ASAM AND THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. 391 



would venture again, and it appeared necessary that I should make the 

 attempt myself; however, the difficulty of the want of an interpreter, and 

 the admonition of my friends as to the risk I should run, deterred me. 

 I have since regretted that I did not go amongst them, either alone or with 

 my whole party, as I think I might have been successful. Riding was 

 often to and fro ; he told us that a great number were hostile to us, but that 

 he could, and would do every thing if he received his present. In the 

 evening he came again, making a loud clamour, like a vexed school boy, for 

 his present. My present ! he said, in reply to all questions. My Mishmis 

 were anxious that I should give it to him, convinced by his assertions 

 that he had the power yet to produce a revolution in our favor. I, at 

 last, consented to put the present, precisely the same as had been selected 

 for him in the morning, into their hands to give conditionally, that if he 

 were not successful he should return it. Riding was now highly delight- 

 ed and moved off, informing me that all would be right immediately ; but 

 he took care previously to come over and examine each article of my gifts: 

 when parting, he called his brother-in-law aside (Khoshasson) and told 

 him he would act wisely in returning to his home without delay. 

 Naebra and Mosha, the two Mizhu Chiefs resident near the Tain 

 villages, who had received my presents, seized an opportunity of passing 

 through our camp, and told us that they had not been admitted to the 

 council, because they were not thought trustworthy, but that they strongly 

 suspected, from what they had observed, that treachery was intended, and 

 they advised us strongly neither to accept a proffered invitation, nor ven- 

 ture to sleep that night — this much they hastily told us, and then hurried 

 away. Riding returned immediately with an invitation to Jingsha : he 

 proclaimed that all was well, a hog had been slain for us, and we were 

 to take up our quarters in the house that night, and in the morning pro- 

 ceed to houses. I excused myself from moving at that late hour, and 

 Riding did not press the invitation. He again called his brother-in-law 

 to the edge of the jungle, and threw out some dark hints. He wound up, 



