1 Mr. Forrejl propofed a fettleraent to be formed of the natives o f
Hindoojlan, on fonie of the ¡{lands, in order to profit b-y thè rich
commerce o f Pégu. He fays, fiate and marble are found here,,
and that there is plenty o f coral to burn into lime. He adds,
Swallow, i. e. a fort o f ABinia, iri great requeft in China as a delicacy,
and a-lfo- the edible birds nefts^
s A bout- a hundred and fifty leagues to the weft of the rttoffi-
eaftern. paft o f the Archipelago o f Mergui, are the greater and
Islands or leflèr iftands of Andaman. Ptolemy: calls the firft, IriJiM'ee Bonce'
A n d a m a n . . . . . , .
Foptun-ce, perhaps, fays- rot FfAnville, beCanfe navigators might
exult at efcaping from ihores, infamous for being inhabited by a
barbarous Anthropophagi.- The antient hath è o f the leflèr Andaman
was. Maniole. All the iftands, even as far as the group o ff
the weft end of Sumatra, labored under the fame fcandal.
: T he great Andaman is about a hundred and eight miles:
long, and extends from north to- fouth between Lat. 13° 53', and
12° 16 ; it is nearly).of the fame breadth, or between thirty and
forty miles. The mountains rife rude and lofty , that called
the Saddle-back, is feen twenty-two leagues diftancè at fea. B y
Captain Wraggs view, there appears a confiderable bay. on. the
weftern fide, with a fine river running into the fouthern part
this is the ifland which Marco Polo calls Angania, and fays,that
the inhabitants live like wild beafts on fruits, and alfo human
fieih ; and that they have heads and teeth like dogs, but that
their ifland abounds with fruits and all fops of perfumes. T he
Bramins fay that thefe ifles are inhabited by devils incarnate,
animated by the fouls o f impious men. In refpeit to the teèth
o f the inhabitants, it may be in fome meafure true, for in many
a 0. parts
parts of the Eaftern world, the natives are ufed to file .their
teeth into the form of thofe ¡of .theèânine fpecies.
Frederic -Casfart a'-traveller o f authority *, failed by thefe:
iftands about fhe year 1564;; die made'the fame.report of their-
barbarity, and adds, that they refufe all commerce with ftrangers,'
and have fmall barks with which they attack and take: any
vefi'cls they can matter, and- kill and eat the prifoners. Cafar
met with two o f their barks, having on board nuts and fruit ;
they refufed money, and were prevaled 011 to exchange feme
of their fruits. Top old rags, but canid not he ipduced by any;
means to come on board. .our.:,
■ Hamilton t fpeaks .of them.as a fearl’efs people; that they will
fwim off to any boat which approaches their ifland, and attack it
with their, wooden weapons in défiance of numbers, o f our muf-:
quêtry,and.of the miflive. and defenfive.weap0ns.ofdrOn.and fteel.
They annually make an excurfion in their pr-eas or. little barks:
to . their neighbors o f the Nicobar iflés, and kill-andtaisepri-
ioners .all they can. Tthe-Niéobarians are a quiet people, bnt;
once they, took courage, and colleiftipg their force, gave battle,,
and totally defeated their barbarous enemies. Thbiame writer,'
from the report o f a native who had been taken1 ppfaherVwhetS
young by fome Nicobarians, and was converted to Mahomet&ni-fniî.
made frequent voyages to his native iftands, and oftejn .returned;
with four or five hundred weight of quickfilver, .with. whfeh he)
faftl they abounded, ; • . .. ; " . ; ,1
T he whole o f the greater Andaman is ikirted with ffxid’.l
iftands,.- Mr, Dalyymple}makes mention o f a çlufter inhabited lpy>
* Purchao, ii, 1710.- 1 f Vol, ii. 6è,jl - - 111 O H t
■ “ : D 2 men I