12th. Namtusseek.—Altitude 1099 feet. General direction ESE. Distance 10 miles. Descended from Kuttack Bhoom, until we reached the Loonkharankha, then ascended considerably. The descent then recommenced, until we reached the Namtusseek. Heavy jungle occurred throughout. Path occasionally difficult, becoming as we approached the base of the range very wet. We crossed several small mountain streams.
General features of the hills.—The prevailing formation appears to be sandstone, and connected with this we have rounded summits, not attaining a great elevation, and a considerable depth of soil. The lower ranges are throughout covered with heavy tree jungle. This becomes excessively thick and wet along the water courses, which are of frequent occurrence towards the base of the range, both on the northern and southern sides. But from an elevation of 1000 feet to that of Yoomsan, a great change for the better takes place on the northern face, the hills being covered with clay, and generally not very high grass jungle, among which trees are scattered. This character is particularly evident along both sides of the valley drained by the Namtusseek of the northern side. The Patkaye is wooded to its summit; the jungle on the south side being much more humid than that on the northern. Indeed on this face of the range, with the exception of the Puthars on the Nam-maroan, scarcely more than two open spots exist, and both of these are of small extent. Of these one exists at an elevation of 5500 feet, and one at Kuttack Bhoom.
The paths although very often steep, are easy enough for coolies, except during wet weather, when they become very slippery. With some degree of preparation the worst places might be made passable for lightly loaded elephants, and this would be facilitated by the soft nature of most of the rocks. The most difficult marches are those which lie along the beds of the streams, and these, it has been seen, are far the most numerous; they are particularly difficult for elephants, the boulders affording a very precarious footing to these weighty animals. The difficulty is much increased by rain, when even coolies find considerable difficulty in making any progress. Several elephants accompanied Major White as far as the Darap Panee, and a small suwaree elephant, loaded with a light tent, succeeded in reaching Yoomsan. The southern side of the range is decidedly of a more difficult nature than the northern, and it is in addition of greater extent: the highest point traversed is 5600 feet above the level of the sea. The range might be traversed by a lightly loaded active native in six days.
Streams.—These all partake of the usual nature of mountain torrents; they are all fordable during the cold weather, the principal ones being crossed at the heads of the rapids. The boundary nullah is a mere streamlet: it runs between two ridges of the Patkaye: its course being about ESE. and WNW. Owing to the frequency of the streams and their mountainous nature, I should imagine that this route is impracticable during the rains.
Villages.—Not a single village or house exists directly on the route. One small Naga village is visible from the Namtusseek below Yoomsan, and a detached hut is visible here and there on a high mountain close to, and NE. of Yoomsan. On the Burmese side there is, as I have mentioned before, a village consisting of two houses close to the route. This village has lately been established by some Singphos from Nimbrung, several marches to the eastward.
Population.—I certainly did not see 100 Nagas throughout the time passed in traversing these hills, although I am satisfied that every man within a reasonable distance came into Camp in the hopes of sharing in the extensive distribution of presents. From the appearance of the country about Yoomsan, and the valley of the Namtusseek, I am inclined to think that the population was at one time considerable. The openness of the country, which is as I have previously said chiefly clothed with grass, and the peculiar and generally imperfect aspect of the trees, can only be accounted for, by supposing the country to have been extensively cleared, particularly when it is remembered that the highest portions of the range are thickly wooded. But allowing this supposition to be correct, it is no proof, that the total population has been on the decline, for we must take into account, the wandering nature of all hill tribes. In forming an opinion of a hill population, which in all times and places has, in this country at least, been found scanty, we must take care not to confound the temporary huts, erected in khets, for the purpose of protecting the cultivation, with actually inhabited houses; to the former description I think the detached houses mentioned as being visible from Yoomsan are to be referred.
The Nagas, at least the men, for I saw no women, are a small, active, large-legged race, with Tartar faces. They are divided into very many tribes, each of which has some peculiarity of costume. Those I saw were decidedly inferior to any of the other hill tribes with which I am acquainted. Their clothing is miserable, the chief protection consisting of a number of rings, made of rattan, which encircle the abdomen. They are as usual excessively dirty, and much attached to the use of tobacco and ardent spirits. Their wants are few, but even these are miserably supplied. They entertain an unbounded fear of the Singphos, who appear to make any use of them they think proper. Their only weapons are spears, Singpho dhas and battle axes.
The Singphos cannot be considered otherwise than as encroachers. Invasions of these restless marauders appear not to have been uncommon up to a late date. The remains of two stockades, in which they had entrenched themselves were extant, one close to Yoomsan, the other on the S. face of the Patkaye. I have before said that the puthars on the Nam-maroan bore evidence of having been inhabited, and apparently to some extent. But even during the stay of Major White on these hills, an irruption of Singphos from Nimbrung had taken place, and had totally unsettled the peace of the native inhabitants. Such things must be expected to occur, particularly when it is well known that the Burmese, the only power to which they are subjects, can exercise no authority over the Singphos in any one direction, except when they have a large armed force in the valley of Hookhoom.
Of the Capabilities of the country it would be vain to attempt giving an opinion. Scarcely any cultivation was passed on the route. The soil is generally deep, more or less yellow, and somewhat clayey; the hollows having a thin superstratum of black mould. Taking the deserted state of the country into account, this part of the Naga range is of little importance, except as forming portion of a most natural and well defined boundary, compared with other portions of the same range to the westward.
Products.—The principal mineral product is salt, an article which is procured abundantly in some other more available points of the range. We saw one small spring on the Namtusseek, from which supplies had been lately taken.