Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 1.djvu/114

Rh a flight of several steps leading up to the floor, and was divided into numerous rooms by partitions of split bamboo.

The Singphos cultivate with much success the tea plant, to the growth of which their climate is eminently favourable; indeed, it appears indigenous to some parts of then country. They trade largely with China in gold, precious stones, and amber, all which are found in their territory.

They were originally a predatory tribe, and have for generations been in the habit of making irruptions into the Assamese country, laying it waste, and carrying off the inhabitants as slaves. This practice has been stopped since we held Assam; but some idea may be formed of the extent to which it was formerly carried from the fact that one officer alone recovered from them upwards of 7000 captive Assamese.

"The Singphos entertain strange ideas of honour and revenge. Compatibly with their customs and rude notions of religion, a Singpho chief could not ever abandon, without dishonour, the application of the lex talionis to one who had murdered his relation, although from circumstances of policy, or deficiency of means, he might postpone the gratification of his vengeance to an indefinite period. The Singphos imagine that the soul of the murdered individual will torment them until his manes are appeased by the death of one of his enemies; and further, that the anger of their deity would be aroused should an opportunity of retaliation be neglected  An innocent person is thus often murdered who is quite ignorant of the injury committed by his tribe or family."—Sketch of Assam, p. 84.