THE
ANDAMAN ISLANDS BY F. A. M.
DASS,
B.A..
FOREWORD BY CHEV.
C. J.
VARKEY,
K.S.G.,
M.A^ M.L.A.
FfclNTF.b AT T...
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THE
ANDAMAN ISLANDS BY F. A. M.
DASS,
B.A..
FOREWORD BY CHEV.
C. J.
VARKEY,
K.S.G.,
M.A^ M.L.A.
FfclNTF.b AT THE GOOD SHEPHERD CONVENT PRlSS CONDUCTED BY THE SISTERS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD BANGALORE
1937
All rights reserved
CONTENTS PART
I
CHAPTER I
II
III
IV
TOPOGRAPHY AND DESCRIPTION ANCIENT NOTICES OF THE ISLANDS AND THE CHARGE OF CANNIBALISM RACE, RELIGION, AND LANGUAGE SOCIAL LIFE AND GOVERNMENT
PART I
II
III
IV
V VI VII VIII
IX
X
II
BRITISH OCCUPATION OF THE ISLANDS HISTORY OF THE PENAL SETTLEMENT THE CONVICTS
THE HISTORY OF THE
RELATIONS WITH THE ANDAMANESE AROUND PORT BLAIR THE LOCAL-BORN THE POPULATION OF THE ISLANDS FORESTS AGRICULTURE
XI XII
INDUSTRIES CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES EDUCATION
XIII
HEALTH
XIV
MEDICAL CARE XV RECREATION XVI MEANS OF COMMUNICATION XVII POLICE DEPARTMENT XVIII COLONISING THE ISLANDS XIX THE TRAGIC END OF LORD MAYO
LIST
A
OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Family of Andamanese
Gymkana Ground "
ingle
Ghat
Wireless Station, North Point
Husband and Wife The woman with a pattern of clay
all over
her body Ross Island in the distance
Mess and Swimming Bath, Ross Chief Commissioner's Office, Ross Main Entrance Cellular Jail, Atlanta Point, Aberdeen Officers'
Andaman Woman Cellular Jails
Local-Born Association and Browning Club Bazar Street, Aberdeen
Elephant working at the log depot raft of timbers in the creek
A
St.
Joseph's Chapel, Port Blair
War
Memorial, Aberdeen
Built
m memory of the convicts who m the Great War
teered to serve
volun-
Christ Church, Ross
Holiday Makers
An
Indian Official child preparing to entertain her friends to tea ^* Trams loaded with timber and dragged by an In a jungle in the Middle elephant.
Andamans Aberdeen Jetty Government Dockyard, Phoenix Bay Phoenix Bay Government Saw Mills (cross mark indicates Hope Town the bottom
of Mt.
Jetty at Harriett where Lord
Mayo was murdered} Cocoanut Plantation
The Jarrawa Boy now in Ranchi A small group of Andamanese
Andaman
North
RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO
THE REVERED MEMORY OF
LORD MAYO WHOSE NOBILITY OF LIFE AND IDEALS AND WHOSE SELFLESS INTEREST IN
1HE IMPROVEMENT OF THE
CONVICT-POPULATION
OF THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS INSPIRED THE AUTHOR TO WRITE THIS BOOK
FOREWORD "";
*
,
!
K
:!-r
,,,i: >:
.
.-
L:, ;
,;daman Islands are known to all stuIndian geography, and some may a vague idea of these Islands as a Penal
v --i
-_
Settlement.
Beyond
this piece of
knowledge
very few know anything definite about this group of two hundred and four small islands in the
Bay
of Bengal.
Naturally, therefore, this
charming book, attractively written by Mr. F. A. M. Dass, B.A., will be welcomed by those who desire to know some of the hidden mysteries of the seas surrounding the Indian Continent.
The author gives a clear and vivid picture of the land and its resources and beauties as well as of the people and their peculiar habits and government. It is interesting to be told that during the early maritime and commercial activities of the peoples of India, the Andaman Islands were not unknown to the mariners of those ancient days. But greater acquaintance and connection between the mainland of India and the Islands was of recent date with the British occupation of the Islands, which commenced during the administration of Lord It was, however, only in the days Cornwallis. of the great Indian Mutiny that the Islands were chosen for the Penal Settlement. The story of the British occupation reads like a romance of heroism and adventure.
There are several chapters describing the people and their barbarous habits as well as the
natural
resources
of
the
Islands.
The
" The Convicts " gives an idea of chapter on the peculiar organisation and government 01, the Penal Settlement. In another chapterJtkoi author describes the interesting attempts made to get into contact with the uncivilized natives of these islands and to spread elements of civilization among them. The author has a " on very suggestive chapter Colonising the He says: "Many are of opinion Islands". that a free colony can be established by introducing certain necessary administrative and economic changes which would work out the desired scheme of colonisation ", and he thinks that the Andaman Islands might afford good facilities
and attractions
lation of India to settle
for the surplus popuin these islands
down
with their intensive virgin soil. The last chapter deals with the pathetic story of the assassination on the Islands, in 1872, of Lord one who was perhaps the greatest Mayo, benefactor of the people of the Islands. The book is so admirably written and so beautifully illustrated with pictures and scenes that after reading it one feels as if he had just returned after a pleasant sojourn in these " " Mr. of the Indian Bay. Fairy Islands Dass deserves congratulations on his creditable
performance, and
I
trust
he will find
many
readers who will enjoy his book more than a novel or a book of travel and adventure.
MANGALORE, 27th
May
1937
C.
J.
VARKEY,
K.S.G., M.A.,
M.L,A
INTRODUCTION "
\~* N DAMANS
"
The
!
very
name sounds
dreadful and calls forth an exclamation of wrath and disdain. The ancient and medieval Andamans have had no historians of note to write interesting tales and narratives about them. It is very difficult to find a complete and accurate account of these Islands that is really authentic. Practically all that has been written about them are the scattered Government Reports and a few books that ;
have been published at widely separated vals,
so
that
their
history
is
inter-
more or
less
shrouded in mystery. As a result, gossip has woven some very sensational stories about the Andamans, and facts about the place have been very much distorted. The generality of persons, quite naturally, have accepted as true " such exaggerated statements as A curious mixture of dense forests, wild beats, cannibals and convicts of the very worst type, moaning in agony in their dungeons ". Such accounts have, of course, poisoned the public mind, and if these Islands are looked upon with horror all over the country, it is hardly to be wondered at.
The Author,
book, has not attemptcherished prejudices: satisfactory explanations can be given for the very extraordinary accounts that have been in his
ed to lampoon these
written about the Islands. The writer himself was inclined to believe all the fantastic tales
he heard and read, and
it
was only
after
visit-,
ing the Islands many times and delving into all the available books and records placed at his disposal, that he was absolutely coijyvnced that an authentic and up-to-date history of the Andaman Islands has never been published. A humble attempt has been made, therefore, to correct the wrong impressions that have been given by others concerning the place, and to describe briefly in this small work the past history of the Andamans, and to place before the public an accurate account of conditions there at the present time. In presenting his book the Author makes to scholarship or originality. Besides in order visited the times Islands many having
no claim
hand information, he has had recourse to the authentic records of other writers who have written about the Andamans.
to collect first
He
gratefully acknowledges his indebtedness to Mr. E. H. Man, Sir Richard Temple, Mr. R. F. Louis, Mr. M. C. Bonington and Sir W. W. Hunter, whose works he has freely made use of in order to make this volume as complete
as possible.
The
foreword has been written by that great champion of Indian Catholics, loyal and Chev. C. J. Varkey, illustrious son of India, the author is deeply K.S.G., M.A., M.L.A.; grateful for this encouraging and appreciative preface to his first literary attempt.
Some
of the Officers at Port Blair were and kind very helpful to the writer during his visits there and he thanks them most heartily their assistance.
many kind friends who gave of their time and advice to aid very^generously the writer in the preparation of his book, but to name them all individually would be imposwere
There are a few, however, to whom he indebted. These are Mr. NKasturi, M.A., B.L., Lecturer in Anthropology at the Maharaja's College, Mysore and Mr. K. K- Srinivasiah, BA.,B.T. for so kindly going through the manuscript and giving the benefit of their valuable suggestions and corrections; one whose name has been suppressed by an express wish, whose self-sacrificing kindness the writer had no right to expect and will never be able to repay; the Editor of The Herald, Calsible-
feels especially
:
cutta, for his kindness in lending the halftone block of St. Joseph's Chapel at Port Blair; to
the Proprietor of the Sri Shunmugam Process Studio, Bangalore City, for the good work done on the blocks; to the Sisters of the Good
Shepherd Convent Press for the splendid way which they handled the printing of the book
in
Finally, to his beloved brother, Francis the Author owes a debt of gratitude
Maduram
that can never be repaid: it was mainly due to his affectionate regard that the writer crossed .he sea to visit the "dread" Islands.
In
conclusion,
this
being the
Author's
maiden literacy -,aiig|ppc aware of its nmny iirif entreats the jggnet^iB^ them, and to be kiS$a*i
they rarely have any fixed habitation. However, they have temporary camps situated in tljfeif* territories. They erect about fourteen huts, capable of holding fifty to eighty persons,
and arrange them facing inwards on a ground planned on the model of an oval, somewhat irregular. They have a common dancing ground around which other huts are built. Close to every hut is a small platform where surplus food is stored. Within the platform, fire is very carefully tended, for when once it is extin-
guished they find 22
it
very
difficult to light again.
THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS
The Jarawas and Andaman build large, of solid materials.
natives of Little permanent huts hut has a hearth and
the
strong,
Each
can accommodate about eight persons.
The Andamanese
are very fond of games are ones favourite " Blind-man's Bluff ", "Leap:
their
AND
2MUSEM E N TS
"
Hide and Seek ". mock-burials and and turtle), (pig ghost-hunts are some ot the sports in which Friendly matches they take great delight. frog", and
Mock-hunts
are
often
arranged
in
swinging,
throwing,
skimming, shooting and wrestling.
These people are good climbers, quick walkers and fast runners and they can travel Of the Andamlong distances continuously. anese the Aryoto are the best swimmers and are quite at home in the water. They can pole and paddle canoes with great speed Their nocturnal amusements consist ot dancing and singing, and while dancing they drum their feet rhythmically on a special sounding board like a crusader's shield. They sing songs and clap their hands on their thighs, perhaps to keep time as well as to express their emotions.
Dancing usually takes place every evening, and sometimes it will continue all through the night, and on certain ceremonial occasions it will go on for several nights. 23
THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS
Some MARRIAGE
of the early writers have given us a rat her unfair description of the marital relations of the race, ascrib-
the ing bestialty and promiscuity to them It is the duty of the parents truth is otherwise. or guardians to celebrate the marriages of their children or wards and no doubt their customs at times are somewhat complicated, but they are as strictly observed as are those of civilised :
communities. With regard to marriage they observe no rigid caste system, inter-marrying among different septs. Mr. M. C- C. Bonington, who spent a great part of his life in the Andamans, and moved closely in their midst, has
made a thorough study of their lives. He gives an interesting account of the Onge marriage :
f rest in that shady spot.
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