491 
prone to robbery. Their trust in Europeans where they can see, though 
unable to comprehend, is great; but a lively incredulity is expressed 
towards any statement that is beyond their comprehension and is not 
immediately demonstrable. Omens are sought before every undertaking; 
the flights of birds is occasionally consulted, but usually the augury is 
from the fall of the pieces of a reed placed with one end on the path to 
be taken and sliced longitudinally with a dhao. If both pieces fall to one 
side the path is open and the omen favourable; otherwise, it is barred 
and the undertaking must fail. If an expedition meets a deer en route it 
is at once abandoned ; the cry of the barking deer at night similarly puts 
a stop to a surprise attack. 
No special preparation is made for the lying-in of women, who go 
about their work till close on confinement, which occasionally takes place 
in the fields. The labour is not generally severe ; yet, owing perhaps' 
to the hard work they perform, Angami women are by no means 
prolific. The parents are in genna for a day ; after that fowls are killed 
and the family feasts. Children are kindly treated and are nursed by 
both parents ; indeed the fathers often stay at home to nurse, while the 
wives are sent afield. The Angami say, that this custom has arisen from 
the precautions necessary during civil feuds. When they get older the 
boys help in the fields, or tend the cattle, the girls do field and household 
work. A pleasing trait among them is the presence of little corners, with 
five or six rice plants in each, among the irrigated lands, -“children’s fields”. 
Among the young almost unrestricted sexual intercourse prevails. Girls 
consider short hair, the symbol of virginity, a disgrace, and are anxious to 
become entitled to wear it long ; men are desirous before marriage to 
have proof that their wives will not be barren. In consequence of this, 
female children are offered to strangers for small sums ; such females are 
more highly valued than their neighbours on returning to their homes. To 
check this promiscuous intercourse there are however in some villages two 
common sleeping houses, consisting of a single room as much as 30 metres 
long, in one of which the girls, in the other the boys of the village spend 
the night^). This arrangement is the customary one among the Arung 
and other neighbouring tribes. Sometimes an Angami village has one 
such house for the boys, the girls sleeping in the houses of their parents. 
1 ) See Peal : Jour. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, vol. Hi, pt. 2 (1883), p. 16, 17, as to the 
existence of this custom among the eastern Naga tribes ; much variety seems to prevail 
in different tribes. The text describes the state of matters among the Angami only. 
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