S. E. Peal — Visit to- tTie Niiga Hills. 
15 
1872.] 
The sun was now getting low, and we returned to the place where we had 
left the Khiinsai seated in state. He called several of the groups of weeders 
up to see us. They at first seemed afraid to come, most of them being women 
and girls, a few stunted and old, and some strapping wenches, who could do 
more climbing in a day than I in a week. We then took the path down 
the hill and among the dhan, that led to Banpara, many weeding parties on 
the road stopping to stare and jabber at us. They certainly seemed to work 
hard, though it was nearly dark, and long past the time to leave off work in 
the plains. 
We now reached the point where the huts had been built on the Sissa 
River, and just as it got dark, our men with the loads came in at the same 
time. 
The temporary huts were rude in the extreme, consisting only of a few 
sticks stuck in the ground and others laid across. Some wild plantain leaves 
formed our so-called roof. The stream rushing among the stones gave us a 
pleasant reminiscence of home, and soon sent us to sleep. 
About an horn* after, we were all roused up by a loud thunder-clap, 
and found by the incessant lightning that a storm was coming up. We there- 
fore hastily rigged walls to the chang we slept on, a waterproof sheet making 
a good roof ; our guns were stowed under our heads and our sundries under 
the chang. The rain came down in torrents, but we were so tired that we 
fell asleep, and did not find till morning that we had been saturated. Some 
Nagas came diming the storm down from Banpara, hound for Longhong ; how 
they managed to find their way in the dark puzzled us. We also heard bears 
not far off. 
On the 31st we were up early, and had our breakfast. The royal 
brother now made his appearance, several Khunsais and Hundekais 
came too, to escort us, and all who could muster up the remains of 
a coat, wore the same in our honour. On starting, we adopted the Naga 
custom of using a staff, as they do their ‘ jatties’, or spears, to assist 
us in getting over the rough ground, and found we got on far easier by 
its help. 
The path, at first very steep and up a ferny cleft, soon became more 
level, and passed round the shoulders and along the ridges of a series of small 
hills, tolerably level in the main, and at a sufficient height to give us a good 
view of our surroundings. A part ot the road had just been cleared for us, 
or the jungle and grass had been thrown aside, for which we were much 
obliged to them as the grass was literally dripping with dew. As in Asffin, 
the morning dew here is like a shower, and on pausing for a moment, it 
sounded quite loud falling from the trees and jungle. 
At about half way to Banpara, we came to a kind of abbatis, at a point 
that could he easily defended, i. e., a narrow ridge with a precipice on each 
