2;>2 Proceeding 'j of the Astatic Society. [July, 



rapid. Wo hold on our way up this river until it became dusk 

 when wo wore glad to learn that the Namyoong village was close 

 at hand. Our guides told us that it would be highly improper for 

 a party of strangers to enter a village after night-fall, so we camp- 

 ed on the sand on the bank of the Namyoong and sent off two men 

 to the village for food. In about an hour the men returned bring- 

 ing with them a good supply of rice and some fish, and they also 

 brought us back our money. On hearing of our necessity, the 

 people of the village had gone round from house to house collect- 

 ing rice, and with the contributions they sent a message to say that 

 they were not jackals but human beings, and could take no pay- 

 ment from hungry travellers. The Grham, or Chief, sent us an invi- 

 tation to enter his village in the morning. Distance this day about 

 twenty-four miles. 



On the 14th, we went up the river to the Namyoong village, 

 about a mile above our encampment. This was the ninth day since 

 we left the last Assam village, and during this time we had seen 

 no cultivation, not even a bit of clearance, and the sight of the 

 large open rice-fields gave us no small pleasure. Making our en- 

 campment on the side of the river opposite to the village, we were 

 soon surrounded by the inhabitants, about two hundred in all. 

 They brought presents of fowls, rice, eggs, fish. It is the Singfoo 

 custom to present a guest with food as soon as he enters the house, 

 and the Gham's wife brought us a small quantity of cooked rice 

 neatly tied up in plantain leaves and some " Sahoo," a sort of 

 whiskey distilled from rice. This spirit was very acceptable, as 

 our own stock was nearly exhausted. It is very strong, and not 

 unpalatable when one becomes used to it. 



The Gham, whose name is Ningroo Menoh, was very civil, and 

 told us to apply to him for everything we wanted. After chatting 

 some time, he told us that a messenger had arrived with a letter for 

 us from the Chiefs of the large Singfoo village on the Denai, and 

 he was good enough to say that the letter should be delivered the 

 next day. We asked for the letter, and to see the messenger at 

 oi ice, but were gravely reproved for wishing to transact business on 

 i\ic, very first day of our arrival ; and as our own Singfoos agreed 

 that our request was most unceremonious, we were obliged to ap- 

 pear contented. 



