"I'm going to Assam," I told my parents.

And I went — in Paus or Mangsir — the 23d of Mangsir I started out and after some 7 days I got to Siliguri [railway station in West Bengal].

From there we took rail tickets and after two days we arrived in Pharkatin.

Then we got to Merapani and from there we looked for work.

We got work sawing wood.

We went into the Naga Hills to saw wood.

We worked there for a month.

After we were there a month they paid us our salary.

They paid us and we came out from there.

We came out and got into digging roads.

We dug the road.

We kept working a month on the road.

Then we finished digging the road and they gave us the money for that.

They paid us, and we stayed there a bit, and we went up to Meklayang.

One of my cousins stayed there.

I helped them a couple days — for about fifteen days I helped them transplant rice.

We finished transplanting the rice.

Then with a friend of mine we went up to the Naga Hills.

We went up there and distilled liquor in a valley.

We distilled liquor all summer — five or six months.

The liquor had to be distilled at night.

After distilling it, in the morning, while it was still dark, we'd take it over to the barracks.

The gave us money.

They gave us money and we'd bring it and go to the bazaar and we had to buy molasses — sweet stuff.

We bought molasses and brought it up and again we put it to ferment in a tin.

We put it to ferment and from there, after seven days, the liquor had to be distilled.

Then again the liquor [a new batch] had to be distilled after seven days.

Then again it had to be delivered to the barracks.

When I worked, the price was only 80 rupees per tin — for one tin.

It was 80 rupees.

It was 80 rupees. The later —

In summer — we two were there, me and my friend, and then we went up in the Naga Hills.

Again we went and worked with the Nagas. We were working and then later —

We stayed on transplanting the Nagas' rice, and the Nagas finished their work.

When they had finished, we came back down.

There was a person who was said to be my grandfather.

We stayed together with that grandfather.

We did some work.

Then later news came from over here [in Nepal] — my father sent news — he sent a letter.

He sent a letter saying, "Come home quickly, your mother is seriously ill."

He wrote a letter like that.

But even so I didn't come.

I stayed on, and then I stayed in the Naga Hills, and then I came out from the Naga Hills and again went down to saw wood at Barhapatthara.

I sawed wood. Then later —

Later — I sawed wood for some six months.

I sawed, and they didn't pay me for it.

They only paid me half.

They paid me half, and then later it turned out that my father had died over here [in Nepal], in 1967.

He died in Jeth (May-June), but I didn't believe it at the time.

He died in Jeth and they did the ceremonies in the autumn and sent a letter in winter.

When they sent the letter I realized that he had died and I immediately set out and came.

I came and arrived home.

I didn't even bring money.

I purified myself and shaved my head.

It wouldn't do to arrive home without having shaved my head.

I arrived down at someone's house.

I shaved my head there.

Then I changed my clothes and arrived home, and I abstained from salt for four days, and I too finished mourning in turn.