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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
from Pôpå Hill. The Chinbons, further south, point out a rock, which they state is the body of a min or official, who was killed in a quarrel with his brother, when they were emigrating from Pôpå, and was turned into a stone. The brother returned to Pôpâ. The Chinbôns claim Burman origin. Further than this the Chins appear to have no history. In appearance they resemble Burmans, though some have better features.
Languages. The four villages on the head waters of the Myitbå speak two dialects: the village of Wêlaung having a dialect of its own, differing from that of the other three.
There are three distinct dialects of the Chinbôk language, the northern, spoken from the Mò to the north bank of the Chè with slight variation; the central, spoken by the south bank of Chè and the Chauksitchaung; the southern, spoken by the Kadin and Sòchaung Chins.
The Yindus speak a language of their own; while the Chinbôns speak a language which is identical with that spoken by the Chins, who live in the Laungshê township, and to whom they are related. There is no written language.
Government. There appears to have been no attempt at government further than an incomplete village system. Each village has a thugyi." The title is hereditary, and does not necessarily indicate a man of influence. There is generally in each group of villages some man (or perhaps two of three), who is looked up to and respected either for being a brave sportsman or raider, or for having a knowledge of Burmese, or for some special qualification. These are the men who really lead the people.
Quarrels are wiped out with blood only. There are no laws, but certain customs, which all observe.*
Religion. There is no religion further than propitiating and consulting nàts or spirits. The Chinbôks appear to be perfect slaves to their nàts (spirits). To propitiate nàts an animal must be slaughtered; buffaloes, bullocks, maiban, goats, pigs, fowls, and dogs are chiefly used for this purpose; the three latter being more commonly used as they are so prolific. All are afterwards eaten, if the offering was sacrificed near home; but when raiding, on a journey, passing through notoriously unhealthy jungles, &c., saorifices are frequently made, animals being carried on purpose. For this purpose dogs are preferred,
[JULY, 1892.
as they follow and require no carriage. Nats are consulted in a similar manner, the direction in which the blood flows, &c., being one of the signs. Eggs are also used for these purposes, being blown as we blow them for egg-collections, i.e., with a hole at each end. They are afterwards painted and stuck on a stick, as also are cocks' feathers. Rows of these sticks are frequently seen across paths.
3 i.e., bijt in Burma the man who actually collects the revenue and is a kind of village headman.
Raids are frequently abandoned at the last moment and after travelling long distances, if the omens are unfavourable. When nàts are consulted or propitiated near home, every one gets drunk off home-brewed rice-beer. Tom-toms, music, and dancing accompany the ceremonies. Nats are sometimes humbugged by the wily Chins, an example of which will be found under the heading Marriages. They do not trouble about a future world. There are no priests.
Medicine.-Medical science and surgery are unknown. No medicines are used. When a person falls sick the nàts are consulted or propitiated: consulted to ascertain if the patient will recover or not; propitiated in hopes that the patient will be spared. The principal diseases are fever, bowelcomplaints, skin diseases, and wounds.
Dress, Arms, Customs, &c.-The Wêlaung and Kwônàn Chins more closely resemble the Baungshês than the Chinbôks; but, as I have seen but little of them, I will not attempt to describe them.
The dress of all the Chinbôks from the Ma down to the Chè is much the same everywhere, though there are slight differences. Those who inhabit the Chauksit, Kadin, and So streams wear a sort of compromise between the dress of the Chinboks and of the Yindus. The dress proper of a Chinbôk man (see Plate 4) consists of a very small langôt, as worn by natives of India when wrestling, and a piece of cloth, about three feet in length and one in breadth, which is folded and hung behind, being suspended by bits of string across the shoulders. The chief object of this cloth is apparently to have something warm to sit upon when the ground is cold. The women weave the clothes, and, when new, they are generally striped red and blue.
The dress of a woman (see Plate 4) consists of a garment like a short jersey without sleeves and with an open V-shaped throat; also of a small lungs, which shows about 6 inches below the jacket. These jackets are also home-made and of similar patterns to the men's garments.
[These have to a certain extent been reduced to writing: vide Maung Tet Pyo's Customary Law of the Chin Tribe. Rangoon, Government Press, 1884.-ED.]
