ABORS AND GALONGS. 37 



flat) the appearance is that of a Merang of an unusual type, with a granulated surface. 

 When turned over, the head, legs, feet and other portions of the creature's anatomy, 

 faithfully reproduced by the ancient artificer, are disclosed to view. It is about 3 inches 

 long and stands firmly on its feet, the flat disc-like body being raised about \ inch off 

 the ground. One piece of metal-work, seen at Balek, can hardly be considered, for it is 

 quite new and represents an indifferent attempt to reproduce the figure of a man in a 

 newspaper advertisement. It is not indeed a question of espying his beard under his 

 muffler for the line of large buttons down what looks like an over-coat clearly bewrays 

 the European tailor. 



Another form of money met with in most villages is the gong. These are of vari- 

 ous sizes (the standard of measurement being the depth of 

 metal at right angles to the face), to each of which in 

 accordance with its age is assigned as definite a value as is possible amongst a people 

 whose standard of currency is ceaselessly changing with their requirements. These 

 gongs are round and perfectly plain, with a central boss. They are made of bell- 

 metal. 



Bells of various sizes, and more or less elaborately chased, are found throughout 

 the hills. The smallest of all are worn, amongst the Padam, Panggis and Minyongs 



as ornaments of ritual by the miriis. These bells, 1 some of 

 which appear to be of considerable age and are apparently 

 made of the same metal as the finer type of danki, are rather like sleigh-bells in appear- 

 ance and are worn in bunches. ' The larger bells are used as currency. They are almost 

 invariably tongueless and frequently broken, and quite possibly are the worn-out pro- 

 perty of the monasteries that, it is gathered from our various Kamba witnesses, is 

 foisted upon the Lo traders at the marts along the frontier. The largest and most 

 valuable bells are generally kept buried in the jungle, a precaution frequently taken 

 by the owners of the gongs. In a Dana village in the Kamla valley a beautiful bell 

 and some copper bracelets were literally unearthed for exhibition. 



Another possession of the Abors of peculiar interest is the copper disc called the 



merang. 1 These vary in size and the curious handle-like 

 piece of metal projecting from the disc gives them the ap- 

 pearance of the specula of Greek and Roman civilization." A specimen obtained from 

 the Yamne valley was 5 inches in diameter with a projection if inches long. The 

 merang is invariably provided with two small holes on the circumference furthest 

 from the projection, but it is denied by the Abors that it is worn as a talisman round 

 the neck. The Abors say they are of great age and were brought over the hills by 

 their remote ancestors when first they came into the country they now occupy. Two 

 other solutions of their origin have been offered by the hill-men, the one worthy of con- 

 sideration being that the merangs are made of metal dug up from the fields ; the other 

 explanation is that they fell from the sky and were dug up by industrious cultivators 



1 See Plate XIX, figures 6, 7, 11. 2 See Plate XVIII, 11, 12, 13. 



? It was gathered in the Memba country that milang is Tibetan for a mirror. 



