1S75.] J. Butler — Bough Notes on the Angami JSfdgas. 327 



It is strange to note how fond all nations, whether civilized or savage, 

 are of bestowing some outward sign whereby all men may at once distin- 

 guish the man of deeds from the common herd, and thus we here find that 

 the Angami equivalent for a V. C, or " reward of valour", is a Toucan's 

 tail feather and hair collar, whilst the substitute for a medal, showing that 

 the wearer has been in action, or at all events that he has formed part of 

 an expedition, is cowrie shells on his kilt. 



The dress of the women, though neat, decent, and picturesque in its 

 way, is not nearly so showy as that of the men, and forms another notice- 

 able instance of the female withdrawing from the contest wherever she 

 finds the male a rival in the same field of indulgence in, and love of, person- 

 al decoration. The most important perhaps, though least seen, portion of 

 a woman's dress is of course the petticoat, which is usually a piece of dark 

 blue home-spun cotton cloth, about 2 feet in breadth, which passing round 

 the hips overlaps about 6 inches. This is partially, if not entirely, covered 

 by the folds of the next most important article of clothing", a broad cotton 

 cloth, whose opposite corners are taken up and made to cross over the 

 back and chest, thus covering the bosoms, and are tied in a knot over the 

 shoulders. Finally, a second cloth is worn, either thrown loosely over 

 the shoulders, or wrapped round the hips and tucked in at the waist. In 

 the cold weather, they generally add an extra cloth, whilst in the warm 

 weather, or when employed in any kind of hard work, such as tilling their 

 fields, &c, they generally dispense with both these, and drop the corners 

 of the other, or in other words simply strip to the waist. 



Bound their throats they love to load themselves with a mass of neck- 

 laces of all kinds, glass, cornelian, shell, seeds, and stone. In their ears the 

 young girls wear a peculiar pendant formed of a circular bit of white shell, 

 whilst the matrons generally dispense with earrings altogether. On their 

 wrists above their elbows they wear thick heavy bracelets, or armlets, of 

 brass, and a metal that looks like pewter. The young girls until they 

 marry shave their heads completely, a very queer, ugly custom for which 

 I have never succeeded in getting any adequate reason, nor can I suggest 

 one. The married women braid or loop up their hair very much after the 

 manner of the Irish peasantry, often adding a few foreign locks to make up 

 for any deficiency. Brides are generally to be recognized at a glance, 

 from their hair being allowed to fall in waving masses round the head, not 

 being long enough to be tied up. 



The accompanying admirable illustrations by Lieut. R. G. Woodthorpe, 

 R. E., my able colleague and invaluable companion in the two last explora- 

 tion expeditions into the Naga Hills, will I trust enable my readers fully 



