964 Grange's Expedition into the Naga Hills. [No. 106. 



Landed property is hereditary, and is cultivated for ages by the pro- 

 prietors. In building houses, neighbours are required by custom to 

 assist each other, for which they are feasted by the person whose house 

 they are building. On deaths of fathers occurring, the property is 

 divided, and all the family share, the house going to the eldest son, 

 unless he has one of his own, when the mother retains if. 



The barter value of different articles at the village of Hoplongmee 

 was as follows, a cow is valued at 10 or 12 conch shells. 



A pig „ „ 2 ditto. 



A fowl „ „ 1 packet of salt. 



A goat „ „ 2 conch shells. 



A male slave „ >> 1 cow and 3 conch shells. 



A female ditto. „ „ 3 ditto, and 4 and 5 ditto. 



The children of slaves are slaves. 

 The climate of Hoplongmee is in the month of February very fine, 

 the days are mild, and the nights very clear and cold, and a strong 

 hoar frost rests on the ground till 8 a.m. — I found wild raspberries 

 growing on the hills in the vicinity, and some nettles resembling those 

 found in Europe. The hills are of considerable altitude, and those in 

 the immediate neighbourhood of Hoplongmee covered with stunted 

 grass, with wooded patches on their sides. The alpine scenery is ex- 

 tremely fine, and few sights could exceed the grandeur and fearful 

 appearance of a storm rolling slowly through these mountain chains. We 

 experienced some very high bleak winds on them. 



The Nagas have several ways of prophesying the success of any ex- 

 pedition they are going on. One is by cutting a soft reed with their 

 spear head into flat pieces, and if the slices fall to the ground one way, 

 success is sure to fall in the opposite direction intended ; according to 

 the number fallen that way, so will be the proportion of ill luck ; suc- 

 cess by another mode is by the means of the flight of a cock. If he 

 flies strong and far, it is a favourable sign ; but if, on the contrary, he 

 should fly weakly, and to no distance, ill luck is sure to ensue. In going 

 on an expedition, if a deer cross their path they return, and defer their 

 trip till some other day. This same superstition prevails also amongst 

 the Shan tribes, with the slight difference, that if a deer cross their path 

 from right to left, they proceed, but if in the opposite direction, i. e. from 

 left to right, they return immediately, considering it a warning not to 

 proceed upon any expedition. 



