an troops, as also in the Indian
natives of Peru.

[Illustration: NAGAS]

The Kassias were fond of games, such as tossing the caber, putting the
weight and throwing the hammer, apparently a tribal institution. The
Kookies and Nagas were restless, warlike and troublesome, and addicted
to head hunting. They periodically raided some tea-gardens to secure
lead for bullets, and incidentally heads as trophies. Several planters
had been thus massacred, and at outlying gardens there was always this
dread and danger. On one occasion an urgent message was brought to me
from such a garden, whose manager happened to be in Calcutta. His head
baboo begged me to come over and take charge, if only to reassure the
coolies, who had been running off into the jungle on the report of a
threatened Naga raid. On going over I found the people tremendously
excited, and most of them scared nearly to death. My presence seemed to
allay their fright, though if the savages had come we could have done
nothing, having only a few rifles in the place and the coolies totally
demoralized. Luckily Mr Naga did not appear.

The Looshais were a particularly warlike race, and gardens situated near
their territory were supplied by Government with stands of arms and had
stockades for defence in case of attack.

The tea-planter's life was to me a very enjoyable one. There was lots of
interesting work to be done, lots of sport and amusement, and lots of
good fellows. The life promised to be an ideal one. For its enjoyment,
however, indeed for its possibility, there is one essential--good
health. Unfortunately that, during the whole period at Scottpore, was
not mine; for the whole eighteen months fever had its grip on me;
appetite was quite gone, and I subsisted on nothing but eggs, milk and
whisky. Six months more would have done me up; but just at this time
came the announcement of my father's death. For this reason and on
account of my health I resigned the position and prepared to visit home,
meaning to return, however, to India.

I determined before going to look out a piece of land suitable for a
small plantation; and, after much consideration, decided to hunt for it
in Eastern Sylhet. So bidding adieu to friends I hied me down to the
selected district, secured a good man as guide (a man of intelligence
and intimate knowledge of the country was essential), and hired an
elephant to carry us and break a way through the jungle. In the course
of our search