1839.] the Naga territories of Assam. 461 



cumstances, and return if he was obliged to do so ; as I had deter- 

 mined to push on, and if nothing else could be done, to find the exit 

 from this tract to Assam, of which I had heard from Toolaram Raja 

 and the Munipoorees. Notwithstanding their ignorance of the existence 

 of a road pretended to by the Nagas, with only one day's provisions 

 I started for Malhye, a village six miles off. I had no guide, but 

 trusted to a path which the Balaka people had pointed out before they 

 ran away as the direction to be pursued. I was rather anxious about 

 meeting any villagers at Malbye, imagining that the Balaka people had 

 communicated our having seized their chief. We found the Malhye 

 people assembled and prepared to protect their village had there been 

 any attack from us; but with a hog and some grain laid at the 

 entrance we pacified them, and got what we wanted. It was rather 

 amusing to see them assembled with their spears, looking very fierce 

 and warlike, whilst we were aware one shot would have sent them 

 flying over hill and dale, and proved to them their weakness. They 

 are however very persevering in their mode of fighting, viz. wan- 

 dering behind bush and stone, on the look out for an opportunity 

 to spear their enemy when off his guard. Whilst standing making 

 inquiries for a convenient encamping place, Keereebee, chief of Jykama, 

 or Yueekhe, bounded down the hill side and presented a piece of 

 cloth and a spear. A finer specimen of a wild mountaineer was never 

 before me ; he wore the blue kilt, ornamented with cowries, peculiar to 

 the Angamees, which set off his fine, powerful figure very much. I told 

 him to come to camp and receive some presents, which he did ; but he 

 refused to accompany me to Ikkaree's village, as he said he was at 

 enmity with that chief, and if he caught him he would kill him. 



March 4th. Lookakee, chief of Unggileo, came to pay us a visit, and 

 left us to get some grain ready. Healuckeng, chief of Ungolo, came 

 and gave a black cloth as an amicable offering, and brought some 

 coolies to relieve our Kookees; the men he brought were all fine strap- 

 ping fellows. Left camp at 7° 30' a. m. and ascended to near the 

 Ungolo village, which consists of about 30 or 40 houses situated on the 

 top of a lower hill of the great range. We found two baskets of rice at 

 the path leading to their village ; the path from this was newly cut, 

 and therefore not a good one. We skirted the great range, which 

 from Onggong took an easterly direction. We met with no bamboos, 

 our route being through forest trees with small underwood. We pas- 

 sed the bed of a mountain rivulet, which was now hardly trickling 

 sufficient water to allow of a good draught, but which in the rainy season 

 must discharge a considerable body of water, and going over several 

 low hills reached Unggiliiee, where the coolies from Ungolo dropped 



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