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REPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT 



with which I am acquainted. Their clothing is miserable, the chief 

 protection consisting of a number of rings, made of rattan, which 

 encircle the abdomen. They are as usual excessively dirty, and 

 much attached to the use of tobacco and ardent spirits. Their wants 

 are few, but even these are miserably supplied. They entertain an 

 unbounded fear of the Singphos, who appear to make any use of 

 them they think proper. Their only weapons are spears, Singpho 

 dhas and battle axes. 



The Singphos cannot be considered otherwise than as encroachers. 

 Invasions of these restless, marauders appear not to have been un- 

 common up to a late date. The remains of two stockades, in which 

 they had entrenched themselves were extant, one close to Yoomsan, 

 the other on the S. face of the Patkaye. I have before said that the 

 puthars on the Nam-maroan bore evidence of having been inhabited, 

 and apparently to some extent. But even during the stay of Major 

 White on these hills, an irruption of Singphos from Nimbrung had 

 taken place, and had totally unsettled the peace of the native inhabi- 

 tants. Such things must be expected to occur, particularly when 

 it is well known that the Burmese, the only power to which they are 

 subjects, can exercise no authority over the Singphos in any one 

 direction, except when they have a large armed force in the valley of 

 Hookhoom. 



Of the Capabilities of the country it would be vain to attempt 

 giving an opinion. Scarcely any cultivation was passed on the route. 

 The soil is generally deep, more or less yellow, and somewhat clay- 

 ey ; the hollows having a thin superstratum of black mould. Tak- 

 ing the deserted state of the country into account, this part of 

 the Naga range is of little importance, except as forming portion of 

 a most natural and well denned boundary, compared with other 

 portions of the same range to the westward. 



Products. — The principal mineral product is salt, an article which 

 is procured abundantly in some other more available points of the 

 range. We saw one small spring on the Namtusseek, from which 

 supplies had been lately taken. 



Vegetable Products. — Fine timber trees occur here and there. 

 Oaks, Magnolias and Chesnuts occur not uncommonly, the Mag- 

 nolias being of these in this range the most characteristic of eleva- 

 tion. The horse chesnut of Assam, (Osculus Asamicus mihi) occurs 

 on both sides of the range, but does not ascend further than 3,000 

 feet. No Fir trees exist on the route, nor is it probable that 



