as Bor-Abors. We have seen a list of as many as fourteen different chiefs of the Abors, with the particular localities of some of them specified: but it would not interest our readers. The population is considerable.

stories high, and having judges, collectors, soldiers, and all the apparatus of a civilized government. The Abors and Meeshmees do not appear to keep up any trade or intercourse with the Lama country themselves; but indirectly they receive cloth, and copper pots, and other articles from it. The articles which they bring to market themselves are chiefly musk and ivory: which we shall have to notice afterwards when speaking of Sudiya as a general mart for the trade of the surrounding countries.

which the Assamese has applied to them and is not used by the people themselves. Its signification is Independent; and as might be supposed, it is given to tribes who have not been brought into subjection. The name by which they designate themselves is Padam. The Meeshmees appear to be a different race They are in a very barbarous state; but their mingled with the Bor-Abors, and rather lookdisposition appears to be frank and friendly; ed down upon by them. Over the whole, the and they have an undoubted claim to the title Sudiya Khava Gohdin appears to have so of independence, for they are not only unsub-much influence as to able to give a sort of safe dued by a foreign power, but very jealous of conduct through their territories to pilgrims their liberties at home. Each tribe appears to the Lama country, whose route lies that to have a democratic government of its own, way from Sudiya. The journey from Sudiya to called the raj-the res publica-and all its Rohemah, the first important town of the Lama proceedings are ordered by the voice of the country, is said to occupy twenty days. For people met in open council. Nevertheless eight days the traversing the country of the they have their chiefs, whose business it is to Meeshmees and Abors; and on the sixteenth carry the will of the raj into execution. Lieut. day he reaches Bahlow, the frontier post of Wilcox remarks, that the Abors are not parti- the Lama country. Rohemah is reported to be cular in their diet, but eat the flesh of the ele-a very fine large city, with brick houses three phant, rhinoceros, hog, buffaloe, kid, and deer, as well as fowls and ducks; but they express an abhorrence of feeders on beef. The wild animals they make their prey by shooting them with poisoned arrows; for they do not find that the poison renders the flesh unwholesome by its operation. It is obtained from the mountains still more distant than their own, which are occupied by the Bar-Abors and Meeshmees, to the north east. It is a root, which is brought to Sudiya for sale in baskets containing 20 roots each; and for five such baskets a string of beads is given, worth about two annas. When the root is freed from its fibrous coat it is pounded very fine; and the powder being worked up with a mucilaginous vegetable juice is brought to a jelley or paste, which is smeared over the points of the arrows. Its power is certainly great. We have seen it stated that an animal wounded with one of the poisoned arrows will fall before it can advance a hundred yards; but Lieut. Wilcox appears to ascribe a less rapid effect to it. The Abors are very partial to spirituous liquors and have a fermented liquor of their own. Their dress is sufficiently slight; and of its use for decency's sake they appear perfectly careless. They have a sort of dhootes made of the bark of the Uddal tree, which they tie about their loins, or use as a mat to sit on, or for a pillow at night. They sometimes wear basket,or cane caps; and they have nearly all "some article of woollen dress, varying from a rudely made blanket waistcoat to a comfortable and tolerably well shaped cloak." Of the religion of the Abors we have heard nothing, except that they pay some sort of worship to a mountain deity.

The Bor-Abors appear to be merely a superior tribe of the same scattered family. They live in the higher ranges of mountains more distant from Assam; and are both more powerful, and in a somewhat higher state of civilization than the Abors generally. They prefix Bor, or rather we imagine, Burhu, with the guttural arh, is the well known adjective great and in this sense is applied by the Assamese to most eminent branch of all the rude tribes in their neighbourhood: and thus we have Bor-Nagas, and Bor-Kangtees, as well

THE TRIBES ABOUT SUDIYA.-We stated that the district of Sudiya was inhabited chiefly by refugee Khamptees, or Khangtees, and Mooluks; and that the opposite plains on the south of the Brumhapoottra, from the Maomareca country to the mountains which shut in Assam on the east, were inhabited chiefly by Singphos and Kakoos, who are emigrants from the original seats of their respective tribes. A concise and accurate description of the relations of these tribes appeared in the Calcutta Christian Observer for August, from the pen of Captain Jenkins, to the Governor-General's Agent and Commissioner in Assam of which we shall take the liberty of borrowing the substance.

ern district of Assam is occupied by two of the Captain Jenkins remarks that the north eastgreat Shan family, the Khamptees and Shing phos. The dialects of these tribes differ very little from the Siamese and Burmese, and the characters in use are essentially the same: and in consequence of the supremacy of the Burmese being established over their original provinces, with the inhabitants of which the Khamptee and Singhoemigrants of Assam are still in constant communication, the Burman language is in a manner known to all of them. The Shans are a much finer and more intelligent people than the Burmese, and ten times as numerous; since their kindred races extend throughout the country whence arise all the mighty rivers from the Brumhapoottra to the Yung Kian, or river of Nankin. They occupy entirely the two frontier provinces of the Burman Empire, Hookoom and Moongkoom: they occupy all the east bank of the Irawadee; they stretch down the Salwen, to Tenasserim; and Laos, Siam, and Cochin

China are their proper countries; they compose half the population of Yunan, a great proportion of that of Sechuon, and stretch up into that district which has always baffled the Chinese, between Tibet, Tartary and Sechuen; whilst Assam is chiefly populated by the overpourings of this great people. The Kacharese are Shans; and the Ahoms, the governing race of Upper Assam for many centuries, are a tribe from the highest eastern sources of the Irawadee, and until very lately they kept up a communication with their parent stock.

we find the same names of places on the borders of Assam and on the other side of the intervening mountains, on the borders of Ava. The Kakoos are intermingled with the Singphos, and are counted inferior to them. Yet they are not a distinct people, nor in a servile condition: they are divided into four different tribes.

Before the plunder of Assam corrupted them, the Singphos carried on the cultivation of their fields, and other industrious occupations, through the service of the poorer and more destitute of their own people, who sold themselves either to a temporray or perpetual bondage to their chiefs, or more prosperous countrymen. But latterly all inferior services were performed by the Assamese captives, whom they carried off and reduced to slavery, and either retained for their own use or sold to neighbouring tribes. These unhappy people were kept in a proportion to their masters of fifty to one. Their law of inheritance is singular. Whatever be the number of sons, all the property is divided between the eldest and the youngest. The former takes the landed estate, or the place of settlement, and the title; and the later receives all the personal proper ty. The other brothers, with their familes, continue with the chief.

The Khamptees of Sudiya are but a few thousands in number. They are under the government of their own chief, the Khava Gohein, who acknowledges the British supre macy, and yields obedience to the commands of our authorities. No revenue has yet been drawn from them; but they are under obliga tions to supply a military contingent for the sevice of the state, upon the plan mentioned in a preceding part. They are a people to whom hunting and plundering are much more agreeable than industrious labour; and their natural indolence has been of late aggravated by the introduction of opium to a melancholy extent. The soil is rich and fertile in a high degree, and wants only the hands of industry to make it extremely productive: the jungles The Singphos of Assam have mingled up abound with game, and the elephants yield many of the superstitions of their neighbours considerable supplies of ivory; and the rivers with the religion of Gaudama, who nevertheat a short distance from Sudiya furnish a less has a temple and priest in each of their good quantity of gold. The natural advan-principal villages. They practise polygamy tages of the district are therefore very great. without restraint, but make no distinctions Roth the Khamptees and the Singphos use the amongst their children, whether their mothers musket and ball for bringing down their are Singphos or of a foreign nation; and they game; but their chief resource is in the poi-hold infanticide in abhorrence. In disposing son, formerly mentioned as an article of trade of the dead, their customs resemble those of with the Abors. They do not, however, use it with bows and arrows, but with a barbed ramrod nearly as thick as the bore of the gun, and sufficiently long to allow the barb to project from the piece. The poison is laid on behind the barb in the shape of a black paste; and at the other end of the ramrod is a leaden counterpoise to the barb. The weight of the ramrod prevents its being carried far when shot; and therefore it is necessary for the hunter to find out the track of the beast he wishes to make his prey, and patiently to wait in a convenient position for his passing by. When a wound, however, is given, its effect is sure.

the Khassias of Cherra-poonjee. They sometimes keep the dead for many years, in order that due notice of his death and funeral may be received by every one who has any right to that mark of respect, and offence may be avoided.

The route from Assam to Ava passes from the new to the old settlements of the Singphos. It is usually described indeed, as commencing at Rungpore, at the south eastern extremity of Upper Assam. From that point it takes a north easterly direction, skirting the whole of the southern boundary of the country of the Burseenaputee, nearly to the place where the Booree Dihing throws off the According to the late Captain Neufville, Noa Dihing. In this neighbourhood is new (Asiatic Researches, vol. xvi.) the Singphose Beesa, which is subject to the British supreare divided into twelve classes which are macy and in a line a little to the east of named after their respective chiefs or Gaums, south from it lies old Bessa, where the interand therefore the term "The Twelve Chiefs" vening hills end; and thence the route passes is used to designate the whole race collec-through a fine populous, cultivated country, tively. The Beesa Gaum, Duffa Gaum, and eight days' march to Mogaum or Moongkoom, Lutteao Gaum, are the most influential of their from which there is an open road, as well as race; but they have no acknowledged supre-river navigation, to the capital of Ava. The macy over the rest: and, indeed, but little distance between new and old Beesa is only union exists between the different clans, al- ten days' march, when the march is from dawn though they sometimes combine for praticu- to noon. The nature of the route is thus deJar purposes. The Singphos who have emig-scribed by Captain Neufville: "It has been rated into Assam retain the distinctions of regularly traversed for a series of years, and their original state, and designate their new is universally asserted to present no difficulsettlements by the same names as those from ties of any formidable nature: indeed the which they at first proceeded; and therefore greater part is described as being excellent

winding round the high hills, and except in The gold with which the market of Sudiya one or two instances with no very great angle is supplied is furnished to some extent by the of acclivity. Water is in abundance through-beds of the neighbouring rivers, and even by out, except at two places, the fourth halt from that of the Brumhapoottra itself at the disNamroop, and at the hill Theekeetaon, where tance of one or two days' journey from the it is scarce, but not altogether deficient." station. This precious metal, however, is Five thousand of the Burmese troops appear found still more abundantly in the native reto have marched over this ground at once; gions of the Singphos, which are under the and elephants and other beasts of burden influence of Ava. It is obtained in lumps of have traversed it on all occasions. There can two and three sicca weight in the streams be no doubt therefore of its being perfectly about Mogawam or Moong-Koom; which we practicable to British troops, with all their mentioned in another page as the point baggage; and as the Singphos who have con- at which the route from Assam to Ava tinued at old Beesa retain their respect for the terminated in an open way to Umrapore chief of their clan who is now settled at new either by land or water. This region is rich Beesa, and he is subject to our authority, the also in other valuable products, and particuroad may be considered open to us entirely. larly in emeralds and other precious stones. They are found in a particular situation on the side of certain hills about five days' journey

TRADE OF SUDIYA.--In fomer times Sudiya appears to have been the entrepôt of a very considerable trade; for which, indeed, its from Moong-Koom, within a district of three position is admirably adapted. It has well days' extent; and where they are obtained by defined routes, converging to it as a central sinking pits through the alluvial deposits point from Tibet, China, and the Burman down to the rocky surface. They appear to Empire; through which the productions of be found in large masses, which it requires. these countries, and all the rest either depend- When a mass is found too large to be moved, some contrivance and labour to quarry. ing upon them or intervening between them, the miners have a way of breaking off such may be brought and its communication with India is always open by the noble stream of portions of it as they think desirable which the Brumbapoottra. The ancient trade, how- is rather peculiar. Over the portion to be ever, was entirely gone, or very nearly so, broken off they kindle a strong fire; and when when the country was added to the British by this means the stone is intensely heated, a possessions and the previous political conline is drawn about it with some peculiar livulsions sufficiently account for its destruction. quor, so as to define its extent, and then a Its revival was one of the first attempts made heavey stone suspended by a proper contriby the late Mr. Scott. He succeeded to a vance over the mouth of the pit is allowed to gratifying extent. We have seen it stated fall upon it, and the fracture is effected as dethat some time ago, the imports and exports After the large masses are brought up at Sudiya had risen to between 25,000 and they are cut into suitable shapes and sizes for 30,000 rupees annually: but we could not the market by the help of a bow made of bam. make out from the statement, whether both the boo with a string of twisted wire. This is imports and the exports together had reached drawn quickly across the stone like a saw; that amount, or whether each of them singly and its effect depends chiefly upon a sort of Neither can we say what is the lapidary's powder which they put upon it. present amount; although we have every rea The great destination of these precious stones son to believe that it is regularly increas-is China, where they are in great demand, and ing.

had done so.

The imports from the Indian side, and in a great degree of European manufactures, consist chielly of cotton, broad cloth, muslins, long cloths, coloured handkerchiefs, chintz, and indeed all kinds of cloth, glass-ware, earthen-ware, considerable quantities of salt, opium and spirits, tabacco, beetul-nuts, and all the necessaries of life even to rice, particularly for the use of the troops. The returns for these commodities are made in gold, silver, ivory, musk, copper pots, munjeet, roots of various sorts, and native weapons, such as daws, bows and arrows, and such

like.

This trade is not carried on by the proper inhabitants of Sudiya, but by enterprizing individuals, natives of the Upper Provinces of Hindoostan, who have found their way into these regions. Indeed, by far the greater part of the trade of all Assam is in the hands of this class of persons; and to their enterprize, Gowahattee owes much of its rapid increase and prosperity.

sired.

fetch a high price: but the Burmans, as the paramount authorities of the county, levy duty of about 20 per cent. upon them at the mines. The number of people employed in procuring the stones is very great: and from the want of well defined rights of property, and general insecurity attending a state of barbarism, their richest prizes are won with much loss of life, as not only individuals but whole villages are drawn into contention respecting them.

The Chinese merchants who convey these stones to their own country come from the pro vince of Manway, which is part of the celestial Empire the nearest and most accessible to our Eastern territories. Manway lies to the east of a range of mountains having the Singpho or Shan tribes immediately on the west: and the Chinese merchants have only to come across those mountains, bringing their goods on the backs of mules, and then a water passage is open to them down the Irawaddy until they reach the junction of the river on which Moong-Koom stands with the Irawaddy, which it takes them five days to ascend. These merchants bring to Moong-Koom, for the supply

of all the surrounding countries, clothes of realize at Sudiya for each musk varies from various sorts, but particularly broad cloth one to three rupees; and sometimes they oband nankeen, silks, boxes of various kinds, tain even five rupees. Another considerable tea, earthen-ware, lead plates, copper and article of their traffic is the poisonous root, silver. Indeed silver is their chief article of which has been mentioned in a former page, import; and some considerable part of and is used by all the neighbouring tribes what they import to Moong-Koom finds its with their weapons. They also bring into the way to Sudiya. It comes in small lumps, with Sudiya market copper pots and vessels, which a Chinese stamp and character on them. The come into their hands from the Lama country, lumps are all of different sizes and weights, although they do not appear themselves to go and appear to be run into small holes formed there. When the hot season approaches, and carelessly with the finger, and then stamped the cotton tree comes into flower, they take whilst the surface is still soft. Some part of their departure from Sudiya, and return to the silver of Sudiya is received from a mine their own mountains, taking with them in rein the Burkamptee country to the south east turn for their own goods, worn out cattle for of the station, which is wrought by the Khu- slaughter, beads, and such commodities as noongs, a iade mountain tribe. There is rea- take the fancy of a savage people. son to think that this mine is rich; but those The daws, or short swords, and other weato whom it belongs appear too much afraid pons in the Sudiya market are the workmanof exciting the cupidity of powerful neigh-ship of some of the native tribes to the south bours by the rapid development of their wealth of the Brumhapoottra, and on the banks of to work it to a great extent. Its annual pro- the Irawaddy. They are said to be formed duce at present is valued at about 10,000 ru- of good steel: the price of the daws varies pees. The Chinese silver is said to be very from four to ten rupees. pure; yet coined rupees are preferred for currency by the people in the Assam territories. The various chiefs therefore have taken advantages of this preference to raise a revenue for themselves by coining. They buy up what is called the kutch silver, and by the admixture of alloy, and a large charge for coining, are said to realize a profit of nearly cent per cent. by turning it into pucka rupees.

Should our hopes be realized respecting the tea cultivation about Sudiya, both its plains and mountains will before long become settled with industrious inhabitants of such a character as to draw upon Bengal for much larger supplies of the great variety of commodities both indigenous and foreign which she has to furnish than now go to those quarters; and the surplus of their supplies will be diffused Tea is used as a constant beverage by all amongst the surrounding tribes so as to raise the tribes between old Beesa and the confines the standard of their wants and introduce of China: and indeed the tea plant is found amongst them a higher state of civilization. either in a wild or cultivated state through the The sketch we have given of the existing whole range of that country. About Beesa trade will shew in what directions it may be itself it is said to be growing wild, to a height expected to extend itself: but of the riches between four and eight feet. It is in the neigh- we may eventually be drawn out of the forests bourhood of Palong that it is chiefly culti mines, and agriculture of Sudiya and the advated, in a hilly tract between Senwee and joining districts, we have no means of forming Mowuay; the localities of which we have not any just opinion. We question whether it been able to discover in any of our maps. The will not be found some years hence, to be manufacture at Palong is said to amount to possessed of more natural wealth than any lakhs of maunds; but it appears to be made other part of India whatever. Gold, silver, up very different from that in which tea iron, and lead, this country has already in is brought into the Canton market. The leaves considerable quantity; and, we believe, both are first heated in water to a boiling tempera-coal and lime. What other treasures it may ture, and then packed away in pits or vats for several months, preserved from the access of air, and finally crammed into earthen vessels or bamboos, which are carefully closed, and despatched into all parts of the country.

have of the same kind, we cannot yet tell: but these are enough to excite great expectations

There is one part of the trade of Sudiya, or rather of the tribes in its neighbourhood, of which we do not know how to speak, for we The ivory of the Sudiya market is brought have no accurate information respecting it: in chiefly by the Kamptees and Singphos of we mean the trade in slaves. When the Engthe surrounding country, whose mode of shoot-lish troops took possession of the country ing wild beasts, elephants as well as others, they sent home in freed om all the people of by a barbed and poisoned ramrod, has been Assam who were found by them in slavery already described. A few tusks are likewise amongst the oth er tribes: but we believe no obtained from the Meerees, Abors, and Mish-systematic suppr ession of slave-dealing has mees, to the northward of Sudiya. It is from taken place either in Assam or the surroundthese northern tribes that the musk is chieflying countries. On the contrary, we have unprocured. They bring in from 300 to 400 derstood that the Kamptee and Singpho chiefs musks annually in the cold season; and al-in particular still maintain a constant traffic though a very rude and ignorant race they in slaves. We hope to receive more inforhave sufficient cunning to adulterate their merchandize with considerable expertness, by substituting small clots of blood for equal quantities of the real musk. The price they

mation on this point; and it is our intention to take up the subject of Indian slavery generally, which has been allowed to sleep too long.-Friend of India.

THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM OF INDIA.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BENGAL HURKARU AND CHRONICLE.

SIR, I have read Mr. Cameron's papers with the attention which is due to the productions of a person who is likely to take so considerable a part in Indian legislation, and as the principles contained in them will no doubt often be brought under discussion in the law commission, I wish to make a few remarks upon them.

It appears to me that the Regulations for introducing complete uniformity into the Judicial Establishment, and for giving every court of original jurisdiction, with the specified exceptions, exclusive jurisdiction, over all causes, civil and criminal, which arise within the limits of its district, is a great im-ject to the recommendation that the expenses provement in the administration of justice. The appointment of assessors I also think a salutary check upon the presiding Judge, and cannot fail to have a favorable influence upon the native population.