1881.] Nongyang Like, on the Burmese Frontier. 9 



At Ntem we came to the first rapid since leaving Namsang, and a little 

 above it camped on a wide sand, whence a Singphu, a D mania, and a Naga 

 village were visible at once, all quite small and unfortified, showing the 

 security of these parts. Here, again, a tiger came out at night, and prowled 

 about a good deal, as we saw by his tracks in the morning. 



By 9 a. m. we were off, after breakfast and a visit to the Duania village, 

 and landed at Saiko at noon, finding the village of six houses nearly de- 

 serted. I here saw some very pretty silk ornaments being wov^n for a bag, 

 but the price, (Rs. 10 for 2 square feet) was more than I cared to pay ; 

 the loom was a rude little contrivance 2 ft. by 2 ft. by 2 ft., made of 

 some sticks and bamboos. 



I here also measured a peculiar kind of bamboo, 22 inches in girth, 

 with close joints, and from 70 to 80 feet high. I hear they are not known 

 wild, and the internodes are made into mugs, jugs, boxes, and such like. 

 The stem is of a bluish white colour. 



Later in the day we reached the Kherim Pani, or old bed of the Di- 

 ning, now more or less silted up. There are two other passages through 

 which the Dihing comes in the rains, i. e., the Mganto and Kasan ; from this 

 upwards, the river is called the Namrup. 



Selecting a dry sandbank, where there was plenty of fuel, we pitched 

 our camp and made all extra taut and snug, expecting a storm at night, 

 which duly visited us ; the thin waterproof sheets, however kept every- 

 thing dry, notwithstanding a strong gust or two. At dawn we were all 

 astir. While some of the people cooked, I went with the others to 

 Bisa, about a mile up the Dherim Pani, a place celebrated as the head- 

 quarters of the Singphiis of our side of the Patkai, and the residence of 

 the late head Gam, Banka. There was little to distinguish it from other 

 Singphu villages, — the same long shed-like houses, traces everywhere about 

 of the depth of the mud in the rains, pigs and children. Very few men 

 were to be found, as most of them were out hunting for rubber. 



In exchange for some opium, I secured 3001b of clean rice, a few fowls 

 and eggs, also a few chillies. Chautong, son of the late Chief, a smart lad of 

 10 or 11, was pointed out to me, and Chauing, his nephew, a lad of 17 or 18, 

 was a very fair sample of a Singphu, tall, quiet, and obliging. His father, 

 Latua, about 16 years ago having determined to raid some villages in 

 Hukong, on the Upper Dinoi," departed with his men, saying that, if suc- 

 cessful, he would return. As he was not successful, he has not done so to 

 the present time, though he has been frequently asked to come back. 



On the way to the boat and camp we found the funeral pyre and 



monument of the late Chief, a small square enclosure, railed 6 ft. by 6 ft., 



with pillars at the corners, and long bamboos with strips of cloth dependent, 



a highly ornamental post in the centre with a kind of carved gilt cap or 



2 



