ONE evening when the Kwang Tung visited the northern coast of Camorta Island, with a party of the Indian Government Survey Department on board, a brother officer went ashore in our canoe with a guest, to shoot wild buffalo. After killing one he returned to the ship about midnight in a ship's boat with a party of survey Lascars, leaving the canoe ashore, hoping that it could be collected the following morning. However, as the Kwang Tung left her anchorage at daybreak, the canoe was left behind.

We learnt soon after returning to the port of Nancowry, which is on the south side of the island of Camorta, that our ship was under instructions to take the survey party to the Great Nicobar, would leave port at six o'clock the following morning, and would be away six weeks. It was Saturday morning when we received this news. My friend Puttock and I depended so much for exercise and amusement on our canoe that we decided to make an effort to retrieve it if possible before Monday morning.

The next day, Sunday, I went ashore after divisions and inspection of the ship at ten o'clock, and engaged the services of a Nicobarese I knew to serve as guide, because I was afraid of losing my way in a mangrove swamp that stretched across the island of Camorta.

The distance as the crow flies from Nancowry Settlement to the north end of Camorta is only about seven miles, so no great preparation was needed for the trip.

It was one o'clock by the time we reached the mangrove swamp that crossed the middle of the island.

Here I shared with my guide the biscuits and cheese I had brought, and then we entered the mangrove swamp.

This mangrove swamp consisted of soft mud thickly covered with mango trees, with long willowy branches and small leaves, which grow so thickly together that it is quite dark under them, and it is quite impossible to see any signs of the sun, even at noon on a bright day.

The branches of the trees are too frail to admit of anyone climbing up high enough to obtain a glimpse of the sun, should one lose one's direction. I had, in my hurry to get started, forgotten to bring a pocket compass, which made me entirely dependent on my guide's instinct to find his way across the belt of swamp, which I knew could not be very wide.

Once in the swamp we had to pick our way knee-deep in soft mud between the roots of endless mangrove trees in the gloom of the mangrove forest. We had ploughed through the swamp for two hours, when we came to a log lying on the mud which I thought I recognised, and on looking round I saw the leg-holes in the mud that we ourselves had made two hours before. I asked my guide, " Which way now? " and he pointed in another direction. I said, " No, I am going this way." He would not agree, so I said the only thing for us to do was for each to go his own way. I had brought a bottle of rum, which I was going to give my guide, and also my dhá. Before parting, I left the rum with him and took the dhá, and we wished one another good-bye in a very friendly way.

In about twenty minutes I had reached the opposite bank, being able in those days to find my way about in the jungle even when alone. On climbing up the bank I found myself on a level plateau covered with tall bracken, which was difficult to walk through in slimy, muddy boots and trousers, especially as I was getting rather tired.

My difficulty was to find the quickest way to the coast. I had the sun ahead of me, it is true, which was, of course, a good guide, but I had completely lost my bearings in the swamp and did not want to run the risk of getting into another one. On the plateau there were many clumps of betel-nut palms, which at a distance much resemble cocoanut palms; but the latter only grow on a low level near water, so I depended on sighting cocoanut palms as an indication where the sea was. Every now and then I came to a wide ditch, and as I could not tell how long it would take me to get back to my ship, I did not want to get my clothes wet, so on each occasion that I came to a ditch, I had to walk along its bank till I came to a convenient tree from which to jump on to the opposite bank.

At last I sighted the heads of cocoanut trees, and on reaching them lost no time, but climbed up one and secured a couple of green nuts with which to quench my thirst. I used my dhá to help me up the tree, and on reaching the top threw it well clear of the trees so that, should I fall, its sharp end might not run through my body. After twisting off two nuts I suppose I must have slipped — for I was tired — and the next thing I knew was regaining consciousness on the sand at the foot of the tree, which was some 30 or 40 feet high.

My dhá was stuck in the sand with its pointed end uppermost, only about three feet away from me ! It was so near that I could reach it from where I sat.

After opening a nut and enjoying a most refreshing drink, and not having been hurt by my fall, I walked to the northward and soon sighted the canoe.

Luckily for me, a native passed, and on my making signs that the canoe belonged to me, he raised no objection to my taking it. I indicated that I required two paddles and a bailer, which he promptly brought from his hut close by. I then showed by further signs that I wanted him to help me paddle back to Nancowry, which he agreed to do, and we launched the canoe just as the sun was setting on a beautiful calm evening with the sea as transparent as glass. Looking down at the water I gazed into a veritable fairyland, for among the beautiful tree coral I saw many coloured fish swimming about among the delicate branches.

By nightfall we had entered a deep inlet, at the head of which lay a portage across a narrow neck of land into the bay in which the Port of Nancowry was situated. Here weather conditions changed, for a fresh head wind had sprung up, and as our small open canoe shipped quantities of water, I was glad that I had not forgotten the bailer. It was well past midnight before I arrived alongside my ship. After leaving instructions with the quartermaster on watch about landing my Nicobarese companion in the early morning, I had a good sleep before going on the bridge at six o'clock that morning, feeling very glad that we were going to have our canoe with us during our forthcoming trip to the Great Nicobar and its neighbouring islands.


The Settlement Officer living at Nancowry was appointed in charge of the Nicobar Islands by the Chief Commissioner at Port Blair. He used the Nancowry to visit the several islands of the group. Its guard was a detachment from a native regiment stationed at Port Blair in charge of a British officer. There was an Eurasian apothecary at the Settlement to look after the health of the station, and there was an elephant to do the heavy work, besides a large number of convicts especially selected for their good conduct to do the general work required in making and repairing roads, etc.

One day, as I was returning from a walk, I met the officer in charge of the guard at some little distance from the Settlement. He was looking very unhappy, and said that he had run out of cartridges just when he had fallen in with no end of snipe.

I happened to notice two of his men in mufti out for a stroll, so said, " Why don't you call those men and tell them to fetch the cartridges you require? " Adding, " Now that you have passed your examination in the higher standard of Urdu, you should have no difficulty in explaining exactly what you want." The officer was a particular friend of mine, with whom I happened to be staying at the time.

The men were called, and my friend explained most elaborately in very high-flown Hindustani that he wanted the men to bring him twenty No. 8 cartridges.

When he had finished speaking, the men salaamed and walked away in the direction of the officer's house. I waited till they were out of earshot then burst out laughing and asked, " What do you think your men will bring you? Certainly not your cartridges." My friend was very much annoyed at this and said, " I told them what I wanted in their own language." My reply was, " My dear chap, those men come from somewhere near Bombay, and while they understand military orders given them in Hindustani, they do not understand Hindustani as a whole, for I watched their faces while you spoke and saw that they did not follow one word you said, and they only know that you want something. I bet you that they will bring you either a hat or a pair of boots. I don't know much Hindustani," I went on, " but let me explain to them on their return what you need." He smiled, but said he would.

When the men returned, one had a hat in his hand and the other a pair of boots. In a few words of Indian coast patois I then told them to bring the twenty No. 8 cartridges. They salaamed, ran off like naughty boys, and in a very short while came back with the proper cartridges. How many different languages there are in India I do not know, but there are a very great number, and whereas in China the written language is the same throughout, in India the writing varies with the language spoken.


One day the elephant at Nancowry Settlement went "must" (or rogue) unexpectedly, and before his mahout had time to secure him, he had gained his freedom. He was not in a very dangerous state, but his playfulness was rough, as it usually is with such large beasts. He amused himself by pulling down any hut he came across, and threw carts or anything he met out of his path. Naturally, everyone ran away when he was seen approaching.

Meanwhile the Kwang Tung arrived from Port Blair with the Chief Commissioner and a party of his friends on board, all of whom dined at the Residency that night. The captain of the Kwang Tung and the officer commanding the Nancowry, a very larky fellow who was my particular chum, and whose name was Puttock, were among the guests.

At about eleven o'clock that evening Puttock came on board the Kwang Tung in great spirits, roused me out and suggested a whisky and soda, and told me that as the party were being seen out of the Residency compound he had seen the elephant loom up in the darkness, on the road leading to the Residency from the West. Singing out, " Here comes the elephant ! " he had bolted for all he was worth along the road leading to the east. What had happened after that he did not know, except that he had heard the Chief Commissioner yell. After this explanation, Puttock suggested that I should get drinks ready for the party, as they would be sure to need some liquid refreshment after their adventure.

They certainly did look a bit upset when they arrived back on board. Apparently, when Puttock had sung out " Here comes the elephant ! " and had bolted, they thought it was only one of his larks, and instead of returning to the safety of the compound, started along the road that ran to the eastward and curved down towards the landing place. Suddenly the elephant appeared amongst them, which caused them to stampede. The elephant selected the Chief Commissioner and followed him down a slope, across a newly-made tennis court and down the hill beyond, till at last the wretched man slipped and fell on his back into a ditch. On finding the elephant standing over him, he yelled blue murder and struck the animal's trunk with his stick. As the elephant was really only playful and seemed to be satisfied with his fun, he walked away, and the Chief Commissioner rejoined the party, which was by now at the landing place.

I visited the scene of the stampede early the following morning, and found lanterns and many other articles scattered about, which showed in what haste the party had stampeded. Puttock had seen the elephant first because he was outside the circle of light thrown from the lanterns carried by the Chief Commissioner's bodyguard, as he was well in advance of the party still bidding farewells to their host.

One night, after leaving Nancowry, en route for Port Blair, when all sail was set and the wind abeam, we were struck by a heavy squall when near the island off Tillangchong, and the ship was thrown on her beam ends. All hands were out at once to take in sail, awnings and side curtains, which were all down to protect those sleeping on deck.

In due course the ship was snugged down, but the squall had crippled the engines, for when she lay over at a dangerous angle, one paddle wheel was raised above the surface of the sea, and the additional strain brought on the lee paddle had carried away the crankshaft, thus throwing our propelling power out of commission, which rendered it necessary to anchor. A kedge anchor was dropped, as the water was too deep to use a bower anchor.

The following morning we attempted to sail back to Nancowry and managed to get within a few miles, when a contrary wind drove us away, so that there was nothing left to be done but take advantage of the light fair wind to Port Blair, nearly 200 miles to the northward. In due course we arrived near enough to that port of the Chief Commissioner to borrow a ship's cutter, which he manned with a crew of twelve Sikhs who always travelled with him, and sent them to obtain the services of a steam-launch to tow us into Port Blair. The cutter left the ship in the early morning and had to be rowed some twenty odd miles, so that it was well on in the afternoon before the launch arrived, and we anchored at Port Blair before nightfall — none too soon, as our provisions were just about exhausted.