1845.] Report of an Expedition into the Mishmee Hills. 487 



a portion of which gold is yet visible. The water of this streamlet is 

 warmer than that of the Burhampooter, but is of a disagreeable taste. 

 1 was told by my guides, that the rains of 1843 considerably altered 

 and damaged the place. 



On my arrival at the Khamptee village I left by boat, and again 

 reached the post of Laikwah, on the 30th December. 



Religion. — The Mishmees seem to have but a very faint idea of any 

 religion : they, however, worship a numerous set of Deos or gods, a 

 great many of whom do not appear to have a name ; the most to be 

 feared amongst them, is the god of destruction, named Mujeedagrah, 

 who in his attributes much resembles the Hindoo Sheo or Maha-deo. 

 Sacrifices are also offered to Damipaon, who is the god of instruction 

 and the chase ; to Tibia, as the god of health and disease ; and these 

 two last named together with a god called Prepang, are supposed 

 to wander about in company from place to place. When any disease 

 appears in any of their houses, a priest of these people is sent for to drive 

 away the evil spirit. This ceremony is performed in the following manner : 

 The time fixed on for commencing is sunset, when the inmates of the 

 house and the relatives of the person concerned are assembled within the 

 house ; and the priest having placed himself in the centre, he commences 

 chaunting a dismal kind of dirge in a most monotonous strain. After 

 this has continued some time, the priest rises with a fan in one hand, 

 and a box containing pebbles in the other ; with these he dances about 

 on a mat, flourishing his fan and rattling his box : after this has lasted 

 some time, he leaves his mat and begins moving up and down the house, 

 continually singing the same tune ; and arriving at the door, he pretends 

 to drive the spirit out of the house : this is repeated several times, after 

 which the intended sacrifice is led forth, and after much unnecessary 

 cruelty, is killed by the priest and offered to the supposed spirit. 



These people do not appear to have any very distinct conception of a 

 future state, but suppose that all, whether good or bad, will go to the same 

 place as their fathers and mothers have before them ; and that, if the • 

 friends and relations of the deceased offer up sufficient sacrifices in their 

 name, they will be permitted to return again to the earth, but failing in 

 which, the spirit of the dead becomes an avenging demon, empowered 

 to work all sorts of evil on the heads of the relatives who have omitted 

 to perform the necessary rites. 



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