23 
1872.] S. E. Peal — Visit to the Nag a Hills. 
Some of the Abor tribes again are very small and consist of but one 
village, and that a small one ; as the village and tribe of Banhsang (Bamboo- 
chang). AVitb a powerful telescope, which I had for a short time here, I could 
make out changs on many peaks, far in the distance to the south, of 
whom neither the Asamese nor the Nagas had any knowledge whatever, and no 
name hut Abor, and I regretted not having a good telescope with me when 
on my trip, as we could have seen changs away in several directions, not to be 
seen from the plains. 
Between the Pesang on the east and the Dik’ho, there are as many as 8 
or 10 tribes having a frontage to AsSm. From Desang to Lufl'ry alone, only 
35 miles, there are six tribes, i. e., Bor Dudrias, Miltons, Banparas, Jobokas, 
Sanglors, and Lakmas, and this gives but six miles average frontage. They 
do not extend far into the hills, so that each may safely be said to occupy 
about 40 or 50 square miles. In some cases a tribe is more extensively 
placed ; but again in others, as Sinyong, the entire tribe consists of but one 
village. I know of no cases where one tribe has conquered, and become 
possessed of the lands of another ; hence the status quo seems of long continu- 
ance. The oldest ‘ Nog, ions,’ or new villages, are not less seemingly than 
40 or 50 years. 
As a consequence of the above noted custom of head-cutting, and its 
isolating influence, few Ndgas reach the plains, but those living on the 
border. We thus see a community of some hundreds perched on a hill, and 
depending almost exclusively on their own resources, constantly fighting 
others similarly isolated, on all sides, yet thoroughly able to maintain them- 
selves. Perhaps in no other part of the world can so complete a tribal 
isolation be seen, and subdivision carried to such an extreme. The available 
land, too, seems all taken up. To every 40 or 50 square miles there are 
about four villages, of perhaps one hundred families each ; yet from the 
nature of the case, as before stated, not more than an eighth or tenth of the 
land available can be cultivated at one time, and the population would seem 
to have reached its maximum. 
I am aware that in some places there are hills and ranges said to he 
uninhabited, but I know of no such places here, except the peaks and ridges 
of the highest hills, 5,000 feet high, or more. All the other hills, as far as 
the telescope can penetrate, shew signs of recent or previous cultivation. 
But not even the names of the tribes are known, let alone the villages. In- 
deed, I have lately detected large villages where all Nagas insisted that there 
were none. 
The raids and isolated murders for which this large tract of country 
is so celebrated, have one feature in common, viz., surprise. Cover is 
so universal, and favourable to the attack, that advantage is invariably taken 
of it until the last moment. As a rule, when a whole tribe is at war, the 
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