1851.] Notes upon a tour through the Rdjmahal Hills. 589 



than feathers ; they have a white hare rim round the eye, are very 

 familiar or fearless, and very abundant. I have never seen the bird 

 figured in any work of natural history. The golden oriole were also 

 plentiful in the mango trees. 



At Nowgachi hill village, which is one of the neatest and cleanest 

 hill residences I have yet met with, are two very grotesque gods carved 

 in a rude manner so as to represent elephants, to which animals they 

 bear but a very faint resemblance. Between these images, which are 

 surmounted by human heads, probably to represent the Mahut, or 

 driver, at certain seasons of the year, goats, buffaloes, pigs and cocks 

 are sacrificed to Bedo Gossain or the great god. A buffaloe was tied 

 before the Mangi's door that was to be offered up during the present 

 month. 



Fifty young hill-men accompanied me from this village to assist in 

 cutting a road for my elephants which they did with right good will 

 and appeared highly pleased with the occupation. The hill-man is 

 not to be compared with the Sonthal in the use of the axe, the former 

 is awkward and slow compared with the active Sonthal, nearly one-half 

 of whose existence is spent felling trees. 



At Merapara, descended the hills to some extensive Sonthal clear- 

 ings situated on the banks of the Morel hill torrent, which is the 

 principal drainer of the northern hills and flows to the south. The 

 highland overhanging the Ganges and which is about two thousand 

 feet in height sends no streams to the north, with the exception of a 

 small stream which flows from the Motee-jhurna waterfall, situate to 

 the south of Sikreegullee. 



The hill-men in my company on coming within sight of the Sonthal 

 clearings, complained bitterly as, indeed, did Kesoo Sirdar at Sunuria, 

 of the encroachments of their lowland neighbours ; they said that the 

 Sonthals were occupying all their vallies, were very saucy and would 

 not leave their clearings, alleging that they had received leases from 

 Mr. Pontet and move they would not. The fact is, the hill-men will 

 not cultivate the valleys and do not like to see any one else cultivate 

 them. Mr. Pontet freely invites the hill-men to take the Sonthals' 

 fields and use the land rent-free, but if they will not use the land nor 

 cultivate it, he immediately allows the Sonthals to take possession. 



In several spots, the Sonthals have actually got possession of vil- 



