1845.] Report of an Expedition into the Mishmee Hills. 491 



Flesh of all kinds is in great request, and all animals, from a mouse to 

 an elephant, are eagerly devoured by these people, merely with the excep- 

 tion of crows, the black ape, and muster* found in rivers : that of the 

 women is much more limited, being confined to fish, wild birds, and 

 field mice ; but, however fond they may be of animal food, they have not 

 yet paid any attention to the breeding of cattle, but kill and eat whatever 

 they may be able to purchase immediately on arrival at their villages. 



Customs, Manners, SfC. fyc. — The domestic economy of the Mishmees 

 does not appear to be burthened with many customs or observances such 

 as are met with in civilized life ; but, nevertheless, some of their habits 

 appear but little adapted to a savage state, amongst which I may 

 mention the practice of not eating flesh, or any thing but plain boiled grain 

 in the houses of their superior relations by marriage, but which does not 

 apply if the case is reversed, as the superior relations are not prohibited 

 from eating whatever may be offered to them in the houses of their inferior 

 relations ; but as marriages and intermarriages are very common, it is but 

 very seldom that a married man is capable of partaking of the rights of 

 hospitality amongst his own or the neighbouring clans, although there 

 may at the time be enough or even more than enough to satisfy all. 



The whole of the tribes to the north of the Burhampooter as far west as 

 the Degaroo and the source of the Tiding rivers, and to the east 

 as far as the Doo river, may in a political sense be treated as one 

 people, although the divisions amongst themselves into clans are 

 numerous, among which the Taen and Maroo hold the two first 

 places ; but, being so intimately connected with the other clans 

 both by the ties of marriage and interest, cannot be regarded as a 

 separate people or distinct from each other in any way except in 

 name : every clan has, however, a nominal head ; but the power of 

 their chiefs is extremely limited, and may be set at naught by any 

 person who considers himself sufficiently powerful to assert his inde- 

 pendence. Laws and punishments seem scarcely to exist, and with the 

 exception of murder and abduction, no other crimes against each other 

 appear of common occurrence ; this last is, however, a fruitful source of 

 dissension and quarrel, and when any case of the kind takes place, the 

 person from whom the woman has been taken, demands the amount he 



* Sic in MS.— Eds. 



