6S C. H. Lopper — The Singpho and Kampti Country. [March, 



Thus from the Thibetan Frontier in the north down to already de- 

 scribed country in the south we have now been able to fill in the clans and 

 tribes between our frontier and China, and of these it is satisfactory to 

 learn tliat the majority are described as very quiet people, and those, viz., 

 the Lissus, who are from native sources described as the worst, are described 

 by A. D. as being well disposed to Europeans, though subject enough to 

 disputes amongst themselves. 



It is seen from the above what a very small area is allotted to the 

 Kamptis of Bor Kampti visited by Wilcox over 50 years ago. They may 

 be said to be contained in the basin between the Nam Lang and the Nam 

 Kin, a few detached villages being found scattered along the river banks, 

 a little to the north of Kacho, by Major Sandeman's surveyor. 



The clan of Kamptis that was in power in Wilcox's time in Bor 

 Kampti, viz. the Lung Kins, have been expelled by the other Kampti clan 

 called Luk Khun, and their town Kallang of Wilcox's map destroyed. Of 

 those that escaped of the Lung Kins some went south down the Nam Kin, 

 others are settled along the Tenga Pani, and near the mouth of the Noa 

 Dehing in our territory. This exodus occurred about 30 years ago. They 

 left none of their clan behind them except the orphans of the slain that 

 were too young to march. There are several khels or small clans amongst 

 the Kamptis. These Kamptis in our territory have still a greater respect 

 for Burmah than for us, and imagine Burmah stronger than we are. I 

 met two Burmese, I firmly believe oSicials, amongst them. They send 

 presents to the Burmese kings, having to send tliem through British coun- 

 tvy to do so. The Kamptis of Bor Kampti also send presents as tribute 

 once in about three years to Burmah. 



Looking at the Kamptis from a China route point of view they can 

 be perfectly ignored by passing to the south and round them. In any case 

 they would do nothing but offer passive resistance. But as, owing to the 

 jealousies existing between the Kamptis and Singphos, it would be impoli- 

 tic to have a mixed following of Kampti and Singpho guides, and as 

 Kampti guides alone could not lead an explorer to China, and Singpho 

 guides properly selected from the different Singpho clans could do so, it 

 is easily seen of how little importance to us any kind of feeling towards us 

 on the part of the Kamptis need be. 



The Kampti language is undoubtedly a patois of Siamese as is easily 

 detected by a glance at a comparative vocabulary. They use characters 

 almost identical in general appearance with those of Burmah, but haying a 

 difference in value and pronunciation. As regards the Singpho language, 

 this seems, after a comparison I have made with some 14 languages of these 

 parts (vocabularies of which I have already collected, with hopes of adding 

 some 14 to 16 more to their number), to be a distinct language. It is 



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