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192
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(June, 1892.
but to escape from the wrath of his father, who had lost a valuable servant. In a few days the father's anger melted away and a younger brother went and called Shwêlen, who was received like the prodigal son. After his return it was necessary for him to " wash his hands," to use a Chin metaphor, which consisted in slaying a bullock, of which the whole village partook, and thus the guilt was washed away.
Chiefs.--The Chief or Boi class is a numerous one amongst the Ching. A chief's son is also a chief, and descent from a chief is re. warded with as much pride as a lofty lineage in Europe. A Chin, be he ever so dirty or poor, has only to prove his descent from a chief to be at once accorded an honourable position.
In Håkà there are two principal chiefs, Lwê Shan and Lyen MO; but, besides these, there are scores of others, who are related to them, and who claim a voice in the affairs of the tribe. The same may be said of all the other Chin tribes and vil. lages, not only those which are independent, but also those which pay tribute. All the villages in the Håka circle pay some tribute to the Hákà Chiefs, but it is very difficult to find out the exact relations which exist between them. This will be understood, when I explain that the right to levy taxes (I use this term for want of a better) is an hereditary one, and a landlord has the right to subdivide it on his decease. Owing to this subdivision, and the intermarriage of members of one family with those of another in i distant village, the claims to get something are often curiously mixed up. One person has the right to get a pig once a year, another gets a basket of grain, another gets a quarter of any animal slaughtered, and so on.
Agriculture.--Agriculture is practised by the Chins in its rudest forms. The only implements used are small ases, damus, and a little hoe. The atxe and dama are used for felling the jungle, and the hoe for planting the seed and for boeing up the weeds and grass.
The principal food-grains grown by the Chins are fang or millet, fungvai or Indian-corn, mum or Jacob's tears, bè or beans and peas, farsung or paddy, rah or giant bean. There are ten varieties of millet, three of Indian-corn, four species of legume with many varieties, and three varieties of paddy. The food-staples are fungvai, or fang with yams. The only fruits cultivated by the Chins are plantains, peaches, figs, oranges, and apples; but strawberries, raspberries, cherries, pears, and plums are found wild. The raspberries are quite equal to those found wild in England, but the other wild fruits are not fit to eat.
The work of the season is commenced by cutting down the jungle and hoeing up the grass and weeds. This is done in December and January, and the clearings are burnt early in March. Seed is sown early in April, when showers may be expected. Fang is the first to ripen and begins to be harvested about the middle of July. This is quickly followed by fungvai, after which almost immediately come the peas and beans. Sweet potatoes are grown near streams and are obtained throughout the year, but the principal crop is dug in the cold weather. Pumpkins of various kinds, brinjals (aubergines), beans, and peas are the only green vegetables grown.
Trade.-Trade amongst the Chins may be divided into two heads, internal and external.
The internal trade is confined to exchanging property, such as guns, knives, .cattle, or grain for food or drink; but trade, as such, can hardly be said to exist.
The external trade is somewhat brisker. The articles in most demand are salt, cotton blankets, iron, silk, and gongs. These are purchased or exchanged for money, beeswax, fishing-nets, an occasional elephant's tusk, saltpetre, plantains, chillies.
The Chins have considerable herds of common cattle as well as maiban, but they show no disposition to sell them and ask extravagant prices. They are used only for slaughter purposes, the hides being eaten and the horns remaining attached to the head, which is impaled on a post outside the village. Goats are also found at most villages, but never in large numbers. These also are killed and eaten.
Fowls and eggs are largely produced and are sold freely. These, however, are articles of local trade and could not be exported at a profit.
Population-Tashons. I have already stated that the Tashûns were unwilling to afford information about their country, and I am therefore unable to do anything but guess at the population. It is said, but I know not with what authority, that they can collect 10,000 fighting men, which I take to mean that they have 10,000 houses, and, allowing an average of five persons to each house, we thus arrive at a total of 50,000, which I think is not an extravagant estimate.
HAkas.-The Håkås possess about 2,500 houses which, at five persons to each house, gives them a total population of 12,500.
Yokwas.-The Yôk was, estimated in the same way, have a population of about 3,000.
