950 Grangers Expedition into the Naga Hills. [No. 106= 



south of the Sumoogoding range, and on account of the frequent quarrels 

 and oppression they had been subjected to from their own tribe, they had 

 been obliged to emigrate : they first took possession of the high hills on 

 which the present village of Tokophe is situated, but even there, not 

 being free from the attacks of their persecutors, they again fled to the 

 lower hills upon which they are now. The following is the information 

 I have been able to pick up regarding the wild tribes here about. The 

 villagers of Gafaga, Mezattee, Badolasong, Kola, Muzals, Tooroofen 

 and Gesinga, are all of one tribe, and have separated into a number of 

 villages in consequence of quarrels amongst themselves ; not acknow- 

 ledging any regular chiefs, and every man being his own master, 

 his passions and inclinations are ruled by his share of brute force, his 

 dexterity with the spear, to which arm they have immediate resort for 

 the adjustment of the slightest quarrel, and in consequence, villages are 

 continually at feud. In addition to this, the Tokophen Nagas, who are of 

 a different tribe, and speak another dialect, in league with the Nagas 

 about the Sumoogoding range, pay them occasional maurauding visits, 

 and take advantage of their flight on their appearing, to pillage 

 their villages. The Nagas of the village of Gesinga, or as it is called by 

 some Rengma, are at feud with those Nagas on the eastern bank of 

 the Dhunsiri, in the Jorhat division, called by the Assamese, Lotah. 

 The former village is under charge of an half Assamese and half Naga, 

 Gesinga Phokun, who exercises some rule over the village. The 

 latter tribe, from the different accounts I have heard of them, ap- 

 pear to be of a more civilized character than the Nagas on the west 

 bank of the Dhunsiri, having regular chiefs, whose orders they re- 

 gard, and trading largely with the Assamese at Cacharee haut. The 

 Tokophen Nagas came in, and declared that they had no evil inclinations 

 towards the Majuttee and Gafaga Nagas, but that they had heard 

 that the Dewansas intended making an excursion against them at the full 

 of the moon. I gave them clearly to understand, that if they persisted in 

 their present mode of life, and would not leave off their maurauding 

 habits, they would be punished severely, and not allowed to remain 

 in their present locality ; and nothing more of the intended excur- 

 sion was heard. It is a common practice with Nagas, when they are 

 going to make an excursion against a village, to set reports afloat that 

 other villages or tribes intend an excursion against the same village. 



