To attract fish to their shores it is customary for the villages to erect on the beach at _Elpanam_, when the sea is calm, a number of long bamboos decorated with leaves, etc. This practice is called _Ma-ya-kuv-ka-ma-ka_--Papa is going this way to fetch fish. The poles remain for four days, and after they are removed, the large canoes obtained at Chaura are fed (_Ngya áp_), and fowls are offered to them in sacrifice. Sacrifice is generally offered to these canoes thrice in each month--on seeing the new moon, at full moon, and on the waning of the moon. A ceremony called _Ramal_ is held in honour of the safe return of the canoes that periodically make the customary voyages to Chaura for pottery. It consists of feasting, dancing, and singing, as do most of the Nicobarese observances. These songs and dances are composed some time before the events and carefully practised during the interval. The ceremony of _Gnunota_ is held on behalf of those drowned during this annual voyage to Chaura, and is practised, instead of burial and the ceremony of _Kana Awn_, on occasions when the bodies are not available. The death of a Nicobarese when absent is regarded with much greater concern than when such an event takes place at home. This is quite in accordance with European feeling. A belief that the Chaura men are great exponents of _wizardry_ is deeply rooted throughout the group. One of the M[=u]s canoes having been lost on the return from that island, the _tamiluanas_ told the people that the Chaura men had a grudge against the people of M[=u]s, which, however, they did not like to satisfy in the island, but caused the visitors to be destroyed while at sea, by means of the black art, through which a tempest was raised during their return voyage. The _tamiluanas_ possess the power of conversing with the spirits of the dead, and they informed the village that they had seen this deceased party, who stated that they had perished from hunger, and now wanted meals. M[=u]s, therefore, was ordered to offer sacrifice, and accordingly the people contributed spoons, forks, clothes, and silver wire, besides killing pigs and preparing meals in each house. After the sacrifice (_Gnunota_) had been made the _tamiluanas_ gave out that all the souls were satisfied with the meals and other things, but that "Davy Jones," the leader of the unfortunate party, was displeased with the offering! Feasts are partaken of, and sacrifices made in the graveyard, in honour of deceased ancestors, whose spirits sometimes reveal themselves to the _tamiluanas_. These occasions are called _Ma-la-hal_. * * * * *