KHAMTI TO INDIA 



our coming by courier from Bishi, had issued orders that every 

 possible faciHty should be given us, and himself kindly sent us 

 a most acceptable present of preserves. 



On the 2ist (December) we found elephants awaiting us, pro- 

 vided bv the same gentleman's forethought ; and for the first time 

 for months we were able to spare our own legs and smoke our 

 pipes in luxury. 



The intermediate 

 villages were mainlv 

 Singpho, and a few 

 Thai, the latter easily 

 recoenisable from their 

 religious posts in shape 

 like elliptical roofed 

 houses, such as we had 

 already seen in Khamti. 

 The scenery much re- 

 sembled that of Laos ; 

 dwellings appeared 

 amid palms and plan- 

 tains. Between the 

 villaofes we traversed 



o 



extensive woods and 

 paddy-fields, where the 

 starried buffaloes wheeled into line of battle as we passed. We cer- 

 tainly formed a queer troop. At the head we rode on elephants, and 

 behind us wound our porters, their grey tchaupas contrasting with 

 the brighter garments of the Singphos in the sun. We might have 

 been taken for a string of prisoners or a procession of penitents. 

 Nam's behaviour at this time was that of a litde child ; he was 



349 



Singphos. 



