English
Its length from west to east—that is, from (iowahati to Sadiah—is about two hundred karoh or kos, and its breadth from north, that is from the rocky fastnesses of the tribes of Mari, Ma]mi, Baplila and Valandah,' to the hills of the Nanga tribe, is approximately seven or eight days’ journey. Its southern mountains adjoin lengthwise the mountains of Khasia, Kachar and Kashmir, 2 and breadthwise they adjoin Autan or Atwiin, the abode of the Nanga tribe. Its northern mountain skirts length¬ wise the lofty ridges of Kamrup, and breadthwise it faces the 1 Tribes of Mari, Majmi, Daphla, and Vilandah and Nag.-Vilandah or Landab tribe ban been identified with the Akas tribe. All these tribes belong to the Non-Aryan Tibet-Bnrman atock. which have cW to the skirts of the Himalayas, they crossed into Ind.a by the north- paBfle3 and in pre-bistoric times they had dwelt in Central As,a, side by side with the ancestors of the Mongolians and the Chinese. The • r-inal types of the Tibeto-Rurman Btock are the following: (1) Cacharis, "si Tipnraa or Strongs. (4) Bho.iy.s, ( 6 ) G.rong., ( 6 ) Marmia, m lie™* ( 8 ) Lopchaa. (9) Miria. (10) Akaa, (11) Miihmia, (12) Naira* (13) Dapblaa.—Sea J.A .8 for 1872, p. 76, Col. Dalton’s**Ethnology of Bengal i„d alao description of Aa.am and the Assam... .n Almafraomoh. P 72A , This aeom, to be a copyiat*. mistake for “ Ooneser h.lla (see J.A .S. 1872, p. 7C1). The Alnmgimamnh has Srinagar ! p. 722. 13 mountains of the Valarlah tribe. The tract in the north of the river Brahmaputra, from Gowahati to the abodes of Mari and Majmi tribes, is called Ottarakul; and the extent of the Dakhinkul is from the country of Naktirani 1 to village .Sadiah. The climate of tlvO lands bordering ou the Brahmaputra is for foreigners poisonous. For eight months the rainy season prevails, and the four jbonths of winter are not free from ruin. And the flowers and f/uits of Hindustan and Bengal are available here ; and besides' these, others are fonnd which are not to he had in Hindustair. Wheat, barley, and pulse are not grown, hut the soil is fit fo^ cultivation of all kinds. Salt is scarce and dear, and what is procurable from the defiles of some of the rocks is bitter and brackish. The fighting cocks of that country do not turn back face from enemies ; though the adversary may be strong and big, they fight so much that the brain of the head becomes dis¬ turbed and they die. Large well-formed elephants abound in the wilds and the mountains. And plenty of deer, wild-goats, and wild-cows, and the horned fighting rams are also to ho fonnd. In the sands of the river Brahmaputra, gold is found ; twelve thou¬ sand Assamese are employed on this work. Every year one tola of gold per head is paid into the Rajah’s treasury. But the gold is not quite pure, so that one tola of gold sells for eight or nine rupees, and silver and gold coins are minted in the name of the Rajah, and shells are current, but copper pice is not in use. Musk- deer is found in the mountains of Asliarn. The bladder of musk is large, and full of large pieces of musk, and is beautiful-looking. The aloes-wood, which grows in the mountains of Kamriip and Sadiah and Lakhugirah, is heavy and full of scent. No tax is levied from its subjects. From every house, out of every three persons, one person has to serve its Rajah, and in serving him, shows no laxity, and if laxity is visible, ho is killed. Tho Rajah of that place dwells in a lofty building, and does not put his foot on the ground, and if he places his foot on the ground, ho is de¬ prived of his raj. And the people of this country have a false notion that their progenitors were in heaven, ami that at one time fixing a ladder of gold they came down to the earth, and that since then they have dwelt on earth. Hence the Rajah is called Sargi—and ‘Sarg’ in the Hindi language means ‘heaven.’ And i " Naktimni " or “Naktirani" haa been identified with Deshmni a pergaua of Kamrup.—See J.A.S. for 1872, p. 76. 14 the Rajahs of that country are powerful ami notable. ILissaul that when the Rajah of that place dies, his servants, male ami female, with some conveniences aud necessaries, and carpets and clothes aud victuals together with a chiragh full of oil, are placed with him iu a sepulchral monument, securely covered over with strong logs of wood. 1 2 And adjoining to Assam (Asham) is Tibet, and adjoining Tibet, are Khata and Machin* The capital of Khata is Khan Baligh, 3 which is at a distance of four days from the sea. It is said from Khan Baligh to the seashore, a canal lias been dug, and both sides of it have been solidly embanked. And in the mountains to the east of Asham towards Utarakul, at a distance of fifteen days’ iourney, the tribes of Mari and Majmi dwell. In that mountain black deer and elephants are bred. Silver, copper and tin are procured from those mountains. The habits of those tribes (of Mari and Majmi) resemble those of the Assamese, and in beauty and refinement their females are superior to the women of Assam. They have a great horror for the gun, in regard to which they say : “ It is a wicked thing, it shouts out, but does not move from its place, and an infant comes out of its belly, aud kills human beings.” And between the south and east of Bengal, is situate a large tract called Arkhaug (Arracan); 4 Chittagong adjoins it. The male elephant abouuds there, horses are scarce, and camels aud asses can he had at high prices. And cows and buffaloes are not to be found there, hut there is an animal resembling cows and buffaloes, and of brown colour, which yields milk. Their religion is distinct from Islam and Hinduism. Barring tueir mothers, they can take nil other women for their wives; for instance, a brother may many bis sister. And the people never remiss in their obeisance to the authority of their sovereign and chief whom they stjle 1 • The account of the bnrial of Ahom magnates is confirmed by recent JHcb.sures of desecrated graves ."-See J.A.S. for 1872, p. 82, footnote^ 2 China was long known to Asiatics under the name of Khutai or Khata or Kl’Utfl and Marhin. 3 Khan Baligh is the name given to Pekin ; it means the Court of the Great Khan. See D’Herbelot and Yule’s Marcopolo. ♦ Arracan or the Magh country included Chittagong till a late period ; it formed a great Buddhist Kingdom, whilst adjoining it on the north was the Hindu Kingdom of Tipperah.-See Alarngirnamah, p. 940, wherein Arracan is called “ Kakhang,” and its inhabitants are called “ Jlaghs.” * Wali,’ :m* always linn in tlioir allegiance to him. Women soldiers turn out :it ilm/mrs, whilst their husbands stay at home. The inhabitants are all black in colour, and their males do nut keep beard. Anil adjoining to the country of Aikhang, is situate the country of Pegu. 1 * * * S between the south and east of Bengal. And the military force of that country consists of an elephant-corps and infantry. White elephants are found in its jungles, and on its boundaries are mines of minerals and precious stones ; owing to this, enmity exists between the Piguans and the Arkhangians. And bordering on this tract is the country of J/iir/.* The in¬ habitants are so many animals dressed up in human forms. They eat every animal of the earth and the sea that is procurable. They spare no animals. Their religion and law are all unsound. And they marry their sisters, born of different mothers. And the pronunciations of their language arc similar to those of the people of Tibet. And in the southern limits of Bengal, is situate the vilayet of Odisali (Orissa). From Laudahdulfd to Mai wall and t he passage of the Chilkah lake, are its limits. In the period of the sovereignty of Sultan Jalalu-d-din Muhammad Akbar Padshah Gbazi, this country being conquered by Kalapabar was entered in the Diwau-i-Akbari and annexed to the Nizamat of Bengal. Aud its short account is this, that Kalapabar, s who was one of the nobles of Babar and who was bold and could work miracles, under order of Muhammad Akbar Padshah, engaged in conquer¬ ing that country with 12,000 select cavalry. Rajah Makand Deo, 1 Pegu is now a division of British Burmuh comprising the districts of ltangun, Bassein, Ac. a The Mughs and Arracanese were one race, their conntry being Arracan or Arkhang. They made constant raids in fleets of armed boats up tho rivers of South-Eastern Bengal. During tho Viceroyulty of tho Mughul Viceroy of Bengal at Dacca, Nawab Shaista Khan, these raids were considerably checked, and several of tho Magh fleets were captured at tho mouth of tho Megna River, and tho fort of Chittagong was also re-stormed. The Mnghs were also expelled from tho islaud of Sandip. A large number of Magh settlers are to bo found still in Chittagong, Bakarganj, NoakluJi and Tipperah. '1 hough originally Buddhists, they linvo now intermixed with tho people, and have become Uinduiscd or semi-Uiuduiscd.—Seo ALnn.jirnumah, p. 9 to. S The first Muhammadau incursions into Jajnagaror Northern Orisaaappear to have taken place about lL'Ul AC. under Muhammad Shiran, an officer of 16 the ruler of that country, was very luxurious and given to in¬ dolence and ease. For six months he admitted the public to his audience, and attended to the management of the affairs of his country, and for six months he gave his body rest, and went to sleep. And if anyone awoke him during his period of slumber, he was sure to be killed. When the news of the arrival iu that country of Kalapahar with the Imperial forces, came to the ear of the lutjah, he built the fort of Barahbati, 1 which is a strong fort, for his security, and entrenched himself in it. And placing Bnkhtiyar Kbilji, and subsequently under Hussamudin Iwaz, Tughan Khan, and Tughral (see Tabaqat-i-Nasiri, pp. 157, 163, 244, 262).