Children And Youth Of Both Sexes Have
Good White Normal Teeth,
P. 312.
NARCONDAM.
Narcondam, an island I know well, has a separate bibliography of its own.
It belongs to the Sunda group of volcanoes, but it has been so long
extinct that there are no obvious signs now of its ever having been
active. It has a species of hornbill which I have captured and shot that
has differentiated itself from all others. I do not think, therefore, it
can have been recognised as a volcano by mariners in historical times, and
consequently the derivation of Narakakundam is to my mind doubtful. The
obvious volcano in the neighbourhood is Barren Island, which is still
alive.
ANDAMANS.
Pp. 309-310, Note 1. - The Andamanese are not an ill-looking race, and are
not negroes in any sense, but it is true that they are Negritos in the
lowest known state of barbarism, and that they are an isolated race.
Reasons for the isolation will be found in the Census Report, p. 51, but
I should not call their condition, mentally or physically, degraded. The
mental characteristics of the race will be found on pp. 59-61 of the
Census Report, and for your information I here extract from my remarks
thereon the section on character.
"In childhood the Andamanese are possessed of a bright intelligence,
which, however, soon reaches its climax, and the adult may be compared in
this respect with the civilised child of ten or twelve. He has never had
any sort of agriculture, nor until the English taught him the use of dogs
did he ever domesticate any kind of animal or bird, nor did he teach
himself to turn turtle or to use hook and line in fishing. He cannot
count, and all his ideas are hazy, inaccurate, and ill-defined. He has
never developed unaided any idea of drawing or making a tally or record
for any purpose, but he readily understands a sketch or plan when shown
him. He soon becomes mentally tired, and is apt to break down physically
under mental training.
"He retains throughout life the main characteristics of the child: of very
short but strong memory, suspicious of but hospitable to strangers,
ungrateful, imitative and watchful of his companions and neighbours, vain,
and under the spur of vanity industrious and persevering, teachable up to
a quickly reached limit, fond of undefined games and practical jokes, too
happy and careless to be affected in temperament by his superstitions, too
careless indeed to store water even for a voyage, plucky but not
courageous, reckless only from ignorance or from inappreciation of danger,
selfish but not without generosity, chivalry or a sense of honour,
petulant, hasty of temper, entirely irresponsible and childish in action
in his wrath, and equally quick to forget, affectionate, lively in his
movements, and exceedingly taking in his moments of good temper. At these
times the Andamanese are gentle and pleasant to each other, considerate to
the aged, the weakly or the helpless, and to captives, kind to their wives
and proud of their children, whom they often over-pet; but when angered,
cruel, jealous, treacherous and vindictive, and always unstable. They are
bright and merry companions, talkative, inquisitive and restless, busy in
their own pursuits, keen sportsmen and naturally independent, absorbed in
the chase from sheer love of it and other physical occupations, and not
lustful, indecent, or indecently abusive.
"As the years advance they are apt to become intractable, masterful, and
quarrelsome. A people to like but not to trust. Exceedingly conservative
and bound up in ancestral custom, not amenable to civilisation, all the
teachings of years bestowed upon some of them having introduced no
abstract ideas among the tribesmen, and changed no habit in practical
matters affecting comfort, health, and mode of life. Irresponsibility is a
characteristic, though instances of a keen sense of responsibility are not
wanting. Several Andamanese can take charge of the steering of a large
steam launch through dangerous channels, exercising then caution, daring,
and skill though not to an European extent, and the present (1901)
dynamo-man of the electric lighting on Ross Island is an Andamanese, while
the wire-man is a Nicobarese, both of whom exhibit the liveliest sense of
their responsibilities, though retaining a deep-rooted and unconquerable
fear of the dynamo and wires when at work. The Nicobarese shows, as is to
be expected, the higher order of intellect. Another Andamanese was used by
Portman for years as an accountant and kept his accounts in English
accurately and well.
"The intelligence of the women is good, though not as a rule equal to that
of the men. In old age, however, they frequently exhibit a considerable
mental capacity which is respected. Several women trained in a former
local Mission Orphanage from early childhood have shown much mental
aptitude and capacity, the 'savagery' in them, however, only dying down as
they grew older. They can read and write well, understand and speak
English correctly, have acquired European habits completely, and possess
much shrewdness and common sense: one has herself taught her Andamanese
husband, the dynamo-man above mentioned, to read and write English and
induced him to join the Government House Press as a compositor. She writes
a well-expressed and correctly-spelt letter in English, and has a shrewd
notion of the value of money. Such women, when the instability of youth is
past, make good 'ayas,' as their menkind make good waiters at table.
"The highest general type of intelligence yet noticed is in the Jarawa
tribe."
P. 310. The name Andaman. - To my mind the modern Andaman is the Malay
Handuman = Hanuman, representing "monkey" or savage aboriginal antagonist
of the Aryans = also the Rakshasa. Individuals of the race, when seen in
the streets of Calcutta in 1883, were at once recognised as Rakshasas. It
may amuse you to know that the Andamanese returned the compliment, and to
them all Orientals are Chauga or Ancestral Ghosts, i.e., demons (see
Census Report, pp.
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