OF NORTHEASTERN BENGAL. 105 



cotton-cloth, six yards long, with bright red border; one- 

 half of this forms their lower garment secured at the waist, 

 but not impeding the free action of the limbs; the other 

 half* is passed over the left shoulder, hanging down in 

 front, leaving the right shoulder, arm, and part of the 

 breast uncovered; it is not used as a veil. With young 

 girls the head is generally uncovered, and the mass of hair 

 gathered into a large knot at one side of the back of the 

 head, ornamented with flowers or tufts of colored silk. Of 

 ornaments they are extremely fond, especially the women, 

 who wear many kinds of amulets on strings around the 

 neck, arm-rings, bracelets, ankle, finger, and toe-rings, 

 which render domestic work very difficult and often 

 painful. Since their conversion, almost all of these orna- 

 ments have been discarded, and they naturally wonder at 

 the jewelry worn in their midst and in church by the Eu- 

 ropean ladies of the mission and others, and innocently 

 ask "have they been baptized?" 



I was fortunate enough to secure some of these barbaric 

 ornaments, now unused except in the districts beyond the 

 influence of the mission. They are very well made, of 

 artistic designs and decorations, attesting considerable 

 skill in the working of metals, and no little knowledge of 

 the tine and mechanic arts of their more civilized neigh- 

 bors ; this is probably not due to imitation, but is a rem- 

 nant of their former refinement and culture, perhaps from 

 pre- Aryan times. 



Figure 1. A neck-ring of brass, weight 6 ounces; 

 diameter inside »';* inches, outside 7 inches; circular; 

 open behind for 1£ inches, flattened in front, cylindrical 

 above, and each end terminating in a rounded point sur- 

 mounted by a knob. It is chased very prettily on nearly 

 its whole extent, with different patterns on the two sur- 

 faces. Where it came in contact with the sides of the 



