THE KHOND HIGHLANDS. 253 



carries in his right hand, together with 

 three or four arrows, headed with blades 

 like dessert knives. This very trucu- 

 lent display, however, is only assumed 

 on the principle " si velis pacem, para 

 bellum." Probably his long-handled 

 tungi has only been used to cut off the 

 head of a goat, and his arrows are 

 innocent of the taste of human blood. 



The Khond feuds are conducted in 

 keeping with this preference for the 

 aspect of war over its stern realities. 

 The race has become subdivided into 

 septs and rival communities ; something 

 leads to a quarrel between two of 

 them, and perhaps a life is taken, 

 probably at a drinking bout, for the 

 Khonds drink a great deal of " toddy," 

 drawn from the sago palm, and distil 



