The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-12-10
MISCELLANY.
Mode or Life and Habit OF an Indian
Race.
rFron the p Main Gazette.1

[From the P II Mall Gazette.l
Among the novelties to which the
Prince of Wales will probably be intro
dueed in Calcutta are certain specimens
of the Nagas, interesting barbariaEs who
ever and anon swoop down upon the tea
plantations in Assam. and even venture
to try conclusions with our armed and
disciplined police force. Strictly speak
ing, there is no such tribe as the Nagas,
that name being applied by the Assam
csc to denote the agglomeration of dis
tinct clans which war and intermarry
with one another on the high lands ly-
italy inclosing the elevated and fertile
valley or table land of MunipOor. To
the inhabitants of this plateau has been
assigned the credit of inventing the
game of polo, an exciting diversion rap
idly becoming naturalized among the
jeanesse eheUdieresque of our own happy
land. 1t may be questioned, however,
if the Munipoors can claim any greater
dent that it was through them that polo
first became known to the European So
ciety of Calcutta, for the game appears
to be equally indigenous 10 the hill peo-
pie of Jummoo, at quite the opposite
extremity of British India Be that as
it may, the clans passing under the col
leciive appellat-on Of Nagas have been
described as being a dull, heavy race.
with faces that look like bad or aunld
ged copy of the Mongolian caste of
countenance. They speak different dia-
iects. but can make themselves under
stood by one another. The most power
ful elan or subdivision is that of the
Argamis, who may be taken as favora-
BILE representatives of the entire tribe.
Among these the men confne themselves
to the ennobling pursuit of homicide,
leaving to their women every form of
vulgar labor. They are content, how
ever, with one wife, who is usually
OF good treatment, If she be also indus
trious. Unlike the people of the
| plains, the highlanders seldom marry
until they have attained to manhood,
and as their wives have to work hard,
they need 10 be full-grown and of ma
ture strength before they can undertake
the oDerous duties ofa Naga house hold.
These hillmen are an omniverous race,
gifted with large appetites, and devour
with equal voracity beef, pigs, poultry,
dogs, cats, and reptiles, but despising
vegetables. They are unpleasantly snb-
ject to cutaneous eruptions. Their mode
of warfare aims at the destruction of
the enemy. combined with personal i'm
pnnity. They seek not glory in the can
mons mouth, nor has the tented field
any attractions for them. If no oppOr-
tunity present itself for laying an am
buscade, they will avail themselves, of
the darkness of night to surprise the
hostile hamlet. firing the inAammable
hints, butchering the sleepers, and tear
ing of their bleeding scalps. These
trophies are greatly prized, and at the
death Of warrior are burned with his
mortal remains. The arms consist for
the most part of javelin, or spear, and
a shield made of mat lined with leath-
er or thin boards. Bows and arrows are
unknown, but the tomahawk is COM
mon weapon, and recently not a few
muskets have found their way into these
hills, as the late gallant Colonel Hamil-
ton discovered to his cost. Their war
dress is fantastic, a conspicuous article
being tail attached where, in the hu
man race, it has long ceased to grow. In
the piping time of peace, however, neith-
er tailor nor milliner could make liv-
ing in these wild parts. In the inter
ly naked, but affect mild compromise
| in their intercourse with more civilized
| neighbors. The women are less "pro-
nounced, )" to use Gallicism, and wear
a sort of short frock, dyed of blue color
besides being adorned with beads and
| brass rings on their necks and arms.
The Nagas are fond of both singing and
dancing. Their songs are worded in
the dialect of the Abors, or the clans
who dwell in the upper ranges, and are
rather shrill than melodious. In fhe
war-dance the women form an inner cir
Gle, the men dancing around them with
great agility. Their religious notions
are said to be very hazy. They have
some faint idea Of Creator, and of
life after the present one; but they do
not consider either temples or priests es-
sentisl to their happiness-at least they
possess neither the one nor the other.
They live in barn-like huts, with gable
ends, the caves brought down close to
the ground. The houses are divided in
to two compartments. Round the sides
of the outer room are ranged capacious
circular baskets, or bins, of wicker-work,
filled with grain, and covered with
planks, on which the men lounge, lean
ing over a blazing Ere in the cold
weather. while the inner room is given
up to the women, the children and the
| cattle.