1856.] Notes on a forest race called Puttooas or Juanga. 297 



all large and smooth leaves are used indifferently. These leaves are 

 changed daily, and are generally in consequence clean and fresh- 

 looking. 



No covering is worn on the upper-part of the person ; but most of 

 the females I have seen had necklaces of coloured earthenware beads 

 (made by themselves they told me) which hung down to their waists 

 in numerous folds ; and nose, ear, and hair ornaments, sketches of 

 which will be found in the accompanying engravings, were common 

 amongst them. 



Their hair was generally of the shock order, but was gathered 

 rudely into a knot at the back of the head, and fastened by a string 

 terminating at each end in a silver or brass button. 



No blanket or other covering, I was assured, is permitted to these 

 women at night, and tbeir only remedy against the extreme cold 

 which often prevails in the hilly region they inhabit, is to sleep 

 between two fires. 



The origin of the strange costume they have adopted, was thus 

 described to me by the different parties of Puttooas, whom I ques- 

 tioned. Many ages ago, they said, the women of the tribe, being 

 much given to fine clothes and naturally averse to soiling them, fell 

 into a habit of dressing themselves in leaves whenever they had 

 occasion to clean out the cow-houses or to perform any other menial 

 office. On one occasion when thus employed a Thakoorani (Seeta 

 some said, but the majority did not seem sure of her name) appeared 

 to them and commanded them as a punishment for their pride, 

 never again to wear clothes, or to appear in any other dress than 

 that in which they then stood. Should they violate this command, 

 they firmly believe that they would sooner or later be devoured by 

 tigers. In Keonjur, I am told by Dr. Short of the Madras Army, 

 who has lately visited that Killah, that the legend is somewhat differ- 

 ently told, and that the dress is said to be worn in obedience to the 

 commands of a Kishi. The same belief, however, appears to prevail 

 in Keonjur as in Dhekenal, on the subject of the penalty which 

 awaits those who presume to discard their present sylvan attire, and 

 it is probably owing to the dread which this belief inspires, that 

 even children of an age at which Ooriah girls usually go naked, are 

 made to wear their little apron of leaves. 



2 R 



