| caption: |
to Lakemah; stones - remains of a Kachari town; welcome from Berimah village; Lakemah and Berimah important Kutcha villages; counting Berimah |
| note: |
inaccurate spelling in the original text |
| text: |
28th March, Thursday. Moved camp to Berimah - distance about 16 miles, or perhaps a little more for the road was a very fair one and led for the greater portion of the way along the summit of the Burrail Range. En route we passed through Lakemah, a village containing 47 houses and situated on the Burrail watershed about half way between Lemhamah and Berimah and having its cultivation extending away on both sides. Close to the village of Lakemah are a number of slabs of stone some placed horizontally, some upright, after the manner of the Khasia Nombehs at Lailankote which, if Naga tradition is true, were erected by the old Kachari Rajahs who are said to have had a large and flourishing town on this site. However there are no very distinct traces left now of such city having ever existed beyond some broken pottery which I am told has been found where ever the earth has been dug up. I should like some day to come up and halt here for a time and thoroughly explore the place. |
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The Berimah men gave me a very hearty welcome to-day and presented me with the usual pig, etc., rather a different exception to that they once before attempted to greet me with when they turned out with shield and spear to oppose my entrance into their village. |
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By the way, I don't think I have ever before mentioned that in like manner as Mozemah and Khonomah are looked up to among the Tengimahs, so Lakemah and Beremah give the lead to the Mejamahs or Kutcha Nagas. I am sorry to say we had no end of rain again last night and the tents were so heavy this morning it was only with the greatest difficulty I could get the men to carry them and as it is raining at the present moment (about 8 p.m.) and has all the appearance of continuing to do so, I have determined upon abandoning my original intention of going further south and shall turn off tomorrow to Songlu, one of the Kuki villages I omitted to visit last year. |
| text: |
On counting the houses in Berimah this evening I find it contains 102, showing an increase of 2 houses since my last visit. |
