ASAM AND THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. 445 



fully compensated for by our ascending sooner out of the region of rank 

 jungles and close underwood. The old man, when this was mentioned to 

 him, allowed without hesitation, that the upper route is by far the best, and 

 said he could not oppose our going that way if we were determined to do so, 

 but he very earnestly requested that we would not, as he was anxious to 

 prevent the Singfos from becoming acquainted with it, and indeed our own 

 followers also, who might become competent guides to their more mischiev- 

 ously inclined neighbours. He said he both feared and hated the Singfos ; 

 and those of our party, were they not under our protection, should not 

 return through any part of his country. To Singfos, he already owed the 

 loss of the Aleth people on the Namlang, and it was because his Khdlang 

 villages are so near the foot of the pass on the upper route, that he felt so 

 much anxiety at the present moment to keep that shut up, and if there 

 were to be any intercourse with Asam, to make the high road the way we 

 came. We had to state what appeared a satisfactory answer to his objec- 

 tions. That our own guides (and many more) were well acquainted with 

 the forbidden path, and consequently that our travelling in it would 

 scarcely affect the question. We had a sort of horror in recollecting the 

 leeches, the ddmdums, and the mud and jungles of the Phungan; but 

 we promised to respect the wishes of the good old Raja, if he continued 

 to hold the same opinion. 



It is a singular custom amongst the Khamtis, that the principal 

 amusement of their Chiefs is working in metals, in which practice renders 

 them infiuitely more skilful than the lower classes, who, perhaps, cannot 

 spare much time from their labors in the field. Amongst the specimens 

 shown us of their art, we saw a well-fashioned musket lock. Another, 

 was a massive pipe-bowl of brass, which had griffins for supporters, very 

 boldly designed. Both of these were executed by the Buret Raja's 

 brother. Their ordinary silver pipes are of very neat workmanship. 

 They were very curious about any little mechanical apparatus that 



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