1881.] Nongyang Lake, on the Burmese Frontier. 27 



act disastrously on them. Yet, instead of blaming ourselves, who should 

 know better, we blame the savage, and wonder at the result. In time no 

 doubt these people might be educated and understand us and our institu- 

 tions, but in the meanwhile they need an intelligent " Chief" over them, 

 rather than a department, and one not changed for every little frivolous 

 pretext, but one who will elect to live and die among them and work for 

 them. From being a set of treacherous and turbulent races, they would 

 become a prolific source from which our Indian army could recruit most 

 valuable and trustworthy material. They are particularly susceptible to 

 personal kindness. It is to be lamented that with the opportunity and 

 power to govern them successfully, there should be deliberate blundering 

 through thoughtlessness. Such men as Captain John Butler are needed, 

 they are few and far between perhaps, but are still to be found with a little 

 trouble. 



But to return to these Kutcha Nagas ; what they were like in their 

 houses I can't say, but here they wore a sinister truculent look, and there 

 was more difference between them each individually than is usual, though 

 the colour was somewhat uniform ; they wore the hair cropped to a 

 horizontal line across the forehead, as is so common among all NaVas. 

 They spoke very little, and in undertones, to each other, their numerals, 

 like those of all the races in Eastern Assam, being on the same basis, with 

 minor variations. 



At last we got to sleep, and after a pleasant night were up at dawn. 

 I asked the Naga headman to assist me in procuring some curios, personal 

 ornaments, costumes, &c, but it proved to be no easy matter. They might 

 give away, but how could they sell such things ? Of course, if given, a 

 present was expected in return of, say, at least double value. 



At first they quite failed to see why I wanted their costumes and orna- 

 ments, unless for some unstated purpose, not a good one, — to perform 

 magic with, perhaps ; but gradually I got them to see it as a harmless 

 and laughable peculiarity of mine, and I secured a few of the things, 

 though at exorbitant rates. I got them to see it best and easiest by 

 selecting a girl well got up, and saying I would like to take the " lot" as 

 it stood, bar the girl. Naga-like, they could not resist the temptation to 

 palm off bad things for good. Eventually, we got what we wanted, had 

 breakfast, and, while packing, I showed them all another village through 

 the telescope. Their astonishment was considerable, and, as usual, they 

 thought the village had been brought near by magic. 



Ere midday we were off down for the Namtsik, where, meeting a 

 young Naga I secured some samples of his gunpowder in exchange for 

 some bullets, on which he set a high value. The powder was kept in dry- 

 bamboo tubes, with a stopper and bit of cloth. I also made him sell mo 



