15 Account of the Kookies or Lianias. 



the borders of the iunoles in the Run2;anccah and Aurunffa* 

 bad districts, to purchase sah, dried fish, and tobacco. 



'I'he following account of them was taken from a native 

 of the Kunganceah district, who, when a boy, was carried 

 awav, in one of their predators- excursions, and, after a 

 captivity of twenty years, foiuid means to return to hi» 

 family. 



The Kookies, or Lunctas (as thcv arc also called), are the 

 least civilized of anv of the people we as vet know among 

 these mountains : like all mountaineers, they arc of an ac- 

 tive, muscular make, but not tall ; thev are stouter, and of 

 a darker complexion than the Choomceas*, and, like them, 

 have the peculiar features of all the natives of the eastern 

 pai-ts of Asia, namely, the flat nose, small eye, and broad 

 round face. 



The tradition of the Kookies respecting their origin is, 

 that they and the Mugs are the offspring of the same pro- 

 genitor, who had two sons bv diAerent mothers. The 

 ^lugs, thev sav, are the descendants of the eldest, and the 

 Kookies of the voungest son. The mother of the youngest 

 having died during his infancy, he was neglected by hii? 

 step-mother, who, while she clothed her own son, al- 

 lowed him to go naked ; and this partial distinction being 

 still observed, as he grew up, he went bv the name of 

 Luncta, or the naked. Upon the death of their father, it 

 quarrel arose between the brothers, which induced the 

 Luncta to betake himself to the hills, and there pass the 

 remainder of his days. His descendants have continued 

 there ever since, and still go bv the name of Lunctas ; 

 though, properlv speaking, the term is only applicable to 

 the male i)art of them, as the females wear a short apron 

 before, made of cloth of their own manufacture, and which 

 falls down from the loins to the middle of the thigh ; and 

 both sexes occasionallv throv/ a loose sheet of cloth over 

 their bodies to defend them from the cold. 



This tradition of their origin receives much support from 

 the great similarity of the Mug and Kookie languages, many 

 words of which are exactly the same, and their general re- 

 semblance is such that a Mug and Kookie can make them- 

 selves understood to each other. 



The Kookies are all hunters and warriors, and are divided 

 hito a number of distinct tribes totally independent of each 



'^ Choomceas art; .he inhabitants of the first range of hills bordering 

 on the plains to tlie north and east of the province of Ch'ttagong, and 

 liC tributary lo the honourable company; their vilhiges are Q:dlcd c/xoms. 



Other, 



