1869.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 77 



tions. A custom seems to prevail here to expose the bodies of the 

 dead on raised bamboo stands, roofed in with Jaroo palm leaves. 

 Each village has its Jack trees (Artocarpus integrifolim) with which 

 its whole history is usually connected, some of the trees appearing to be 

 from 300 to 400 years old. From the highest point of the village a 

 magnificent view into the surrounding hilly country could be obtained, 

 especially in the districts occupied by the Hooroo Mootoons and the 

 Bor Mootoons ; those of the Neyowloong Nagas were also distinctly 

 discernible. 



From Lowghong the party returned to the place where they left the 

 Khoonsai of the village, and proceeded westward, until they reached 

 the river Sisa, where they camped for the night. Next morning 

 the 31st May, the journey was continued, first in a westerly and 

 afterwards in an almost due northerly direction towards Banpara. 

 The path was at first very steep and up a ferny cleft ; it, however, soon 

 became more level, passing round the shoulders and along the ridges 

 of a series of small hills, tolerably level in the main and at suffi- 

 cient height to give a good view. At about half way to Banpara the 

 party came to a place that could be easily defended ; it lies on a 

 narrow riclge with a precipice on each side and not more than four 

 or five yards across. The obstruction was commanded by a rise in the 

 ground beyond it, though it could not be seen from any distance. 

 Further on the road Avas for a short distance cut on the face of a pre- 

 cipice, being only a few inches wide. 



Soon after the party came to the village Banpara. It was a similarly 

 built place as Lowghong, being extremely irregular and broken up, the 

 houses all thatched with Jaroo leaves ; the jack trees were also large 

 and numerous. The party was conducted to the Rajah's house which 

 was by far the largest in the Chang, and had to be climbed up on a 

 notched tree-stem. The Rajah, a man of about 40 or 45, was seated 

 on a sort of huge stool, about 8 feet high by 5 feet broad, and a 

 similar bench was prepared opposite for the party. Many officials 

 of the Rajah and other visitors of course assembled to witness the 

 ceremony of presentation. The Rajah spoke at first a few words 

 regarding the country and his people, but the confusion, cha- 

 racterised by every one wishing to have a voice in the assembly, soon 

 became general. The party was then requested to perform some miracles, 



