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cultivation of dhan; Querao Nagas - hairstyles; British protection |
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On the 3rd a halt was made, it threatened rain & I had to get in the head waters of the Ihang which I accomplished from the open down like ridges to the West of Kuchai & overlooking also the Iril valley. These two streams parallel & close to each other. (74) The higher points of these broad spurs are under cultivation & "dhan" rice was already sown & some of it just up. There is also much cultivation in the ravines. The Nagas economize every drop of rain by a close system of catch water drains on the slopes leading the channels into the terraces & patches of cultivation & all loss by evaporation is thus effected. The Nagas to the West all wear the hair cut short on top of head & shaved round above the ear giving the appearance of a cap. They are called Querao, also by the Munipuri Manung Hau or the inner Nagas. By the Tangkol they are called "Tulai" & the Tangkols call themselves "Hauri Hauriang". Here the villagers of Thiwa were very anxious & pressing that we should go to their village, they actually begged both Thomson & Butler that one of our trig marks might be put upon the hill above their village, believing I suppose that there is some sort of protective power hanging over it. It came out accidentally through men of Raime that a man of Megwimi on the Munipur side had previous to the row at Shipvomi gone over to that place & gave the news that we were about to proceed their way & to have nothing to say to us, & that if we did to "stick us". |
