2 GEORGE D-S-DUNBAR ON 



The Minyong general classification of the human race, if not so ingenuous as the 

 Chinese, is extremely simple. The Abors call themselves <( Abuit ' and all 

 foreigners "Madgu' (this includes the Tibetans). The tribes to the west of the 

 Abors are called Galong. These main groups are, of course, subdivided in their turn. 



The Daflas (including the Subansiri tribes, commonly known as Hill Miris), the 

 Apatanangs, Galongs, Abors and Mishmis, that is to say the tribes inhabiting the moun- 

 tainous zone between the Borheli and the Lohit, possess sufficient similar features to 

 infer a common origin. General appearance and methods of life, folklore, so far 

 as has been gathered, customs and belief, together with an undoubted affinity in the 

 common basis of languages, alike tend to this conclusion. 



The country of the Abors and Galongs is bounded by the Subansiri on the west, 



and by the Sisseri and the Dibang on the east, and lies 

 • ' in the highlands between the Himalayas proper and the 



plains of Assam. Their neighbours to the south are the plains Miris, on the west 

 are the Daflas of the Subansiri valley, and to the north lie the tribes known to the 

 Abors and Tibetans alike through the distorted but romantic media of travellers' 

 tales. It appears to be simplest to call the people of the Dihang valley Abor, the 

 people between that watershed (or, at one point, the Siyom river) and the Subansiri 

 Galong, and the tribes living between the Subansiri and the Borheli, Dafla. Their 

 northern neighbours are the Boris and Membas. The Minyongs (who are Abor), the 

 Boris and the Karkas (who are Galong) meet in the Siyom valley. 



It is greatly regretted that circumstances did not permit of exploration con- 

 ., _, templated in 1011-12 through the Karka country being 



Communications with Tibet. r J ° ° 



carried out. Friendly messages from the Gams (village 

 headmen) informed of the intention and the possession of two guides who had proved 

 their competence on a friendly mission through the Memong country gave every pros- 

 pect of success. The line of exploration would have led through Basar, the metropolis 

 of the Dobangs. From Basar, so it is said, a succession of fertile and populous valleys 

 leads up for about 12 marches through Karka villages. Bevond this are the Buris 

 (or Boris), who bring Tibetan merchandise, salt, cloth, and sometimes a highly-prized 

 sword, down to the most northerly communities of Abors and Galongs. As far as 

 can be gathered from such data as the maps afford, the route indicated above would 

 lead to Tsari. Concerning this place the following statement was made to me by 

 Tugden, a L,ha-san, and an ex-monk of Sera monastery, who made the Tsari pilgrimage 

 seven years ago. 



According to the ex-monk, the Pilgrim's way from Iyha-sa to Tsari leads along a 

 very fair road for the 17 stages to Chesam, which lies below the high snow-capped 

 peak of Tsari. For the most part such interest as this road may possess is purely 

 geographical but, with the orthodox and pious Tibetan, the shrines passed on the way 

 should not be neglected. On the nth day of the journey from Lha-sa theChungu-ge 

 monastery is reached. Leaving the main Tsari road a long day's march brings the 

 devout traveller to a sacred lake embosomed on the top of a mountain. Various 

 ceremonies have to be observed before the many-coloured veil (kapchu) shrouding tne 



