TKANSACTIONS OF SECTION H. 1017 



4. On the Tribes inhabiting the Vicinity of the Mouth of the Wanigela 

 {Kemp Witch) River, New Guinea. By R. E. Guise. 



The author describes the tribes of Bulda, Kamali, Babaka, and Kalo, detailing 

 their account of their own origin, their laws and customs of birth, marriage, 

 divorce, widowhood, death, and inheritance ; their architecture ; warfare and 

 weapons (specimens of which were exhibited), hunting, fishing, feasts, planting, 

 foods, diseases and cures, religious beliefs, &c. 



5. The Montzu of Western Sze-chuan. By Mrs. Isabella Bishop. 



The author first described her j ourney, starting from Wei-chau, at the con- 

 fluence of two branches of the Min, and tracing the Siao-ho, or lesser branch, up 

 to its sources at an altitude of about 11,000 feet on the Isu Kuh Shan range. At 

 Isa Kuh Lao, the last official post of China in that direction, she entered upon 

 the territory of the Issu-su of Somo and lived for some weeks among the Montzu, 

 being lodged either in their houses or on their roofs. She then described the 

 aspect of their villages and their dwellings, their devotion to Lamaistic Buddhism, 

 the power of the Lamas, the ceaseless invocations in family temples, and the 

 numerous external signs of religion, including prayer cylinders made to revolve by 

 water power. She gave an account of their system of government and their 

 marriage and burial customs. Their most noted characteristic was the position 

 accorded to women, who were as unfettered as in England and America, and on 

 an absolute equality with men, possessing legal rights in respect of property, and 

 sharing occupations and amusements with men. She mentioned the freedom of 

 the people from epidemics and many diseases, and the remarkable prevalence of 

 goitre. Mrs. Bishop described minutely the dress and ornaments of both sexes, 

 and pointed out certain resemblances to the Lolos of Yun-nan as described by 

 Mr. Colborne Babir. The people had their own language, but it was written in 

 Tibetan characters. The height, size, and stability of their stone dwellings were 

 then touched upon, especially the lofty four-aided stone towers of extreme 

 antiquity which are a feature of all the villages, while the Castle of Somo, the 

 residence of the Ju-ssu, was indicated as of extreme stateliness and grandeur. 

 Mrs. Bishop summed up her detailed account of the Montzu by noting that the 

 characteristic of their physiognomy was that it was European in expression as 

 ■well as in feature, and recalled the Latin races. The paper was illustrated by 

 lantern slides from photographs taken by the author. 



6. The Sivati and A/ridi. By Col. Sir Thomas Holdich, K.C.I.E. 



Our recent campaigns in India have been directed against tribes-people who 

 occupy a district which we have lately cut oft' from A fghanistan, and which was 

 once known as the province of Rob. 



The dominant tribes are Afghans, who have adopted the general designation of 

 Patlian, in common with these Rohillas, who were always Pathans. Afghans now 

 speak the Pathan, or Pushtu, language, and recognise the Pathan civil code ; but 

 they recognise no kinship, and claim to be true Ben-i-Israel. 



These Afghans objected to being cut off from the rest of Afghanistan by the 

 demarcation of a boundary, and believed that they were to be annexed to India. 

 Hence the recent risings against us. 



Explanation of the connection between the Afghans of Swat and the Darani 

 Afghans of Kabul and Kandahar, and short account of the history of the Swatis. 

 Their character, customs, and the manner in which they commenced hostilities 

 against us. 



Description of the Afridi — his Rajput origin and independence. The scattered 

 nature of the Afridi clans and want of a recognised head. Afridi customs and 

 blood feuds. Their recognition of the necessity of loyalty to the cause they ser\'e 



