its existence.

"As I before observed to you, during my stay at Jingsha, my curiosity had
been excited by reports of an incursion of a considerable force of Lamas
into the Mishmee country. It hence became, having once established a
footing in the country, a matter of paramount importance to proceed
farther into the interior, and, if possible, to effect a junction with
these highly interesting people; but all my attempts to gain this point
proved completely futile; no bribes, no promises would induce any of the
chiefs to give me guides, even to the first Mishmee village belonging to
the Mezhoo tribe. I was hence compelled to content myself for the
present, with obtaining as much information as possible relative to the
above report, and I at length succeeded in gaining the following
certainly rather meagre account.

"The quarrel, as usual, originated about a marriage settlement between
two chiefs of the Mezhoo and Taeen tribes: it soon ended in both parties
coming to blows. The Mezhoo chief, ROOLING, to enable him at once to
overpower his enemies, and to strike at once at the root of their power,
called in the assistance of the Lamas. From this country a force of
seventy men armed with matchlocks made an invasion, and, as was to be
expected, the Taeen Mishmees were beaten at every point and lost about
twenty men. The affair seems to have come to a close about September
last, when the Lamas returned to their own country. Where it occurred I
could gain no precise information, but it must have been several days'
journey in advance of the villages I visited.

"It was owing to the unsettled state of the country, resulting from this
feud, that I could gain no guides from the Digaroos, without whose
assistance in this most difficult country, I need scarcely say, that all
attempts to advance would have been made in vain. These people very
plausibly said, if we give you guides, who is to protect us from the
vengeance of the Mezhoos when you are gone, and who is to insure us from
a second invasion of the Lamas? Another thing to be considered is, the
influence even then exercised over the Mishmees near our boundaries by
the Singphos connected with the Dupha Gam; but from the renewal of the
intercourse with our frontier station, there is every reason for
believing that this influence is ere this nearly destroyed.

"The natives of this portion of the range are divided into two tribes,
Taeen or Digaroo and Mezhoo, these las