1 88 MAN: PAST AND PRESENT. [CHAP. 



the " Talaings," that is, the Mons, by whom they were absorbed, 

 just as the Mons themselves are now being absorbed by the 

 Burmese. Others of the same connection have gained a footing 

 here and there in Malaysia, especially the Malacca coastlands, 

 where they are called "Klings 1 ,'' t.e. Telings, Telingas. 



But beyond these partial movements, without any kind of 

 influence on the general ethnical relations, I know of no Hindu 

 (some have even used the term " Aryan," and have brought 

 Aryans to Camboja) invasions except those of a moral order- 

 the invasions of the zealous Hindu missionaries, both Brahman 

 and Buddhist, which, however, amply suffice to account for all 

 the above indicated points of contact between the Indian, the 

 Indo-Chinese, and the Malayan populations. 



That the civilised lowlanders and rude Highlanders are gene- 

 rally of the same aboriginal stocks is well seen in 



*T* Vi ^ 



Manipuri tne Manipur district with its fertile alluvial plains 



and encircling Naga and Lushai Hills on the north 

 and south. The Hinduized Manipuri of the plains, that is, the 

 politically dominant Meithis, as they call themselves, are con- 

 sidered by Dr George Watt to be "a mixed race between the 

 Kukies and the NagasV This observer aptly remarks that in 

 this region the superiority of the rich bottom-lands over those 

 laboriously formed by terracing the hill slopes, as in Angamiland, 

 " must have been the reward ever kept in view by tribes rising 

 into importance and power. The conquest of one race over 

 another most probably led to the valleys passing time after time 

 into new hands. Many of the hill tribes have traditions that they 

 once held the great valley of Manipur. Modern history fully 

 supports this also, for in perhaps no other part of India have 

 greater or more cruel struggles taken place than amongst the 

 tribes of Manipur." 



Memories even still survive of the head-hunting practices 

 associated with those lawless times, as in the legend or tradition 



1 It is a curious phonetic phenomenon that the combinations kl and tl are 

 indistinguishable in utterance, so that it is immaterial whether this term be 

 written Kling or Tling, though the latter form would be preferable, as shewing 

 its origin from Tdinga. 



The Aboriginal Tribes of Manipur, in 'Joiirn. AntJirop., Inst. 1887, p. 350. 



