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Appendix D. H.M. Hinde's report |
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description of Malung and Borchangna; to Naissia |
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3. After staying four entire days at this camp, we were obliged to leave it without securing the necessary observations from Muniting station, the weather being extremely hazy. We marched on the 9th to the river between Oting and Borgaon. On the following day we marched into our old camp below the Punlung mark, which we reached about 1 p.m. and Mr. Ogle,by a great stroke of luck, was able to secure all his observations during the afternoon. We were consequently enabled to march again on the following morning, and passing through Lonkai, near Nianu, and through Mulung, we encamped about three miles below Horu Changnoi. The Mulung men treated us most courteously: the Rajah, by means of a bedstead, a mat, and a red cloth, extemporised a most imposing-looking seat for us, and did the honours of his village most hospitably. His courtesy, however, did not extend so far as to supply us with good liquor, for the stuff he brought us was not fit even for a Naga to drink. The village is a large, powerful one, and the only one near that can in any respect rival Changnoi. Their houses are large, clean, and well built, the chief's house being 450 feet long. But, prosperous as this village appeared, when compared with those previously passed through, it was most strange to observe the utter absence of all live stock: the villages west of Tablung swarmed with fowls, goats, pigs, &c., while here not a living thing was visible. They seem to have a scanty supply also of rice, i.e., they have enough for their own wants, but none to give away; they gave us two seers as a great favour. On the 12th, we marched through Horu Changnoi, and Changnoi to Niassia. The village of Borchangna is the head village of these parts; it is by far the largest of any that we passed through, and claims to be the parent stock from which all the surrounding tribes sprung,_ as the name signifies. From Niassia the villages destroyed last year are nearly all plainly visible, and we were in consequence rather suspiciously received by the villagers, who seemed to think we meant mischief; but, as they understood Assamese, I managed to calm their fears, and they brought us in supplies. Mr. Ogle completed his observations from the Niassia mark at about 12 o'clock on the 13th, so at 1 p.m. we struck camp and again began our march. |
