“As the years advance they are apt to become intractable, masterful, and quarrelsome.  A people to like but not to trust.  Exceedingly conservative and bound up in ancestral custom, not amenable to civilisation, all the teachings of years bestowed upon some of them having introduced no abstract ideas among the tribesmen, and changed no habit in practical matters affecting comfort, health, and mode of life.  Irresponsibility is a characteristic, though instances of a keen sense of responsibility are not wanting.  Several Andamanese can take charge of the steering of a large steam launch through dangerous channels, exercising then caution, daring, and skill though not to an European extent, and the present (1901) dynamo-man of the electric lighting on Ross Island is an Andamanese, while the wire-man is a Nicobarese, both of whom exhibit the liveliest sense of their responsibilities, though retaining a deep-rooted and unconquerable fear of the dynamo and wires when at work.  The Nicobarese shows, as is to be expected, the higher order of intellect.  Another Andamanese was used by Portman for years as an accountant and kept his accounts in English accurately and well.

“The intelligence of the women is good, though not as a rule equal to that of the men.  In old age, however, they frequently exhibit a considerable mental capacity which is respected.  Several women trained in a former local Mission Orphanage from early childhood have shown much mental aptitude and capacity, the ‘savagery’ in them, however, only dying down as they grew older.  They can read and write well, understand and speak English correctly, have acquired European habits completely, and possess much shrewdness and common sense:  one has herself taught her Andamanese husband, the dynamo-man above mentioned, to read and write English and induced him to join the Government House Press as a compositor.  She writes a well-expressed and correctly-spelt letter in English, and has a shrewd notion of the value of money.  Such women, when the instability of youth is past, make good ‘ayas,’ as their menkind make good waiters at table.

“The highest general type of intelligence yet noticed is in the Jarawa tribe.”

P. 310. The name Andaman.—­To my mind the modern Andaman is the Malay Handuman = Hanuman, representing “monkey” or savage aboriginal antagonist of the Aryans = also the Rakshasa.  Individuals of the race, when seen in the streets of Calcutta in 1883, were at once recognised as Rakshasas.  It may amuse you to know that the Andamanese returned the compliment, and to them all Orientals are Chauga or Ancestral Ghosts, i.e., demons (see Census Report, pp. 44-45 for reasons).  I agree with you that Angamanain is an Arabic dual, the Great and the Little Andaman.  To a voyager who did not land, the North, Middle, and South Andaman would appear as one great island, whereas the strait separating these three islands from the Little Andaman would be quite distinctly seen.