•190 THE NON-LUSHEI CLANS CHAP.

the whole race takes the appellation of Thado, I don't think
that there is any." After many enquiries I am quite of the
same opinion and have found pedigrees collected from various
sources differ but slightly from that recorded by Colonel
McCulloch fifty years ago. The original habitation of this clan
is said to have been Kochuk, situated very far to the south of
Manipur. Here I must differ from Colonel McCulloch, who
says the traditional home of the Thados was in the north.
There are other reasons besides tradition for believing that the
Thados have come from the south, the many resemblances
between them and other clans, which either still live in the
centre of the Hills or did so till quite recently, and the connec-
tion between their language and those of the Sokte, Siyin,
Vuite, and Ralte, so clearly established by Dr. Grierson, amply
proves the southern origin of this clan. It appears almost
certain that the Kamhaus, Soktes, and Siyins were the first to
disturb the Thados, many of whom entered Manipur territory
to escape from these active foes, while others probably moved
westward and settled in the hills to the south of the Cachar
district, whence in 1848-50 they were driven into Cachar by
the triumphant Lushais, as described in Part L, Chapter I,
para. 3. In the Manipuri chronicle there is mention of an
expedition against the Khongjais, as the Manipuris call the
Thados, as early as 1787, and though the chronicle cannot
be accepted as infallible, I think we may conclude that the
Thados entered the Manipur Hills about the middle of the
18th century. The different families seem very soon to have
separated and, just as among the Lusheis, to have fought
among themselves, for tradition speaks of a great battle between
the Shit-hloh and the Chhinchhuan, on the Sawnchal hill, some
60 miles in an air-line south-east of Imphal, the capital of
Manipur.

The four main families are the Dongel, Shit-hloh, Haukip, and
Kipgen. The Dongel are descended from Thado's elder brother,
and therefore are considered as rather superior to the rest of
the families. The reason why the clan has not been known by
the name of Dongel is said to be that Thado was a far greater
warrior and killed more men. His name is derived, by the
people themselves, from "that," "to kill," and "dob," "to war." It