1872.] S. E. Peal — Visit to the Ndga Hills. 27 
all adopt ; on the contrary, there is infinite variety ; any one who can dress or 
look more hideous than his neighbour, is at perfect liberty to do so. 
The chiefs often wear a long dark blue coat like a dressing-gown not tied, 
that contrasts strongly with their usually nude condition. Asamese cloths 
are also bought, and worn by the Nagas who can afford the luxury, 
during the cold season, but those who cannot, wear the little scrap 
commonly seen at all times and about the size of foolscap. Women 
wear an equally scanty morsel, which in some tribes, I hear, is even dis- 
pensed with. Pewter, or red cane, bracelets or armlets are considered 
of far greater value and moment. As far as we could see, the women wear no 
head gear at all, and about hall' have the hair cropped short. 
The bunches of hair and feathers on the topis are all usually mounted on 
thin slips of buffalo horn, exactly like whale hones. 
Of trade there is little or none. With the exception of the salt mines 
or springs eastward, and some pan and kachchus brought in exchange for 
rice, there is no such thing as trade. The tribes are too poor to be able 
to trade, and the constant state of warfare renders commerce impossible. On 
concluding a peace, some dhaos and Abor cloths change hands, or a mitton ; 
but as a rule the border tribes act as a most effectual barrier to all attempts 
at commercial transactions with those beyond. 
It may he worth noting that the border tribes have now lost the art 
of weaving or very nearly so, as the little scraps of cloth they require, are pro- 
cured in Asam ; while the Abors are able to weave very pretty, though coarse, 
pieces of party coloured cloth, as they cannot trade with Asam. 
If it were possible to open broad, neutral avenues among these hills, to 
allow the remoter hill tribes a chance of getting into the plains, it would 
benefit all parties and injure none, and the Abors* would thus be our native 
allies. I may here mention that, even in the rains, five hours’ dry weather after 
a week’s rain leaves communications as they were before the rain. The water 
runs off as it falls, while in Asam we should have a month’s ‘ boka,’ or mud. 
Both physically and linguistically, there is a good deal of difference in 
the tribes bordering each other. The Naga vocabulary compiled by Mr. 
Bronson at Jaipur in 1840, is of no use here, but sixteen miles west, though 
some words are known ; but the numerals are different, and they here only 
count to ten. 
* I have carefully enquired both among Asamese and Nagas regarding tho 
Abors, whether they have a wish to visit the plains, and all without exception say, 
they are extremely anxious to do so. This of course is to be expected, as some of 
their most valuable articles, as iron, comes from Asam, though in small quantities and 
in shape of dhaos. Asam to them is like a goal, always is sight, but never to be 
reached. They live in sight of the plains, at not more than a day’s journey. 
They are born, live, and die, longing to cross a narrow strip of land, but cannot. 
