Frontier between Ava and Part of Bengal 37 



the produce of his farm, he pays the tax in money ; but, if 

 he chooses, he may pay it in cotton at a fixed price, so that 

 in case of a bad market, the prince may not have it in his 

 power to exact too great a share of the produce. What part 

 of the revenue goes to the Dewan, for his trouble of manage- 

 ment, I did not learn ; but it is probably small, as I saw no 

 appearance of affluence about the habitations of these officers. 

 The chief also receives money from the Bengalese, who cut 

 grass for thatch on the plains, which abound with this ma- 

 terial of an excellent quality ; and he levies some duties on 

 boats ascending the Karnaphuli. 



The people called Muggs, at Calcutta, are scarcely known 

 by that name in their native country. By the Bengalese, 

 they are commonly called Chakma or Sagma, or, in ridicule, 

 Dubadse, (two-languaged), because they have in general for- 

 gotten their original language, which is the same with that of 

 Arakan or Roang, as they call it, and have attained a very 

 imperfect knowledge of the Bengalese, although several of 

 them read and write this dialect. They all, however, retain 

 some words of the Roang language, especially their names ; 

 and their priests use both the character and language of Ara- 

 kan, little different from that of Ava. They all follow the 

 "doctrines of the Boudhas, but have engrafted on these many 

 Hindu superstitions, and especially bloody sacrifices offered to 

 the Debtas, or deities of the woods, rivers, and mountains. In 

 spite of the admonitions of their priests, this superstition is 

 very prevalent among the Muggs. The Debtas are supposed 

 to dance and sing in the air ; and, by their manner of doing 

 so, to render their will known to certain women, called Diyari. 

 On all occasions, when the Muggs are strongly influenced by 

 hope or fear, such as in sickness and dearth, they apply to a 

 Diyari, who consults the Debta, and is informed by him what 

 sacrifice will be acceptable. This sacrifice is vowed ; and, if 

 the person obtains the object of his wishes, the animal is im- 

 molated at the place where the Diyari says that the Debta re- 

 sides. These Diyaris, by their influence with the Debtas, 

 and by their skill in drugs, are supposed to be also able to 

 render a joom inaccessible to tigers and wild elephants ; 



