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camping by Yangmun river; memory of Woodthorpe's visit in villages; Naga swimming |
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April 15th. - Halted by the Yangmun River. The villages of Angfang and Yonghong sent in representatives with presents and professions of good will, as also Ukha, Noklang, Jakphong and others, but all were very reluctant to cross to our side of the river. Ukha wanted to know if they should " clear the camping ground which the sahibs used the last time they came," i.e. forty-eight years before, the only previous visit ever ! Another typical instance of the length of village memories in the less sophisticated parts of the hills was afforded by the village of Angfang, who mentioned that they had given Woodthorpe two goats, a pig, ten fowls and twenty eggs, which may probably be taken as correct to within an egg or two. The men of Jakphong were accustomed to water, and though I did not see anyone swim, I saw them disappear under water for some time and they must have been either swimming under water or crawling about on the bottom. Woodthorpe noted having seen Lhotas cross the Diyang below Sanis by crawling under water on the bed of the river with stones tucked in their belts. |
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All these villages across the Yangmun seem to know Ahon, our Konyak interpreter from Shiong to the North though apparently he has only once in his life been this way, and that to get heads. Possibly his name has been heard of, and his tattoo is recognized as that of Chi of which Shiong is an offshoot. Chi has much influence here, and apparently receives or used to receive tribute. |
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The presentation eggs brought for us by the Jakphong representatives were, for a change, neither addled nor bad. They hatched of themselves in the kitchen that evening, and without the aid of any wasps' nest. |
