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The Lamets,
the Lamungs and more hilltribe villages
We reach the
Namta at Ban Hat Nam. It is here a deep, clear stream,
and on it there are numbers of bamboo rafts belonging to Lamets
laden with rice on their way to Luang Phrabang where they
will dispose of both riceand bamboos. As it is possible the carriers
may run away, wemake the most of the day and push on till sunset.
The camp is pitched in a very pretty place on the banks of Nam
Sawng,a beautiful clear stream of very cold water. The Lamets,
as usual are very noisy, but they are a melancholy people and one
seldom sees them laugh. They are heavily built and scantily clad,
the cloth they wear is scarcely large enough for its purpose. They
carry loads on their backs attached to a plaited cane band round
their heads, and when ascending a hill each respiration is a low
whistle. When they are dragging their weary way along the hill-slope,
the sounds remined one of the song of the green dove, so low and
melancholy are they. In the lobes of their ears they have large
disks of wood, some of these are an inch and a quarter in diameter.
The test of greatest beauty is the extent to which the lobe of the
ear can be expanded; it is sometimes split in the process, but I
did not ascertain if the splitting of the ear was considered a social
disqualification or not. The Lamets seem veruy stupid, and
there was great difficulty in ascertaining their names, so as to
make sure that the right man would get payment.
Interspersed
with the Lamets is another tribe, called Lamungs,
but there is little difference, if any, between the various tribes
of Khas. The term Kha would mean slave. They are usually
called Kha Ches, and their homes are the slopes of the mountains
all over the Luang Phrabang division. They live in communities,
and the boundaries of village-lands are religiously gaurded, and
always marked where the paths cross. The clearings are carried on,
from year to year different places are brought under cultivation.
If a village has not sufficient land to allow of a seven years'
rotation, some of the community are compelled to seek other mountain
slopes.
The tribes
are usually Khamu, Khame, Pai, Lamett,
Lamunng, Bit, and Hok. The Khamu are
the most numerous. All the tribes can understand one another, the
differences in the language being very slight. At one time in their
history they were associated only with Luang Phrabang, but
in the recent yaers, on account of many troubles , they have spread
far and near. The teak-trade of Siam is carried on chiefly
through their agency, as they are sturdy and hard-working foresters,
receiving a very small renumeration. They are all spirit- worshippers.
The spirit-worship consistsin partaking of liberal feast in the
spirit-house, which has a long fire-place running down the middle.
Over this great joints of buffalo-meat are roasted, and these are
washed down with copious draughts of home-made spirit.They have
no written language. The legend relates that in days gone by the
king of the Khas visited Luang Phrabang, and found
there houses made of brick and mortar. On inquiring how the lime
was produced, he was informed that it was made from the rocks. Returning
among his people, he suggested that they should also try to make
lime. The difficulty was how to break the lime-rocks; the king told
them to use their knives, the only result of this being that all
the knives were destroyed. Thereupon the people became enraged and
slew their King but they immediatly repented, for he was the only
one who knew the Kha writing. That the knoeledge might not
be lost they proposed cooking and eating the King, in order in this
way to have it diffused among the people, but they found with the
death of the King the art of writing was lost for ever, so they
had recourse to sending despatches on notched sticks. The number
of notches indicates the dignity of the sender of the message, and
if it is urgent a chilli and feather are attached, meaning that
the message must be carried out hotly and swiftly. This is the method
of writing adopted at the present day.
The spirit
of the King of the Khas resides at Luang Phrabang,
and until very recently the chef had daily sacrifice offered to
him. If a man falls ill, recourse is had to the use of sticks; the
sticks are broken, and the manner of breaking indicates whether
a pig, dog, or fowl should be sacrificed to propitiate the evil
spirit.
We have with
us Khas under the administration of Nan and of Luang
Phrabang, and it is amusing to see the efforts made to keep
them apart. The Nan officials try to impress their men with
a superior dignity, and tell them they are Kha Kwens, to
distinguish them from the others who are called Kha Lao.
The Khas of Nan are chiefly those who some years ago
sought refuge in Nan territory.
A story is
told of a desperate cause of quarrel between two tribes of Khas,
the quarrel being kept up even at present. The Kha Bhit,
who live across the main watershed, were invited to a feast by the
Khas in the upper waters of the Nam U, where an elephant
was prepared to regale the new friends. The return-feast was given
by the Kha Bhit, who live across the main watershed, were invited
to a feast by the Khas in the upper waters of the Nam U, where an
elephant was prepared to regale the new friends. The return-feast
was given by the Kha Bhit, but not being able to procure
an elephant, they prepared a porcupine. When the Khas of
the Nam U sat down to the feast they were much disgusted
to have but a small portion of meat. Leaving the feast in anger,
they said, "We gave you to eat the whole of the largest animal
in our forests, here you have an animal with hair like sticks, which
must be much larger than an elephant, and you give us a very small
portion of it. You are teacherous and deceitful, and we will have
nothing more to do with you."
It is curious
how the name Lao is disliked by the whole of the northern
country of Siam, yet it still lingers amongst the inhabitants.
We are now
at the foot of the hill I was desirous of reaching, and very early
in the morning we are on the move. One is always apprehensive, as
the slopes of the hills are usually covered with jungle and no outlook
can be had anywhere, but in this particular instance the village
path takes one almost to the top of the hill, and although some
of the trees some of the tress are very heavy the clearing is soon
effected, as the little hill-men are quite at home swinging their
axes and felling the trees. The views from the hill are spendid;
to the south is Pa Yang, which has been cleared already by
Luang Di Sah, and the two trees left as signals stand prominently
out. The villages on the slopes of the hillss are numerous, and
some of them very large for these parts, consisting of over two
hundred houses, and what is more interesting, in every direction
are traces of former settlements, making the prospect of clearing
the mountains more cheerful. The mountains for the triangulation
towards Luang Phrabang stand prominently out, and are well
peopled.
Smiles now
starts to run traverses north along the villages paths, keeping
pretty well to the watershed of the Nam Ta, while I have to retrace
my steps and join my obstructive friends, the men from Nan,
and meet him again at M. Puka. The baskket signal has been
erected and the two signal trees left standing, and I start making
a chain and compass survey back to Mok Suk, and thence on
to Puka, using the plane table wherever there was an opening.
This was not very frequently, except near the head of the Me
Ngao and Me Pah, where the mountains are high and well
cultivated. There are the elements of quarrels among the Khas
under the adminis tration of Luang Phrabang and of Nan.
Approaching
Puka, I met a colony of Yao on their way to Chieng
Kawng , they were very interesting. Puka was many years
ago a town and is now a dense jungle, the surrounding paddyfields
having been left to lie fallow for many years. The surrounding hills
are very well peopled with Khas, the villages usually being
on the tops of the spurs.
In hunting
aboput for a suitable peak, I found in one place the path was blocked,
and a new path cut for a short way, so as to avoid a tree that had
been struck by lightning and was supposed to be in the possession
of the spirits. But as the new path was in the possession of bees
which sting very severely, I preferred to risk encountering the
spirits rather than the bees, much to the annoyance of the guide.
About a mile further on another tree had been struck by lightning,
but this time with serious results. The tree was standing in the
midst of rice on the hill slope, and thogh the crops generally were
rather scantly, the owner abandoned his fields and did not gather
in the harvest, saying it had become the property of the spirits,
which on this occasion were represented by numerous small birds
that were almost too fat to fly.
I selected
a hill which was well wooded, and in the deep shade near the top
pitched my tent among oaks and wild cherries. It was only the day
before leaving I was told that the tent was pitched in a graveyard,
and as the people do not dig deep graves, I was rather astonished
that my olfactory sense had not been offended; it was however explained
that the graveyard had not been used for four or five years. One
of the head-men of the Khas was, as they alleged, taken hold
of by a spirit. It was curious to watch him, he had a shivering
fit, and seemed to be suffering from a severe attack of colic. I
gave him much relief; another man set about exorcising the spirit
by repeating prayers and at intervals blowing on the victim. The
monotonous chant went on all night. In the morning I took him in
hand by administering a very large dose of castor-oil and then large
doses of salts, but with little or no effect. However, he eventually
got rid of the spirit and was restored to health. But it was thought
I should not have pitched the camp in a graveyard, where there were
troublesome spirits who were annoyed because I was cutting down
the trees.
The Chao
Ratcha But of Nan came in state to Pu Ka, preceded
by men bearing flags, gongs, drums, and old flint-locks, and a body-guard
of about ten men in red shirts with different kinds of breech-loaders.
Smiles joined me at Pu Ka, and I immediately made arrangements
to go to a prominent hill called Chieng Kung, while Smiles
traversed the country to M. Sai, where we were again to meet.
I now follow the road to M. Siong, and where the path crosses
the ridge between the Nam Pa and Nam Ma, I turn west
and follow the ridge. The troublesome part is where one cuts one's
way through rubbish and creepers that grow up from no heavy trees
I am encouraged by the prospect of soon clearing the hill. The tree-ferns
are beautiful and very like palms. When the hill was cleared on
the 5th of February, there was a thick haze, and nothing could be
seen, but in the afternoon there was a high wind and clouds gathered.
All the prominent peaks have prefix Chieng, which I am told
in Siamese means high land. There are also many towns with the prefix,
and I do not except by guessing that Chieng was the same
as Wieng.
It was not
until the 12th that I was able to I was able to leave the hill,
the delay being occasioned by misty days, with occasional glimpses
of the surrounding country which I took advantage of. I also cleared
another peak a couple of hundred feet lower and distant about three-quarters
of a mile, which was obstructing the view to Kampawn, N.S. I left
a signal tree and moved on to Dao Wa. The slopes of the hills all
round are peopled by the Yao Yin; some of the villages consist
of two hundred houses. I had an amusing hour with many of the inhabitants,
who were anxious to sell beautiful specimens of embroidery in silk,
and to part with some of their books, which were in ordinary Chinese
and could be read by any one. Among the men was a silversmith, who
was very proud of his handiwork, as he had every right to be, judging
from the bracelets and rings which he said he had made. A great
number of these Yao Yin after the French occupation to come
over and settle in M. Sing.
On the 14th
of February, I again met Chao Bun Luang, at Ta Muang Nang
. He saw no fun in accompanying me to the tops of hills, because
he was able to cut off the rice supply, and he never failed to put
on the screw whenever an opportunity offered in order to hurry me
on. It was getting late in the season, and though I wished to clear
more hills, it was no use risking being able to determine the postion
of M. Sing. The haze was settling down thickly and I had
to hurry on, for however faulty the determinastion of the position
of Sing, it was better than none at all.
Crossing over
a very low pass we descended to the plain of Sing, which
is extensive and watered by several streams which find their way
to the Nam La. Nearing Sing I met some of the head-men
of the Yao Yin, who wear as buttons what I thpought were
gilt-silver coins of the value of an eight of a rupee, bearing the
Queen's head and the inscription "Victoria Queen." I drew
the man's attention to the stamp, he seemed to know what it represented.
I did not examine them too closely, but afterwards I found numbers
of the same buttons, which were of brass, exposed for sale in the
market at Nawngkai. M. Sing is about one thousand
yards square, it is surrounded by a mud wall and ditch. Everything
about the place has new appearance. The Governor's house is in the
centre surrounded by a strong palisade. Streets devide it into quarters,
each quarter is under the command of an official. On the plain,
which is from ten to twelve miles lomg and four to six broad, there
are villages of settlers from the surrounding districts. In seven
villages the settlers are from Chieng Tung, and in eight
villages from M. Hun and M. Ham of Sipsawng Punna.
I pitched my
tent on the grounds of a wat near the eastern entrance, and called
to see the Governor, who is a genial man of about forty, uncle to
the present Chief of Chieng Tung. He had a painting of the
King in a prominent part of his house, and seemed kindly disposed
to Siam, but did not like the idea of his little State being broken
up, and one part being under Siam, another under Burmah.
The Burmese Commissioners had come the previous year. They were
officially received as representing the supreme authority, and now
the Chief fells rather in an awkward position, as he is not disposed
to take any formal notice of the officials from Nam Kawng,
which in a direct line is not far from Sing.
On the mountains
are tribes called Akas. They come down to Sing for
the market, which is held here, as in most small places all over
the north of Siam, every fifth day of the week. The tribes
on the surrounding hills are very interesting and peaceful. Over
the plains are many camps of Chinese traders. They go no further
than Sing, and when they have got together a sufficient quantity
of raw cotton, they return by way of Chieng Hung, which is
eight days from this place. The route they take is the right one
for a railway to Yiwnan.
Finding a place
which could be fixed by interpolation, I connected it by means of
a rigorous traverse with a point just on to the eastern gateway,
where observations were taken for latitude and azimuth. Later on
I went out to meet the Chao Ratcha But of Nan, who
advanced in Semi-state with ponderous-looking elephants, and a good
deal of drumming and gongs; but the Chief, and I have no doubt they
were best of friends.
It was high
time for me to be on the move. I had brought with me thirty militia-men
of Nan, and I now kept only nine, paying off the others.
On the 23rd of February, 1892, a very hazy day, I started for Pubokat.
The path went over the M. Sing plain; passing several villages,
it followed the usual caravan route, and at the pass a few hundred
feet above the plain, which is the boundary of Sipsawng Punna,
left the caravan track and followed the ridge in an easterly direction.
Glimpses of M. Mang were often had, as also of the fields
of M. Pung in the valley beyond. M. Sing from its
position is certain to become an important place in the future.
It is capable of great development in the way of rice cultivation,
and could support many thousands.
Having reached
the ridge, I cleared a hill of trees, but the haze was dense, and
nothing could be seen. The pass is rather important as being the
point of union for Sipsawng Punna, Nan, and Sing.
The peak is called Pubokat. On a large tree, Chao Bun
Luang had written a commemoration of our visit, calling the
three a boundary tree.
Leaving the
hill, I pushed on to M. Luang Puka, and followed the Nani
Dung. The path was uncomfortable and rough, and under water
the whole way. I was glad to leave the stream near its junction
with the Nam Ta, where there is an abandoned Lanten
village and some fresh graves, the people having all moved off to
the M. Sing administration. Leaving the Nam Ta, to
the right, the path, not a bad one, ascends hills with extensive
clearings for cultivation, and passes through large villages of
Lanten, who have great bales of cotton ready for transport
to M. Sing. they have a very neat contrivance for using water-power
to pound paddy and separate the husk from the rice. It is attached
a weight, a regular see-saw being kept up. Here the place of the
girls is taken by a box which fills with water and descends. The
bottom of the box is on a hinge, and is pushed up when it reaches
the ground. The water thus escapes, and the box rises to its original
position to be filled again.
Near M.
Luang Puka I met a caravan of about fifty ponies, carrying raw
cotton by way of M. La to M. Ku in Yiwnan.
The leader wanted to know if he could go to M. Sing by the
road I came. I explained that one part was difficult ofr laden ponies
to pass. He said he thought he would make the venture next season.
We again reached Nam Ta at its junction with the Nam Taruns,
at the head of which are salt-wells. Strange to say, they are under
the jurisdiction of M. La. The boundary of Sipsawng Punna
crosses the watershed, and takes in a triangular strip of country
well covering the salt region. Crossing the Nam Ta, we find
ourselves on the plain of M. Luang Puka, which is not as
extensive as M. Sing , but is nevertheless a fertile plain,
and well suited for rice cultivation. It is sixty or seventy years
since has sent up a colony to settle there and cultivate it. They
are coming in every day, and they take up their abode in some grass
sheds to the south of the plain. It is very hazy, and I am only
able to fix the position by observations for latitude and azimuth
to a fixed peak, the longitude being checked by the traverse. The
Chinese bring down iron in the rough and copper vessels, which they
exchange for cotton.
On the 29th
of February I marched from M. Luang Puka. We were bound for
M. Sai, and after passing through some Lanten villages,
we crossed the ridge which separates the waters that drain down
into the plain of M. Luang Puka, and marks the limit of the
Lanten settlements. There are extensive clearings made by
the Kamuks on the very steep slopes of the hills; the wonder
is that they are able to grow anything at all there, as one would
suppose that the rain, which is said to be plentiful in this region,
would wash away the grain as soon as it was sown. To the east is
a well-situated mountain, Dong Wing, covered with thick forest,
but I hear that the Yao have already settled on it, and no
doubt, before many years have passed, the whole will be cleared.
At the mouth of the River Hah is a village, Pachum,
where there are Kamuks, who have a wat and are priests. Following
the path over rough country, we come to the Nam Ta, there
being a ford just below the mouth of the Nam Se, which is
also the boundary of Luang Phrabang.
Other parts of the journey:
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