1855.] Notes on Northern Oacliar. 617 



and that too whether it dies a natural or a legitimate death, and 

 however far the body may have advanced towards decomposition. 

 Insects, reptiles, carrion animals, as well as those in general use for 

 food are eagerly sought after by him. He eats frogs, lizards, snakes, 

 rats, dogs, monkeys, cats, &c. with relish, and will pick them up 

 for that purpose though found dead and half rotten in the jungles. 

 It is not to be wondered at, that there are no jackals or vultures to 

 be found in the hills of North Cachar; what would they do if sub- 

 jected to such competition ? 



The Nagas make a fermented liquor from pounded rice, which 

 they drink in great quantities, especially in the morning, when it 

 serves them as breakfast, being of tolerable consistency. It is not 

 very intoxicating, and has an acrid disagreeable taste. The Nagas 

 smoke very little, and when they do, it is more for the purpose of 

 obtaining the tobacco oil in the bottoms of their pipes, than from 

 the enjoyment of the vapour. This oil they mix with water and 

 drink it, and they also drink water in which the tobacco leaf has 

 been pressed. Tobacco is also chewed by them in great quantities. 



4th, Kookies. — These, in North Cachar, are divided into two 

 distinct sects, which sects are again divided into a number of clans ; 

 all these clans, though coming from the same stock and speaking 

 dialects of the same language, are still entirely separated in inter- 

 ests, having frequently in bygone times waged war with one another, 

 and having manners and customs widely different from each other. 

 The sects are distinguished from one another by being termed old 

 and new, there being no distinctive appellation among themselves- 

 except for the clans. 



The old Kookies, with a population of not more than 3,500 indivi- 

 duals, are divided into three clans, called Ehangkol, Khelma, and 

 Beteh, of which the most considerable is Ehangkol. These clans 

 speak dialects differing very much from each other, and the whole 

 differ so much from those spoken by the various tribes of new 

 Kookies, that in most cases individuals of the two sects cannot 

 make themselves understood by each other at all. On one occa- 

 sion of some necessity I remarked a very intelligent new Kookie, 

 endeavouring to explain himself to one of the Khelma clan, and 

 failing entirely to do so by the simple power of words, being 



4 m 2 



