363 MEMOIR OF A SURVEY OF 



modation of labourers, who come some distance from their homes to culti- 

 vate the more favored spots. The thermometer in the middle of the day, 

 in the plains, had latterly stood at 83° or 84° ; at twelve o'clock to-day, it was 

 at 61°, and we found it excessively cold. The effect of a sudden change 

 of temperature to the amount of 20° is felt much more than would be 

 imagined, or has often been noticed by travellers. 



The rain continued and confined us to our hut, but we were visit- 

 ed by a party of women who had been out with their long conical 

 baskets on their backs to bring in a store of grain and roots from a distant 

 field, and they promised us assistance from the village in the few trifles 

 we required. In the coldest weather, they are very scantily clothed — a 

 coarse thick petticoat of blue cotton, wove by themselves, is their common 

 dress ; it reaches to the knee, and has merely a slit in it to admit the 

 head through. They are excessively dirty, and at all times and seasons 

 have a short pipe in their mouths. 



We could perceive one or two large houses at the distance of but 

 half a mile on the face of the next hill, and were informed by our visitors 

 that we might there shelter our whole party as they were empty. The 

 next day, the rain still continued to fall heavily ; but we took advantage 

 of a slight intermission to go round the hollow to the opposite side, and 

 were well pleased to make the exchange for a large house well sheltered 

 from the boisterous wind. At intervals of a few feet, the Mishmis cut a 

 square hole in their bamboo floors, and form a hearth there of earth, 

 supported by cross beams below. These, to the number of eight or ten, 

 were quickly covered with burning faggots by my shivering people, and 

 the smoke having no exit through the wetted roof, soon became an almost 

 unbearable nuisance. I have remarked that a great number of the Mishmis 

 have their brows habitually contracted, from the custom of half shutting 



