1868.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 191 



highest point. On this hill I saw three or four neat little Kheriah 

 cottages made of wattled bamboo, which, together with the small 

 standing crop, had, for no apparent reason, been deserted. Further 

 west, just outside the boundary of Maubhum on a plateau formed 

 of trap, where there was a good water supply, the small Kheriah 

 villages had assumed a somewhat permanent appearance. Occasionally 

 Kheriah cottages are to be seen on the outskirts of villages ; but 

 this is a departure from what is one of the most characteristic customs 

 of the race. 



Besides the Kheriahs, there is another race called Pahareas, of 

 somewhat similar habits, living on Dulma hill range. One of them 

 told me that his race were superior to the Kheriahs, with whom they 

 could neither eat nor drink. One of the chief distinctions between 

 them appeared to be that the Kheriahs do not eat the flesh of sheep, 

 and may not even use a woollen rug. It would be exceedingly 

 interesting, if this custom could be traced to its origin ; I do not 

 remember to have seen it stated of any other race. In her re spects 

 the Kheriahs are not over-fastidious feeders. Both races eat cattle 

 that have been killed by wild animals, and very possibly too, those 

 that have died from disease. 



The first Kheriahs I met with were encamped in the jungle at the foot 

 of some hills. The hut was rudely made of a few sal branches, its occu- 

 pants being one man, an old and two young women, besides three or four 

 children. At the time of my visit, they were taking their morning meal, 

 and as they regarded my presence with the utmost indifference, without 

 even turning round or ceasing from their occupations, I remained for 

 some time watching them. They had evidently recently captured some 

 small animal, but what it was, as they had eaten the skin before, I 

 could not ascertain. As I looked on, the old women distributed to 

 the others, on plates of sal leaves, what appeared to be the entrails of 

 the animal, and wrapping up her own portion between a couple 

 of leaves, threw it on the fire, in order to give it a very primitive 

 cooking. 



With regard to their ordinary food, the Kheriahs chiefly depend 

 upon the jungle for a supply of fruits, leaves, and roots. I got them 

 to collect for me specimens of the principal species they used ; but as 

 I found that, with few exceptions, they were included in the list of 



