| caption: |
Chapter three. Second Attack |
| caption: |
to Paotong, then Kharasom |
| text: |
The next stop was at the Kuki village of Paotong, where an old lady who came to get liniment was excessively friendly and tried to give me a chaw of tobacco as well as a string of revolting dried fish, and on the following day - the fifth out from Ukhrul - we reached Kharasom. This was the most northerly Tangkhul village. There were traces of Somra influence, and the genna-posts were tall, straight shafts with one side nicked in deep points, instead of the branched, barren trees which the Ukhrul Tangkhuls used. The porters were to go back from here, and I sat up till ten o'clock labouring over mail to go down with them. As I pored, who should appear but Abung, with a strange yellow object the general shape of a chef's cap - a home-made loaf he had baked for me, because, he said, he thought I was looking depressed. |
