12 S. E. Peal — Report on a visit to the [No. 1, 



Next morning we re-arranged the baggage, leaving some needless 

 items till our return, and taking only loads which the men could easily carry 

 in the hills. At first the Namtsik was a succession of deep clear pools, 

 among wooded hills, with rapids at every bend. The timber was remark- 

 ably fine, the best I had ever seen. Huge naliars (JMesua ferra), mekahi 

 and gondserai, rising here and there to immense heights, certainly 100 feet 

 to the first branch, being 10 and 12 feet, or even 16, in circumference 

 at the base. Large tree-ferns and wild plantains rose above on either side, 

 and creepers hung in profusion everywhere, long lines often hanging down 

 into the water, as a rule everything was beautifully reflected in the still 

 clear water. Eventually we reached a rapid towards 4 o'clock, where an 

 immense rubber-tree overhung a deep pool, but with a ledge of shingle 

 intervening, on which there were remains of some huts made by the 

 ubiquitous rubber-cutters, these we speedily demolished, and after levelling 

 the ground, pitched our tents in a line. Somehow this evening, in 

 consequence of the gloom, the weird look of the whole place, queer hootings, 

 and a slight drizzle, the party all seemed inclined to the superstitious, and 

 I had to compel them to cook and eat. After they had done so, I issued a 

 small " tot" of grog to all who would take it, which served to rouse them up. 

 During the night it rained, but, as before, our waterproofs kept us dry. 



About 9 a. M. next morning, after all had eaten, we started on, passed 

 some long rapids and shallows, where I had even to get out and tow my 

 Mob Roy. At one place I was ahead looking for deer, and enjoying the 

 beauties of the gorge. Some of the tree-ferns I estimated at 30 feet high. 

 Dead rubber-trees were also seen here and there, the dead arms standing 

 out conspicuously against the clear blue sky overhead or fallen over bodily 

 into the river bed. 



Suddenlv, on turning a corner, I came on some Naga men and women 

 who were out for jhuming, they were all nearly naked, the men wearing a 

 narrow strip of cloth and the women a series of fine cane strips, so girdled 

 as to look like a miniature crinoline that hung down about a foot below 

 the waist, and to which a narrow strip of dirty cloth was fastened horizon- 

 tally. The women also wore nose-studs (which covered the nostrils) made 

 of pewter, and the size of four- or eight-anna pieces. A profusion of glass 

 beads, as usual, made up for the scantiness of the costume in other ways, 

 and brass wire rings were worn through the upper part of the ear, from 

 which the red and green skins of a small bird depended. Brass wire brace- 

 lets, a bead coronet, large red cane loops in the hair, two bone skewers, and 

 shin-rings seemed to complete the outfit. Two lads of 16 or 17 were quite 

 nude. 



None of them could speak a word of Assamese, and seeing me alone 

 they were considerably astonished, especially as but one or two of them 



