NANCOWRY

NANCOWRY, or SOURY, as it is sometimes called, is one of the Nicobar isles, and situated nearly in the centre of the cluster (See NICOBAR, Encycl.). Its length may be about eight miles, and its breadth nearly equal. The island of Comerty, which is near it, is more extensive, but does not perhaps contain more solid land, being excavated by a very large bay from the sea. The space between these two islands forms a capacious and excellent harbour, the eastern entrance of which is sheltered by another island, called Trikut, lying at the distance of about a league. The inlet from the west is narrow, but sufficiently deep to admit the largest ships when the wind is fair.

The Danes have long maintained a small settlement at this place, which stands on the northern-most point of Nancowry, within the harbour. A sergeant and three or four soldiers, a few black slaves, and two rusty old pieces of ordnance, compose the whole of their establishment. They have here two houses; one of which, built entirely of wood, is their habitation; the other, formerly inhabited by their missionaries, serves now for a storehouse.

These islands are in general woody, but contain likewise some portions of clear land. From the summits of their hills the prospects are often beautiful and romantic. The soil is rich, and probably capable of producing all the various fruits and vegetables common to hot climates. The natural productions of this kind, which mostly abound, are cocoa nuts, papaya, plantains, limes, tamarinds, beetle nuts, and the melon, a species of breadfruit; yams, and other roots are cultivated and thrive; but rice is here unknown. The mangostain-tree, whose fruit is so justly extolled, grows wild; and pine-apples of a delicious flavour are found in the woods.

Of all the Nicobar isles Nancowry and Comerty are said to be the best peopled; the population of both being supposed to amount to eight hundred. The natives of Nancowry and of the Nicobar islands in general, live in villages on the sea-shore, and never erect their habitations inland (A). Their houses are of a circular form, and are covered with elliptical domes, thatched with grass and the leaves of cocoa nut. They are raised up

on piles to the height of six or eight feet above the Nancowry ground; the floor and sides are laid with planks, and the ascent is by a ladder. In those bays or inlets which are sheltered from the surf, they erect them sometimes so near the margin of the water as to admit the tide to flow under, and wash away the ordure from below.

In front of their villages, and a little advanced in the water, they plant beacons of a great height, which they adorn with tufts made of grass, or the bark of some tree. These objects are discernible at a great distance, and are intended probably for landmarks; their houses, which are overshadowed by thick groves of cocoa-nut trees, seldom being visible from afar.

The Nicobareans, though indolent, are in general robust and well-limbed. Their features are somewhat like the Malays, and their colour is nearly similar. The women are much inferior in stature to the men, but more active in all domestic affairs. Contrary to the custom of other nations, the women shave the hair of their heads, or keep it close cropped, which gives them an uncouth appearance, in the eyes of strangers at least.

The inhabitants of Nancowry perform, every year, a very extraordinary ceremony in honour of the dead. It is thus described by Lieutenant Colebrooke:

"On the anniversary of this festival, if it can be so called, their houses are decorated with garlands of flowers, fruits, and branches of trees. The people of each village assemble, dressed in their best attire, at the principal house in the place, where they spend the day in a convivial manner; the men, sitting apart from the women, smoke tobacco, and intoxicate themselves; while the latter are nursing their children, and employed in preparations for the mournful business of the night. At a certain hour of the afternoon, announced by striking the Gong, the women set up the most dismal howls and lamentations, which they continue without intermission till about sunset; when the whole party get up, and walk in procession to the burying-ground. Arrived at the place, they form a circle around one of the graves, when a stake, planted exactly over the head of the corpse, is pulled up. The woman who is nearest of kin to the deceased, steps out from the crowd, digs up the skull, and draws it up with her hands. At sight of the bones, her strength seems to fail her; she shrieks, she sobs; and tears of anguish abundantly fall on the mouldering object of her pious care. She clears it from the earth, scrapes off the festering flesh, and laves it plentifully with the milk of fresh cocoa-nuts, supplied by the bystanders; after which she rubs it over with an infusion of saffron, and wraps it carefully in a piece of new cloth. It is then deposited again in the earth, and covered up; the stake is replanted, and hung with the various trappings and

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Nanconwy implements belonging to the deceased. They proceed then to the other graves; and the whole night is spent in repetitions of these dismal and disgustful rites.¹

"On the morning following, the ceremony is concluded by an offering of many fat swine; when the sacrifice made to the dead affords an ample feast to the living: they besmear themselves with the blood of the slaughtered hogs, and some, more voracious than others, eat the flesh raw. They have various ways, however, of dressing their meat, but always eat it without salt. A kind of paste made of the mellori, serves them for bread; and they finish their repast with copious potations of taury, an inebriating liquor."

The Nicobareans are hospitable and honest, and are remarkable for a strict observance of truth, and for punctuality in adhering to their engagements. Such crimes as theft, robbery, and murder, are unknown in these islands; but they do not want spirit to revenge their injuries, and will fight resolutely, and slay their enemies, if attacked or unjustly dealt with. Their only vice, if this failing can be so called, is inebriation; but in their cups they are generally jovial and good-humoured. It sometimes, however, happens at their feasts, that the men of different villages fall out; and the quarrel immediately becomes general. In these cases they terminate their differences in a pitched battle; where the only weapons used are long sticks, of a hard and knotty wood. With these they drub one another most heartily, till, no longer able to endure the conflict, they mutually put a stop to the combat, and all get drunk again.