NICOBAR IsLANns are situated in the south-east quarter of the Bay of Bengal, between the 6th and 10th degrees of North latitude, or nearly in the 94th degree of East longitude, stretching north-west from Sumatra to the most southerly of the Andaman isles. Many of them are very small, and without any distinct appellation; but twelve of them, at least, are of a mo derate extent, of which the names are Nicobar, Carni cobar, Quoin, Chowry, Teressa, Tillanjang, Nancowry or Nuncovery, Comarty or Crernarta, Tricut, Katshall or Catchowl, Sambelong, and Taruss or Tavass. Sam belong, towards the south, is the largest ; but Carnico bar, the most northerly, and Nancowry, nearly in the centre of the group, arl most visited by Europeans. The last mentioned, which is about eight miles in length, and as much in breadth, together with Comarty, which is rather larger, and Tricut, a small flat island, are so situated as to form in the space between them one of the most capacious and sheltered harbours in the Indian seas. Most of those islands are hilly, and some of the mountains are of a considerable elevation. They are in general also covered with wood ; and from the sum mits of the hills the prospects are frequently beautiful and romantic.
The climate of these islands is not oppressively hot, and the shores are visited by refreshing- sea-breezes ; but the extent and thickness of the woods prevent the free circulation of air amidst their decaying fruits and leaves ; and they are all most unhealthy spots to an European constitution. The soil, naturally fertile, is almost entirely uncultivated ; but the greater part of the most valuable productions of tropical climates grow up spontaneously in the highest perfection. The fo rests arc lull or large and lofty trees, many of which are capable of furnishing excellent timber, some of them 34, feet in circinnference. So luxuriant is their growth, that the light of the sun cannot penetrate through their foliage, and it is almost perfectly dark in the woods. The trees are also in many places so closely interwoven with immense quantities of rattan and bush ropes, that they appear in a manner spun together, and are utterly impervious to the inhabitants. The most abundant of these trees, and the most valued by the natives, arc the cocoa and areca palms ; the former of which thrives hest on the sea-coast, where its roots and stem are reached by the flood-titles. Plantains, limes, tamarinds, beetle-nuts, the larum, or inellory, (a species of bread-fruit,) cinnamon, sassafras, and the coffee-tree, ate among the most common productions.
The wholesome and delicious mango, and pine apples of the finest flavour, grow wild in the woods. Yams, sweet potatoes, and a variety uf other useful roots and vegetablet,, are raised every where without trouble or care.
There are no beasts of prey in the Nicobars, such as tigers, leopards, Ste.; but monkeys of different species are found in the southernmost islands; and dogs and swine abound in them all. In some or them are large herds of buffaloes and of other cattle, which were ori ginally inuoduced by the Danes, and have run wild in the woods since their colony lVBS abandoned. These animals have increased rapidly ; and as the upper re gions of (lie mountains ate covered with fine grass, many of the buffaloes, pat ticularly, have grown to a great size. There are also numbers of large rats in most of the islands. There is no great variety of birds in those islands. Pheasants, turtle-doves, wild pigeons, and particularly parrots, are numerous The bats are of an immense size and hideous aspect. Some of them have bodies as large as that of a cat, and measure from five to six feet across the back between the extreme points of their extended wings. There are two kinds of their), one of which has a head like that of a dog, and the other like that of a eat ; the former making a bark ing, ancl the latter a incwing noise, while on the witig. But the most remarkable of the birds, is the Nicobar swallow, (hirundo edulis) the builder of those eatable nests which constitute so great a delicacy. at eastern tables. The bird is of a jet black colour, greatly re sembling the martin in shape, but smaller in size, and has remarkably short legs, so as to be unable to rise from the ground, if happening to fall or settle upon it. They bitild their nests in fissures or cavities of the rocks, especially where they open to the south; and the cock fixes a smaller and more clumsy nest close to the one built by the hen for hatching. her eggs. Dur ing certain winds, particularly the south-west, these birds remain in a state of torpor, and give no other sign of animation than a tremulous motion over the whole body. Their nests are generally supposed to be made of gelatinous substances Found on the shore and rocks ; but Haensel, the Danish missionary, who re sided so long on those islands, considers it as much more probable that they are composed of the gum of a peculiar tree called the Nicobar cedar ; and often ob served innumerable flocks of the swallows fluttering around the blossoms and fruit of these trees.