430 WILD SPORTS OF BURMA AND ASSAM 



most part they are fudged but red tape must have its 

 way. 



The Assamese are difficult to deal with ; the people are 

 debased, given to debauchery and opium, and it is impossible 

 to depend on them. Daily payments are very objectionable, 

 as a great deals sticks to the palms of the subordinates. I 

 introduced the contract system, paying for heavy embank- 

 ments only after measurements ; but I ran great risks, as I had 

 to advance often many thousands of rupees to get reliable 

 men to take up the work on my own responsibility and risk, 

 and I got very little thanks for my pains. 



The Bengal element prevails in the larger towns, and 

 education does not improve the Bengalie Baboo ; they are all 

 adopting Bhramoo Somaj faith, which gives them greater 

 facilities for getting drunk and for aping the vices of the 

 Europeans. The Assamese are most litigious, and will swear 

 to a lie sooner than to the truth. 



The Cacharies, who live away far from the larger towns, are 

 a far preferable race descendants, I fancy, of the Burmese 

 who overran the Province for so many years. When left to 

 themselves they are a hard-drinking, merry race, but they are 

 gradually being Hindoo-ized and degenerating rapidly. 



The Bhooteas, who visit Assam during the cold season, are 

 a fine-looking, largely-made race, but abominably filthy in 

 person and habits. They are great beggars, and come with 

 their sheep laden with grain, and with snow-boots, small dogs, 

 ponies, and hybrid gayals for sale. 



The Cossyahs are very like the Karens, and wear much the 

 same kind of dress. They are a sturdy, powerful race, carry- 

 ing immense weights, and being in that respect only inferior 

 to the Hamals of Constantinople and Syria. Like all hill 

 people they are not over cleanly in their persons, but their 

 daughters, when caught young, learn cleanly habits and make 

 capital Ayahs ; they are well-made, are well-developed, with 

 shapely busts and small hands and feet. 



No Cossyah will go round by a made road if he can go 

 straight up a hillside, even with a very heavy weight. They 

 burn their dead, and erect cairns to their memory. Some of 

 these cromlechs are huge granite slabs ranging as much as 



