46 G. E. Fryer — On the Khyeng people of Sandoway, AraJcan. [No. 1, 



are durable and good. Indigo grown by themselves is tbe chief dye made use 

 of. The male dress is a strip of blue cloth folded round the hips and passed 

 between the legs with an end hanging down before and behind, and by way 

 of head covering a strip of cloth is wound round the head. The women 

 wear a loose blouse reaching to the knee, very open at the bosom and back 

 of the neck, and furnished with slits at the sides for the arms ; beneath they 

 wear a short close petticoat. Work in the fields and hill-clearing, together 

 with basket-making, occupy the time of the men. The boys look after the 

 domestic animals. The women are employed in spinning, weaving, and 

 cooking ; they also assist the men in the fields. The loom is an effective 

 but very primitive arrangement. The ends of the beam farthest from the 

 weaver, around which the warp is wound, are fastened to two pegs driven 

 in the ground ; the weaver seated on the ground has the near beam, round 

 which the warp passes, resting on her lap, the ends of which, together with 

 those of another beam which presses the upper warp threads on the lower, 

 are fastened to the sides of a broad strip of hide against which she leans ; 

 transverse pieces of bamboo, turned by the hand, cause the warp-threads to 

 rise and fall as required, and as the threads are opened the shuttle is thrown 

 across ; on the reversal of the warp another opening is made, which is simi- 

 larly crossed by the shuttle. 



The Khyengs call themselves Hiou or Shou, and state that the Shin- 

 doos, Khumis, and Lungkhes, are members of the same race as themselves. 

 They have a tradition that they came down many years ago from the sour- 

 ces of the Kyendweng river, but they possess no written record of their 

 descent ; they are fond, however, of singing rude ballads, which portray the 

 delights of their ancient country, a specimen of which is here given — 



1. ania la chan don a kho a, e e e e 



2. htoan za na baleng a hpuan a, e e e e 



3. apok a poichi a oat mlii a, e e e e 



4. htoan za na baleng a hpuan a, e e e e 



5. ane ye olo ve dimo e, e e e 



6. si sho e lo po e hnaung e, eeee 



7. son sho e atoan e ey e, e e e e 



8. Kauau o suam ei o htui yo, e e e. 



Translation. 



1. To the upper (country of the) Kyendweng (river), 



2. To the level (plains of the) baleng and dry htoan (grasses), 



3. To the brick (walled) city of our forefathers, 



4. To the level (plains of the) baleng and dry htoan (grasses), 



5. Which are so charming [lit. not a little charming), 



6. Let us hie, come along ! 



