1S75.] J. Butler — JRowgh Notes on the Angami Ndgds. 325 



up of a well-dressed Angami warrior, flashing about in all his gala war- 

 paint, as he goes bounding along, making the hills re-echo again and again 

 with his peculiar cry, which when taken up by several hundred voices has 

 a most extraordinarily thrilling effect, sometimes going off into deep bass- 

 tones that would do credit to any organ accompaniment, at others running 

 into strangely fiendish, jackal-like yells. 



The Angami's chief article of attire, and one which distinguishes him 

 from most other Nagas, is a kilt of dark blue or black cotton cloth of 

 home manufacture, varying from 3^ to 4| feet in length, according to 

 the size of the man, and about 18 inches in width, decorated with tbree, 

 and sometimes, though very rarely, with four, horizontal rows of small white 

 cowrie-shells. This kilt passes round the hips and overlaps in front, the 

 edge of the upper flap is ornamented with a narrow fringe, whilst the 

 under-flap having a string attached to its lower corner is pulled up tightly 

 between the legs, and the string, which generally has a small cowrie at- 

 tached to the end of it, is then either allowed to hang loosely a few inches 

 below the waist belt, or is tucked in at the side, and thus the most perfect 

 decency is maintained, forming a pleasing' contrast to some of their neigh- 

 bours " who walk the tangled jungle in mankind's primeval pride ". I 

 do not think that any dress that I have ever seen, tends so much to show 

 off to the very best advantage all the points of a really fine man, or so 

 ruthlessly to expose all the weak points of a more weedy specimen as this 

 simple cowrie-begirt kilt. Thrown over the shoulders are generally, loose- 

 ly worn, from two to three cotton or bark, home-spun cloths, according to 

 the state of the weather. Some of these cloths are of an extremely pretty 

 pattern, as for instance the very common one of a dark blue ground, with 

 a double border of broad scarlet and yellow stripes on two sides, and fring- 

 ed at both ends. "When out on the war-trail, or got up for a dance, these 

 cloths are worn crossed over the breast and back, and tied in a knot at the 

 shoulder. 



I may here note that, like our own Scotch Highlanders, every Naga 

 tribe uses a peculiar pattern of cloth, and thus any individual can at once 

 be easily identified by his tartan. 



The Angamis cut their hair short in front, and either brush it off the 

 forehead, leaving it parted in the middle, or let it hang down straight, com- 

 ing to about an inch above the eyebrow, after the manner of Cromwell's 

 Round Heads. The hair on the top and back of the head is left long, 

 and is tied into a peculiar knot, very like the chignons worn by our ladies 

 in England a few years ago. Round this knot rolls of snow white cotton 

 are bound, and on high-days and holidays into the base of this top knot 

 they insert plumes of feathers according to the taste of the wearer. The 

 favourite feather assumed by the warrior is the tail feather — white with a 



