They aro generally a fine athletic race, above the ordinary standard in height, and capable of enduring great fatigue ; but their energies are greatly impaired by their free indulgence in opium and spirits. Their features are of the 3ongolian type, and their complexion varies from a tawny yellow or olive to a dark brown. Hard labour tells on the appearance of the females, rendering them coarse in feature and awkward in gait ; but in the families of the chiefs fair skins and pleasing features sometimes are seen.
The men tie their hair in a large knot on the crown of the head, and wear a jacket of coloured cotton, and a chequered under-garment of the same material or of silk. Tho chiefs assume the Shan or Burmese style of dress, and occasionally short smart jackets of China velvet, with gilt or amber buttons. The dress of the women consists of one piece of cotton cloth, often in large, broad, horizontal hands of red and blue, fastened round the waist, a jacket, and a scarf. The married women wear their hair in a large broad knot on the crown of the head, fastened with silver bodkins, chains, and tassels. Maidens wear their hair gathered in a roll resting on the back of the neck, and similarly secured. They are especially fond of enamelled beads and bits of amber. The men tattoo their limbs slightly, and all married women are tattooed on both legs from the ankle to the knee.
The national weapons of this tribe are the dhao or dha, the spear with a short staff, and a strong crossbow with bamboo arrows. They affect the use of the musket whenever they can get one, and are sometimes seen with Chinese matchlocks. They use shields of buffalo hide four feet long, and helmets of the same material, and sometimes of thick plaited rattan work varnished black, decorated with boars' tusks, etc. In warfare their attacks are confined to night surprises, which are speedily abandoned if they meet with steady opposition. They are skilled in fortifying naturally difficult positions, using freely the panji, a bamboo stake of different lengths, sharpened at both ends, and stuck in the ground, by which the sides of the hills and all approaches to their position are rendered difficult and dangerous. Sometimes they use muskets on these occasions ; the weapons are generally fixed in loopholes of breastworks, ready loaded, and fired when the enemy reaches the point of the road covered by theni. If they fail by such means to beat off the attacks at once, they abandon the position for another behind it. In travelling they carry a haversack of very neat appearance, cleverly adapted to the head and shoulders, and made of very fine plaited fibre, on a frame of wood, covered with the skin of the large grey monkey. They are also provided with handsome bags, woven and embroidered by the women, in which they carry their pipes and tobacco, opium, etc.
For several generations the Singpho were the terror of the inhabitants of the Assam valley, and were in the habit of making constant irruptions into the plains in conjunction with the Moamaria, ' and these repeated raids have won for them the lowlands they now occupy. These inroads were put a stop to when the British took possession of Assam, but for some time afterwards this wild people made attempts to revert to their old habits. One officer of the British force had 5000 Assamese captured slaves returned to him, and it was then estimated that there were 100,000 Assamese and Manipuri still held in slavery among these people in Burma.
The Singpho understand the smelting of iron ; and their blacksmiths, with no implements but a lump of stone for an anvil, and a rude hammer, forge weapons, especially dhaos, which are highly prized all over the frontier for their temper and durability. The Singpho manufacture their own wearing apparel ; the thread is dyed previous to being woven, and thus are produced the checks and coloured garments of which they are so fond.
The Singpho repudiate all affinity with the Shan. Their language is entirely different, ap proximating more to the Karen, Manipuri, Naga, and Abor dialects, and their religion is a rude paganism. The Singpho propitiate three spirits called Nats, by sacrificing fowls, pigs, and dogs to them, and when about to proceed on important expeditions a buffalo is offered. They have no regular priesthood, but they pay great deference to the Pugyees or priests of the Buddhist Shans. Some among them are supposed to possess powers of divination, and Col. Hannay mentions having witnessed the process. The diviner sat himself down at some distance from the crowd, and had beside him a small fire and a bundle of nal grass. Taking a piece of nal containing several joints, he held it over the flame until one of the joints burst with a sharp report ; the fracture on each side threw out a number of minute, hair-like fibres, which were carefully examined and put aside. Another piece was then put into the fire and similarly treated. This continued for at least an hour, when the result was disclosed, namely, that a certain chief, whose arrival was awaited, would make his appearance in three or four days ; and so it happened.
Polygamy prevails amongst the Singpho. The girl is bought with a price, and a feast completes the ceremony. They bury their dead, but the body of a man of note is kept for two or more years, in order that all the friends and relations of the deceased may have time to attend his funeral ; the body being removed to some dis tance during the process of decomposition, after which it is placed in a coffin, and brought back to the house, where it remains in state, decked out with all the insignia of rank used during life. When finally committed to the earth, a mound, sometimes of considerable dimensions, is raised to mark the spot. This custom they appear to have taken from their neighbours the Khampti. In succession to patrimonial property, the eldest son takes the landed estate with the titles, the youngest the personalities ; the intermediate brethren, if any exist, are excluded from all participation, and remain in attendance on the chief or head of the family, as during the life time of their father.
The Doanniya. From the intercourse of the Singpho with their Assamese female slaves, a mongrel race has sprung up, well known in Upper .Assam under the denomination of Doan niyas. They have been found very useful auxili aries in frontier wars, from their knowledge of the Singpho language and tactics, and from their fidelity to the Government that relieved them from the Singpho yoke.—Homeward Mail, Sept. 1881 ; Mr. (.*. G.) Campbell, p. 149 ; Colonel E. T. Dalton, Ethn. of Bengal.