The Use of the Bow among the Naga Tribes of Assam.
(The following article has been kindly sent by Sir James Fraser.)
I am taking the liberty of writing to you with regard to the foot-note (No. 3) on page 409 of the third volume of your Folk-Lore in the Old Testament, as it seemed possible that you might like to have further information on the point.
First of all as to the use of the bow by Naga tribes. The cross-bow is used by a number of tribes towards the north and east, who are in touch with the Singphos or with villages who are in trade communication with them. Even some of the Semas have acquired the use of the cross-bow from neighbours further east, but use a mere wooden quarrel without the usual iron head. The Lhotas are said to have known the use of the cross-bow formerly, and may have obtained it from that element of the tribe which came from the north from across the Brahma-putra, as everything points to the cross-bow's being a Singpho weapon rather than a geniune Naga one.
The simple bow is not found anywhere that I know of among Nagas, except as a toy used by Sema children. It is, however, the natural weapon of the Kuki, who before the introduction of guns used the bow as his normal weapon of offence, as a Naga used, and does use, the throwing spear. I have no acquaintance with the Marrings, whom Hodson reports to use the bow, but I think I am right in saying that none of the tribes to the north or west of the Manipur State use the bow at all, except the Thado Kukis, who are scattered among the Naga tribes all over the State, and perhaps the old Kuki tribes (Aimol, Chiru, etc.). Even among the Thados the bow has almost died out as a serious weapon, owing to the large number of guns which they possessed. After thay had been deprived of their guns during the recent Kuki rising they were at the mercy of their Naga enemies, who all carried spears.
The bullet-bow is found in the various "Kacha Naga" tribes, and among the southern Angamis, though I have never seen it north of the Angami country, and I do not think that it is to be found even throughout that tribe. It is, I think, again
