Account of further intercourse with the Natives of the Andaman Islands. (Extract from a letter from COL. TYTLER, Superintendent of Port Blair, dated the 14th January, 1863.)

I enclose notes from our daily interview with the aborigines; though not very interesting, still they may afford some idea. I think the time has now come when we may reasonably expect a friendly intercourse with them;-pray let me know your views; this is the first time they have ever been so friendly, and their women are now coming forward. Smith and his crew have beyond all doubt gained their confidence, so I will encourage him as much as possible in this important duty.

For upwards of a month a body of aborigines have been seen at North Point and in their canoes in North Bay, and when boats have gone near them, they have evinced a friendly feeling towards Europeans, although they are distrustful to natives, and on one occasion they entered a boat containing a crew of Europeans, and danced; this has induced me to desire that some, if possible, could be persuaded to visit Ross Island in order by kindness to establish a friendly intercourse; accordingly I suggested to a party of the Naval Brigade to carry out if possible my views; and on the 7th inst., Smith a Petty Officer went over with six men in the jolly-boat, and found the natives very friendly; they came down to the boat, and received bottles, plantains and pieces of old iron which were given to them, and in return they gave six bows and a lot of arrows and waist belts; this is a large party, and a fresh arrival here, they are all evidently strangers.

January 8th.-Smith and the same party of Europeans went over again in the morning and had a long interview with them, they gave their bows and arrows, and anything else they had about them, willingly in exchange for biscuits and plantains; this is the first time they have ever parted with their bows in such numbers. At noon, Smith ard the same crew went across again to induce some to come over to Ross Island; though about 24 came down to the boat they did not like staying in her; at last two of them, a boy and a man, got into the boat, and as they shewed an inclination to cross over, they were brought to Ross Island where they had clothes given to them; they then walked up the hill to the Superintendent and then to the barracks ; they shewed no signs of fear, only did not like being separated; they were much taken

with a looking-glass, and kissed it to see what it was, and then looked behind it to see who was there; the wooden floors of the bungalows and barracks astonished them at first; they seemed to wonder at the noise made when walking. They soon however got over that, and then danced vigorously, thumping as hard as they could and slapping their chests, at the same time singing; the boy was about 18 years old and the man about 25; the former shewed great intelligence, and both appeared docile; after remaining two hours they were taken back with lots of presents.

9th.-Smith and his crew going across this morning, the natives came down without hesitation, and several wanted to be taken to Ross Island; five were brought over, one of whom was over yesterday; all the way across he was talking to the others and pointing out the different places, and on reaching Ross Island he took the lead on shore. On coming into the officers' quarters where they were at breakfast, they wanted every thing they saw on the table, and did not scruple to help themselves to whatever they fancied. They were all young men, very short, from 4 ft. 6 in to 4 ft. 10 inches in height, roughly tatooed, very black, and all except one quite bald; the hair is very woolly, and very thick and short; the hair of those that were quite bald had evidently been shaved;-one had a little crop of hair on his head; they were taken to see the pigs and were very much astonished at seeing such large ones, and seemed to wonder why they were shut up. A box was put up for them to shoot at with their bows and arrows; they shot very well at 80 yards, but beyond that they were uncertain, though they shot with considerable force. A pig was given to them to take away, and some dogs; on taking them back, three women were seen, the first that have ever shewn themselves to Europeans, and some of the men went on shore, and into the jungle; the natives wanted Smith and his crew to stop with them and sleep; they made signs that they would soon make a hut and bed; their huts are the simplest things possible-three or four ratans stuck in the ground and bent together at the top, and a few leaves laid on loosely at the top; the height of them from the ground is only three feet, and for all the shelter they afford, one might as well be under a tree or bush. The fondness they evince for children was unmistakeable; when they saw mine, they stroked the head of my little son, who has long flaxen hair, and carefully tried to re-part the hair when they had

ruffled it a little. I mention this trifling incident to shew that they are not devoid of feeling, however savage they may have become from their miserable wild life, and I have no doubt but that the time has now arrived when we may reasonably hope to reclaim and civilize these children of nature. As they trust Smith and his crew, who certainly have gained their confidence, I will endeavour through their agency to accomplish my object.

10th. It was some time this morning before any natives came down to the boat on its going across; they probably were gorged with all they eat yesterday, for they had also killed and eaten the pig that had been given to them; but by going into the jungle to their camp, some were soon induced to come down, and also one of their women and two men; the woman came into the boat, and came to Ross Island; one of the men had beer. over on both the former occasions, and although clothes had been given to him each time, still he came over in a state of nudity; the woman also, with the exception of a waist belt, with a buff passing between her thighs, was quite naked; she was very timid and kept a tight hold of the man's hand, and was very observant of every thing; a large pig was shot for them to take away, and they stood by when the gun was fired, without expressing any fear or wonder as to how the pig was killed.—On taking them back, the natives crowded round the two that had been to Ross Island and had a long talk; they evidently had been afraid that we should have kept the woman, and were delighted to see her safe back; the woman was about 20 years of age, smaller in height than the men, very black and excessively African looking, -no hair on the head but a thin line in the shape of a long horse shoe extending from the centre of the head downwards, so, , and the skull daubed over with clay; for decency's sake, the sailors put a sort of jacket and gown around her. One of the men had his right foot amputated, and his right ear nearly cut off,-evidently an old warrior, and about 40 years of age, but not grey in his woolly head of hair;—the sailors made a crutch for him with which he was delighted and used it well;-the other man was about 30 years old,

11th. Two men and a woman were taken this morning up to Chatham Island, and were there photographed, they were then brought over to Ross Island-the woman was very lively, and laughed a great deal, going about any where without the slightest alarm.

F

She had her head shaved, like the men ;—a little patch of woolly hair was left on the back of the head, her height was 4ft. 4 inches. The men appear to make the women perform all the work, and do not themselves carry any thing but their bows and arrows, and to-day when the boat got back from Ross Island, although only three women were on the beach and about twenty men, the women were made to carry all the things from the boat ;-the men helped in cooking the pig;-the woman who came to-day was rather good looking, and about 20 years of age, very black, but with a pleasing countenance ;-she frequently repeated the name the sailors had given her (Madam Cooper the former one being called Queen Nic)-she was very much struck with the appearance of our little children, and begged to have them to kiss ;-great respect appears to be shewn by the men towards the women, who appear almost to command the men, notwithstanding that they seem to do all the work for them; this may be owing to the apathetic nature of the men; they give every thing up to the women, who freely take from the men any presents they may have received. Amongst themselves they have a kind and friendly feeling; -they appear to love dogs and small animals, which they hold and nurse with affection. I remark the men have an aversion to carrying anything, for when presents are given to them they try to get the sailors or even the convicts, to carry them. Both the men had their heads only half shaven, which gave them an odd appearance. 12th. The second Launch went over with Smith and his crew, and remained there all day. Some of the men went on shore and cleared away a piece of ground on which they will build a hut ;-the natives watched the proceedings very attentively, but on trying to get them to do anything in the shape of work they only laughed, and would try for a few minutes and then give up and point to their arms and legs. On the Launch returning for the evening, five men and three women came across, and were taken to the barracks, and a pig given to them for supper,-they singed the hair off first and then cut it up into joints and chops;-they had a common knife to do this with, and no butcher could have done it better,-each joint came off as easily as possible, they never missed the joint or had to cut twice. A room was given them in the barracks, and they passed the night quite quietly, -before dark they were rather anxious, and seemed to wish themselves on the other side again, but when they got their supper that wore off;

in the evening they sat outside near a fire and roasted plantains, yams, and fish, and were not at all timid, and quite pleased.

13th. The Launch started from Ross Island with them, taking portions of a hut to be erected on North Point for them; but after proceeding some distance, it was, owing to an accident obliged to put back to Ross Island, so the natives or rather aborigines amused themselves by entering the bazar and receiving presents of rings, &c. &c. from the convicts and shop-keepers. In the evening, the Launch put off again, and as it was late when they reached the other side, the aborigines would not land but returned to Ross Island and slept in the boat with the sailors.

14th. The Launch went over to North Point with the aborigines; this morning upwards of ten women came out to welcome the party;-the hut is being erected. Smith and his crew have not yet returned, and all promises to be successful, at least I hope so. I will continue this Journal, for I must now close this, to send off by the Burmah Mail Steamer.

Note on the Bactro-Pali Inscription from Taxila.-By Major-General A. CUNNINGHAM.

In his note on my remarks on the Taxila inscription, Babu Rajendra Lal states that according to me "the Hidda record opens with the words Samvatsaraye athavisatihi, 20.4.4. (= 28) mase Apilaësa ekavisitihi; but that, on referring to the facsimile in Ariana Antiqua, he finds that the only letters visible are 4 4 mase Apeüsa chidasa, and that the letters from 'Samvat' to '20' do not exist in the original."

A similar remark has been made by Professor Dowson on my previous reading of this date as 28, (see Royal As. Soc. Jour. Vol. XX, p. 230). The Professor's words are as follow: "The inscription on the Hidda jar appears to be the earliest date known, the year being xx = 8. Col. Cunningham in his last paper on these dates reads it as consisting of three figures, but this is a mistake, as there are only two figures."

Notwithstanding these rather startling statements of two well known scholars, I adhere to my reading as noted in the extract from