t tracing their descent from the
_Dibong_ Mishmees, who are always known by the term crop-haired. The
Mezhoo, however, like the Taeens, preserve their hair, wearing it
generally tied in a knot on the crown of their head. The appearance of
both tribes is the same, but the language of the Mezhoos is very
distinct. They are perhaps the more powerful of the two; but their most
influential chiefs reside at a considerable distance from the lower
ranges. The only Mezhoos I met with are those at _Deeling-Yen_, a
small village opposite _Deeling_, but at a much higher elevation, and
_Tapan_. I need scarcely add that it was owing to the opposition of this
tribe that Captain WILCOX failed in reaching _Lama_. The Digaroos are
ruled by three influential chiefs, who are brothers DRISONG, KHOSHA, and
GHALOOM: of these, DRISONG is the eldest and the most powerful, but he
resides far in the interior. PRIMSONG is from a distant stock, and as
the three brothers mentioned above are all passed the prime of life,
there is but little doubt that he will soon become by far the most
influential chief of his tribe. Both tribes appear to intermarry. The
Mishmees are a small, active, hardy race, with the Tartar cast of
features; they are excessively dirty, and have not the reputation of
being honest, although, so far as I know, they are belied in this
respect. Like other hill people, they are famous for the muscular
development of their legs:--in this last point the women have generally
the inferiority. They have no written language. Their clothing is
inferior; it is, however, made of cotton, and is of their own
manufacture;--that of the men consists of a mere jacket and an apology
for a _dhoti_,--that of the women is more copious, and at any rate quite
decent: they are very fond of ornaments, especially beads, the quantities
of which they wear is very often quite astonishing. They appear to me
certainly superior to the Abors, of whom, however, I have seen but few.
Both sexes drink liquor, but they did not seem to me to be so addicted to
it as is generally the case with hill tribes:--their usual drink is a
fermented liquor made from rice called _mont'h_: this, however, is far
inferior to that of the Singphos, which is really a pleasant drink.

"_Religion_. Of their religion I could get no satisfactory
information--every thing is ascribed to supernatural agency. Their
invocations to their deity are frequent, and seem generally to be mad