap- parently. It may be a chicken or a man or lizard, but it must be a big image and Ae workmanship must be artistic, else the spirits will not ac- cept it at all. Once it is finished the spirit takes possession and the former owner of the sick spirit is made well at once-at least that is the way it is supposed to work out.
 Many trading vessels stop at the ar chipelago to buy cocoanuts, and the natives show great curiosity in regard to whatever they find on board In ex- change for eoeoanuts they receive knives, cloth, guns, ammunition, to- bacco, cutlasses and rum. Also they set high value upon plated spoons and soup ladies, which they hang up in their houses as ornaments.
 The cutlasses they use to cut the cocoanuts. They have extensive plan. tations of cocoanut trees, and their chief occupation is the gathering and transportation of the fruit. Men and boys climb the trees to cut down the nuts, which, as they fall, are gath cred by the women and tied in pairs with strips of bark. Tire nuts are then flung across bamboos and carried to the beach on the backs of the women.
 Natives Honest and Proud.
 On the arrival of trading vessel the natives swarm on board, select the articles they want and take them away, stipulating to pay certain number of cocoanuts on a certain day delivered at the beach. Such promises are invariably fulfilled, notable trait of the Nicobarese being their honesty. But in no way can they be persuaded to help in the work of drying the cocoanut meat" for which purpose the traders are forced to bring labor. CTS from elsewhere
 The natives are extremely proud and will not endure to be treated as servants or interiors. They make A very strong, sweet toddy from cocoa nut milk, but they much prefer the English rum. They are not drunkards. however, and only on the great annual feast Is intoxication general.
 Many attempts have been made to colonize the Nicobar islands. but with out success. owing to the deadly ma larial fever which prevails. For the same reason missionary efforts have failed, and the only record of evangeli- cal effort is solitary Bible, owned by man who uses it as a pillow, regard ing it as fetish. The people are very dark, with straight hair falling to their shoulders, but the men shave their heads as a sign of mourning. To some extent they are able to use their feet as hands, employing their big toe as a thumb for grasping. and rarely bending to pick up any small object from the ground.
 The dress of the men consists of string around the waist from which are hung snake skins, bird plumage. shells and boar tusks. But the chiefs or head men, in the presence of strangers. adopt more elaborate an. parel, according to the extent of their
 possessions in old clothes which the