244 Indian Racing Reminiscences. 



Munipuris present us with the somewhat exceptional 

 instance of an entire nation having been converted 

 to Hinduism. Although such cases have occurred 

 before, still no caste of Hindus ever admits within its. 

 pale any outsider. Many years ago, a n's/ii, or saint, 

 appeared in Munipuri and announced that he had a 

 mission from his god to turn the tribe into Hindus.. 

 They were only too delighted, and received the sacred 

 thread, or jcneo, from the impostor, and have worn it 

 ever since, although, of course, no true Hindus will 

 acknowledge them as " twice-born." 



The Bengalee inhabitants regard polo as an invention^ 

 of Satan, and will have nothing to say to it. I 

 remember once hearing, on the Cachar ground, a friend 

 of mine ask a strapping young Bengalee, who was 

 looking on at some Munipuris playing, why he did 

 not join in the fun. " God forbid," he exclaimed ; " if 

 I were to go near them, some one very terrible fellow 

 would knock against me ; then I should fall down and 

 get killed, for I very coward man." These sleek- 

 wretches are the onl}- people who pride themselves on 

 being utterly devoid of pluck. A l^cngalee assistant- 

 surgeon who was attached, some years ago, to a 

 regiment that went on an expedition against one of 



