| caption: |
domestic annimals; dogs as food |
| text: |
The domestic animals of the hill-people are buffaloes, cows, methins or gayals, goats, pigs, cats, dogs and the common fowl. Of the buffaloe, there is a sprinkling through all the tribes, but it is in no great quantity amongst any. The cow is in great number amongst the Gnamei, part of the Quoireng and Meeyangkhang, the Mow, Muram and Loohoopa tribes, but no where else. The methin or gayal is not found where the cow is, but amongst all the other tribes, especially the Murrings and Khongjais. The goat is common to all; of it there are various breeds, both short-haired and long. The pig also is common to all and of various kinds. Of cats, many are not seen in the hill-villages, and what are seen, are skeletons. Dogs are plentiful, and of various kinds, the dog of the Loohoopas being the best, or, indeed, I may say a very fine animal. Amongst the Khongjais, many (72) dogs are expended in sacrifices; all the tribes eat them, and the manner of putting them to death is beating with bludgeons. "But" applying to them the remarks of Goldsmith on another people "among this barbarous and brutal people scarce anything that has life comes amiss, and they may well take up with a dog, since they consider toads, lizards, and even the flesh of the tiger itself as a dainty." |
