1855.] Notes on Northern Cachar. 619 



quality grown in the country, to Cossiah traders who come among 

 them to obtain it. The old Kookies are physically a more powerful 

 people than auy other in Cachar, and are second only to the Cossiah 

 and Angami Nagas, of any tribes that I have seen, in weight and 

 muscle. They are larger men than the new Kookies, both as to 

 height and girth. 



They make the best laborers or coolies, both for working and 

 carrying, to be had in North Cachar, entering on their work more 

 cheerfully, and performing more. In common with all other hill 

 tribes they carry burdens in a large cylindrical basket, attached to 

 the back by a strap of matted cane work which passes round the 

 forehead, and is occasionally slipped down to the chest for change 

 or relief. The regulation burden for coolies in North Cachar is 

 twenty seers, the hire being two annas a day per man : but, when 

 engaged in carrying on their own account, they do not hositate to 

 load themselves to the extent of a maund, and seem to be very 

 little inconvenienced by the weight, even when travelling long 

 journeys over the most irregular ground. 



These remarks apply generally to all the tribes in the hills, who 

 are all wonderfully long-winded, sure-footed, and strong-backed. 



The old Kookies clothe themselves decently and affect a modesty 

 unknown to the other rude tribes of these hills. They weave cloths 

 of different kinds, all bearing great similarity to those manufactured 

 by the new Kookies, especially a sort of cotton rug which they make 

 as a covering in cold weather ; this consists cf uniformly sized lumps 

 of raw cotton woven into a coarse-textured cloth, and knotted tightly 

 between the woofs, forming an excellent soft and elastic mattress, 

 as well as a good counterpaue. They are also very skilful in mat 

 and basket making, with bamboos, cane, and the bark of trees. 



Like all other hill tribes the old Kookies are very fond of orna- 

 ments, and wear rings, bracelets, armlets, necklaces and earrings 

 in great numbers. They have an extraordinary custom in common 

 with two clans of the new Kookies, which being peculiar to these 

 people is worthy of description : instead of merely boring the ear 

 with a small hole, they cut a circular piece of flesh out of the lower 

 lobe, and insert an elastic shaving of bamboo, rolled up in a 

 ring, so as to form a powerful spring acting on all sides of the inci- 

 sion. By means of this spring, the hole is gradually enlarged, 



