234 CUSTOMS COMMON TO THE IIIT.T, TRIBES BORDERING ON 
and Laos to Borneo and Sumatra, where it prevails amongst the 
Bafcta and the inhabitants of the Peggy islands. 
Another of the most striking peculiarities of the aborigines of 
Borneo and New Guinea is observed amongst the Mishmees. Se¬ 
veral villages consist each of a single house divided into twenty or 
more rooms opening into a common passage. These houses con¬ 
tain from 80 to 160 persons (p. T24.) The Singhplioos have also 
large houses, sometimes 100 feet long, divided into compartments for 
different families (p. 85.) It does not appear that the Nagas have 
these village-houses, but amongst them the Pangah or bachelors 
hall of the Dayak village is found under the name of Mooring. In 
this all the hoys of the age of nine or ten years and upwards reside 
apart. The Nagas have, in addition, a girls house, which has not 
been observed amongst any of the Dayak tribes. 
Religion .—“ The Mishmees invoke an unknown spirit supposed 
to reside in the inaccessible mountains or dense forests ; and on be¬ 
ing afflicted by famine, sickness, or other misfortunes, they invaria¬ 
bly sacrifice fowls and pigs.” In this they resemble the people of the 
Poggy islands. The Nagas are great observers of omens (p. 155.) 
Singpboos killed in battle are deified, and sacrifices are offered to 
them.* Buffaloes, bogs and cocks are sacrificed to Ning deota or 
Ning schees, the God of the elements, in times of calamity. The 
sculls of the sacrificial buffaloes are preserved hung up in their 
houses. 
Funeral Ceremonies of the Nagas ,— ct The Nagas consider sud¬ 
den death as particularly unfortunate ; even if a person dies after 
one or two months’ sickness, the period is still deemed too short 
to be lucky; and his corpse is instantly removed and placed in the 
jungles on a platform four or five feet high, where it is left to decay. 
For three or four days after a death, the relatives do not leave the 
village ; neither do other villagers resort to the village in which 
death has occurred during the same period. If a person dies who 
has been afflicted with a long illness, a platform is raised within his 
* The Tagalas and some other tribes of Luron worship the spirits of 
their ancestors. 
