952 Granges Expedition into the Naga Hills. [No. 106. 



infringe the rule, he is obliged to remain two or three days in the house 

 of the parents and not to mix in society ; but if the relatives of the 

 party are in fault, they are punished by a fine of a feast. 



On the occurrence of a death, they howl their lamentations, feast, and 

 bury the corpse, placing the deceased's spear in the grave, and his shield, 

 and a few small sticks like forks, with some eggs and gram, on the grave, 

 as an offering to ensure them good crops. I could get no reasons from 

 them why their doing so would ensure them fertility of the soil. 



They are not very martial at present, having been generally the party 

 attacked and subdued by the other Nagas. They have very little trade, 

 and not much inclination that way, being too fond of idleness to exert 

 themselves for their own improvement ; they cultivate small quantities of 

 cotton, and exchange it for salt. Many of them have taken refuge 

 in the Mikeer villages, and may in time adopt the industrious habits 

 of those cultivators, but their unruly, independent inclinations would be 

 a great obstacle to any attempt at improving them. Mohong Dejira 

 now consists of about 50 or 60 houses ; in former days it enumerated 

 about 300. The emigrants have formed the villages of Bokolea and 

 Nerondlea, and many are gone to Dhurumpore. The cause of their 

 flight, it is stated, was owing to some Nagas a few years ago having 

 killed two of their tribe ; that may be partly the reason, but the itine- 

 rant character of the Cacharee, may have influenced them greatly. 

 The Cacharees here, till within two years past, have been obliged to 

 pay tribute to the Nagas of Sumoogoding, to preserve peace. The tri- 

 bute consisted of a cow or bullock, and one maund of salt per annum. 



The lands about here are of the finest description, some yielding very 

 rich crops of grain, and can be irrigated at pleasure by a small rivulet 

 which issues from the hills to the N., but the indolent disposition of the 

 villagers (who are an admixture of Assamese and Cacharees) prevents 

 their taking advantage of the fertility of the soil, large sheets of which 

 remain uncultivated, which were formerly well cropped ; but since the 

 reduction of the village, and their union with the Assamese they have 

 become great opium-eaters, and merely cultivate sufficient rice, &c. to 

 afford them the means of subsistence. Some traders extend their traffic, 

 up to this village, and procure a tolerable supply of cotton from the 

 Dhejuah Cacharees. There are few Indian products that could not be 

 reared on the low lands around this part of the country, and the presence 



