The herald., 1895-06-13
Rev. and Mrs. Lewis of Pomona
Tell About Assam
THE FIRST WHITE SETTLERS
hind0stan People Who Are as Wild
as Apaches
They Delight In War and Cut Off Their
Enemies Heads as Trophies Of
Their Prowcss
Special Correspondence to The Herald:

Special Correspondence to The Herald:
POMONA, Cal. June 12.-Rev. DR.. H.
T. Lewis and wife have been here this
week on their return to New York. after
eleven years as missionaries in India.
They have had some strange experiences,
and have broken their health by long
residence and hard work under the burn
ing sun OF Asia. They have been granted
furlough OF four years in the United
States.
MRS. Leiws and II said DR.. Lewis
the other day, were the first white peo-
pie that so far as we can learn, ever set
foot in Assam. 1t is small valley sixty
five miles wide and 800 miles long. 1t
has population of fully 5000, 900. 1t is
situated in the northeastern part of Hin
doostan and is an English possession.
The inhabitants of The Naga hills are wild
mountaineers. living around the SUBMITS
OF the mountains. Up to five years ago
these people were independent; the great
wars OF India never succeeded in subject
ing them. They delight in war and are
as barbarous as are American Indians.
In the same manner as our Indians take
the scalp, the Naga warriors take the
head. =
''They are not head. .eaters?" asked the
reporter.
aNo." continued the DOCTOR "They
are called head-cutters, AID they orna-
ment their houses with long strings of
the skulls of captives as tokens OF their
prowess. Unlike our Indians, they culti-
vate the soil and entertain the highes ire
spect toward the women. Any obscene
talk in the presenceuf woman is severe
ly punished. They work hard for their
living, knowing if they do not they must
perish. Their homes consist of rude
bov, krc hnt v,,ft Of ~
Medicine is not known, and they
fancy all sickness or evil that happen to
them is because some diety has been dis
pleased. Hence the blood of animals is
shed as sacrifice to appease the lndig-
nant god. This sacrifice first commences
with a fowl. then a pig. and lastly cattle;
if long continued it sometimes impover-
ishes a whole family. The general name
for deity is soonngram. There are no
special names for their deities, as they
worship house, site oil a house, etc. All
debts must be paid; they have not
learned how to repudiate.
''Of sin they have strong impression.
Frequently untenanted houses are seen.
all possessions in the house having been
abandoned. The idea is that it is sinful
to steal goods thus left When some men-
ber of a family is killed by tiger. by
drowning or by the falling of tree, the Sc
are considered sinful persons. too pollur-
ed to be even touched. Among the hill
people there is no caste. The Assamese
are betrothed at from 3 to and marry at
10 yearsof age, beng then fully Develop
eo. In appearance they are much Like
the Chinese, but are much more muscular
and hardy. There a fine field for gos-
pei teaching among them. When I frs.
went among the Assamese the English
were scared, but afterwards rendered
every assistance, because they found we
were establishing peace on their border.
up to the present there have been
four villages largely Christanized and
many converts made. There is a Written
language. After many years of labor |
succeeded in reducing to writing in their
language. collection of hymns and
school books.
The doctor exhibited the first book
printed in Assamese, 1t is a translation
of the Bible, translated by the doctor,
and printed on little American press
sent from Boston to the town Of Molung.
And all the letters have but one sound
apiece" continued DR.. Clark, land the
language is. in some respects easier to
acquire on that account. The chief
towns in Assam are Gohaty. Nowyong,
Tezpor, Sibsagor and Didroogur, which
is the head of steam navigation, of the
Brahmapootra river, which was our
nearest government station, though forty
miles away and only reached by path.
There are no roads and all travel is OH
the backs of elephants"