ASAM AND THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. 333 



The hills on the right bank belong to the Pasted and Mayong Abors, 

 and those on the left to the Padoo, Slboo and Meeboo, and Goliwar Abors. 



The Pasial Abors were armed respectably enough ; every man had a 

 bow and quiver of arrows, part of the latter of which were poisoned.* 

 They also carry light spears, or the sharp heavy sword (Da) of the Sing- 

 Jos. The Abors are not particular in their diet, and eat the flesh of the 

 elephant, rhinoceros, hog, buffaloe, kid, and deer, as well as ducks and 

 fowls, but they expressed an abhorrence of feeders on beef. They exhi- 

 bited also a marked predilection for brandy, although some of them 

 pretended to give a preference to a fermented liquor prepared by them- 

 selves. Salt, cloth, and tobacco w T ere in great request amongst them. 



The dress of the Abors consists principally of a choonga (Asamese 

 name for dhoti) made of the bark of the Uddal tree. It answers the dou- 

 ble purpose of a carpet to sit upon, and of a covering. It is tied round the 

 loins, and hangs down behind in loose strips, about fifteen inches long, like 

 a white bushy beard. It serves also as a pillow at night. The rest of their 

 dress is, apparently, matter of individual taste; beads round the neck are 

 not uncommon ; some wore plain basket caps : some had the cane caps 

 partly covered with skins, and others wore them ornamented with stained 

 hair, like our helmets, and resembling the head dresses of the Singfos.^ 

 Almost every man had some article of w r oollen dress, varying from a rudely- 

 made blanket waistcoat to a comfortable and tolerably well shaped cloak. 



* They kill buffaloes with poisoned arrows ; they track the beast which they have successfully 

 wounded, knowing that lie will not move far before the fatal effects of their deadly poison will 

 become sensible ; within half an hour the noble beast staggers and falls. 



f The beak of the Buceros (Nepalensis) is a favorite and striking ornament of their caps ; this, 

 on the top in front, and the red chowry tail flowing down behind, gives very much the appearance 

 of a helmet. 



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