200 THE NON-LUSHEI CLANS CHAP.

injured husband all the expenses he had incurred in the
marriage and also a fine of one mithan. The same rule applies
to the seducer of a widow living in her late husband's house.
On a man's death his eldest brother can insist on marrying the
widow and taking all the children. " Sawnman " is enforced as
among the Lushais, but should the father refuse to take the
child when it is old enough to leave its mother, he is called on
to pay a second mithan, and he forfeits the right to receive the
marriage price in case of a girl. The eldest son inherits and,
failing a son, the nearest male relative. Adoption is practised
as among the Lushais, the ceremony being known as " Phunkai '"*
(Lushai " Sa-phun ").

In case of accidental homicide the offender has to kill a pig
at his victim's funeral and provide a blue cloth to wrap the
body in. Should the death have been caused by a gunshot
wound the gun is forfeited to the heir of the deceased. The
Thados claim that rape and sodomy are unknown among them.

There is no doubt that head-hunting was indulged in in
olden days, and on the death of a powerful chief at least one
freshly taken head had to adorn his grave.

Lieutenant Stewart, in the book already quoted from, gives a
good deal of information about the religious beliefs of the
Thados. He says they recognise one all-powerful god, whom
they call Pathen (Lushai Pathian), who has a wife, Nongjai.
I have enquired about Pathen's wife, but though all my
informants say that it is usual to speak of Pathen Nongjai
together, none could say whether Nongjai was Pathen's wife—
an equally powerful being, sharing power with Pathen—or
simply another name for Pathen. Stewart also provides
Pathen with a son, Thihla, but my informants all agree that
the Thihla are demons of the hills, rivers, and forests—in
other words exactly the same as the Huais of the Lushais.
Ghumoishe, mentioned by Stewart, is the king of all these
Thihla, and he has a wife, Imungshe. They are supposed to
inhabit the densest forests on the highest mountain tops, and
when passing through such their dread names are never
mentioned. About this demon Stewart says : te By some he is
said to be the illegitimate son of Pathen, but others deny the
relationship, and say that he has no connection with the god