TO THE MISHM EES. 



55 



" It was owing to the unsettled state of the country, resulting from 

 this feud, that I could gain no guides from the Digaroos, without 

 whose assistance in this most difficult country, I need scarcely say, 

 that all attempts to advance would have been made in vain. These 

 people very plausibly said, if we give you guides, who is to protect 

 us from the vengeance of the Mezhoos when you are gone, and who 

 is to insure us from a second invasion of the Lamas ? Another 

 thing to be considered is, the influence even then exercised over the 

 Mishmees near our boundaries by the Singphos connected with the 

 Dupha Gam ; but from the renewal of the intercourse with our fron- 

 tier station, there is every reason for believing that this influence is 

 ere this nearly destroyed." 



" The natives of this portion of the range are divided into two 

 tribes, Taeen or Digaroo and Mezhoo, these last tracing their descent 

 from the Dibong Mishmees, who are always known by the term 

 crop- haired. The Mezhoo, however, like the Taeens, preserve their 

 hair, wearing it generally tied in a knot on the crown of their head. 

 The appearance of both tribes is the same, but the language of the 

 Mezhoos is very distinct. They are perhaps the more powerful of 

 the two ; but their most influential chiefs reside at a considerable 

 distance from the lower ranges. The only Mezhoos I met with 

 are those at Deeling-Yen, a small village opposite Deeling, but at a 

 much higher elevation, and Tapan. I need scarcely add that it was 

 owing to the opposition of this tribe that Captain Wilcox fail- 

 ed in reaching Lama. The Digaroos are ruled by three influential 

 chiefs, who are brothers Drisong, Khosha, and Ghaloom : of these, 

 Drisong is the eldest and the most powerful, but he resides far 

 in the interior. Primsong is from a distant stock, and as the three 

 brothers mentioned above are all passed the prime of life, there is 

 but little doubt that he will soon become by far the most influential 

 chief of his tribe. Both tribes appear to intermarry. The Mishmees 

 are a small, active, hardy race, with the Tartar cast of features ; they 

 are excessively dirty, and have not the reputation of being honest, 

 although, so far as -I know, they are belied in this respect. Like 

 other hill people, they are famous for the muscular development of 

 their legs : — in this last point the women have generally the inferiority. 

 They have no written language. Their clothing is inferior ; it is, 

 however, made of cotton, and is of their own manufacture ; — that of 

 the men consists of a mere jacket and an apology for a dhoti, — that 

 of the women is more copious, and at any rate quite decent : they are 



