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414
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(OCTOBER, 1903.
without being offered food and drink, even when within our frontier, to getting, if not a welcome, I have known myself at times the person offering at any rate an interview. When within # few it has barely enough for his day's food. They are hours' of the obief's village I left my men behind extremely intelligent and quickly master the to cook and proceeded with a friendly chief to meaning of anything aid to them or shown them. show me the way and my interpreter. On reachIn fact it is most difficult to reconcile their ing the village, I marched boldly in and made for apparent mildness with the well-known instances the Karbari's house, and he informed the chief of the atrocities committed by them when raiding. I had arrived. I waited most patiently, aceprding One of my old friends and guides, who is now the to oustom, till the chief sent for me, and as this fatber of a grown-up family of eight children and was not till 9 p.m. I became somewhat anxious. who is apparently an exceedingly mild and bene- All this time I was surrounded by the men, women volent old gentleman, astonisbed me very much and cbildren of the village, who olustered round the other day when I questioned him about the me in hundreds exclaiming in wonder at my feats of his youth. I led him on gradually and white skin. On the chief sending for me I went eventually he told me he had with his own hands to his house, and though at first he was inclined speared and killed six persons. I asked him it to be grumpy we soon became chatty over several they were men or women, and he then told me bottles of rum wbich I produced, I spent the three were men and three were women. I got an next day with him and gave him more rum and account of the death of each one from him, his small present of rupees, he giving me a handsome features becoming gradually more ferocious as he cloth. The third day I went away well satisfied continued his narrative, till, finally, when he with my visit and returned to Demagiri, my described how his last victim had been & woman starting point, through three other Haulong whom he had speared in cold blood, he became chiefs' villages, in all of which I was well received. quite excited and with a piece of stick in his hand | In one village, where Lallura was the chief's name, ennoted the whole performance over again. He I as usual produced rum and made merry with gradually subsided, but no amount of expostula- the chief and his friends. Unfortunately I found tion on my part would convince him that he had the rum running short, and in an evil moment behaved in a way not to boast of.
I bad it watered on the quiet to make the supply
last longer. But the chief spotted it at once, Notwithstanding it being most unpleasant at
and was loud in his wrath at my giving him, as times, still I have always tried as the most effec
he said, "water" and not spirit. I was at my tual way of thoroughly understanding these
wits' end and in desperation produced my only people to adopt the policy of "when you are at
bottle of whisky: he tasted it, and, with his eyes Rome," etc., and by this means only can one
up-raised, exclaimed: "Words are not available get a thorough insight into the character of the
to express how delicious it is !"--and he very people. Another good old saying I have found
soon got drunk. In his cups be boasted of his most effective, namely, “In vino veritas," and many
power and strength, etc., while his old warriors a time by & judicious application of rum at the
sitting alongsido of him commenced cballing him right moment I have wormed out information
(he was lame I must mention from an accident which was being kept back.
to his hip when a boy), saying: "You a warrior and a chief P why, you can't walk from one village
to another," and so on. This little story shows I have given a fair outline, I think, of the
what I have said previously, that no outward Lushais and their habits and customs, and I will
respect is paid to a chief, and that they have Dow content myself with giving a few aneodotes in
a great craving for strong drinks. connection with the people generally by way of illustrating their character, oto. I paid my first visit into the heart of the Lubai country in My next visit to Sayipuia w in December, 1887: February, 1887, when I went with a guard of ten on this pocasion I knew my ground better, we promen to Sayipnia's village, a chief I had beard a vided with more authority to deal with him, and great deal of. I trusted to the fact of Bayipuih last but not least, had a supply of rupees. A coordhaving previously known Captain Lewin, who ingly I asked him to wear an oath of friendinterviewed him in 1872 (from which time he bad ship with mo socording to Lusa oustoms, never seen a European), and to a certain know and he at once agreed, and the following morning ledge of the language and of the Lushnin' customs was fized for the ceremony, which took place as and habits which I had adquired in villages follows. A gydl was tied in the open space facing
