Frontier between Ava and Part of Bengal. 39 



eat along with individuals of other nations ; but they do not 

 intermarry with strangers. Although both their rivers and 

 marshes abound in fish, they have not the art of catching 

 these animals, and employ Bengalese fishermen for the pur- 

 pose. Their principal men have slaves, but these are chiefly 

 Tripuras ; nor is it allowable to hold a Saksah in bondage. 

 Several villages, however, both of Tripuras and Kungkis, in 

 a state of personal freedom, live in the territory of the Saksah 

 chief, and subject to his authority. 



From Sitakaghat to the hills, called the Mugg mountains 

 by Rennell, the course of the Karnaphuli, in a direct line, is 

 between thirty and forty miles ; but I took almost four days 

 to ascend this length in a good boat, for which there was a 

 sufficient depth of water, and I reckoned the distance eighty 

 miles by the course of the river. For about two-thirds of the 

 way, I had at times a slight tide with me. Above this, the 

 river contracts to about fifty yards in width, and becomes 

 more rapid and clearer. Where it reaches the Mugg moun- 

 tains, at a place called Barkal, a ledge of rock running en- 

 tirely across the river, stops boats from passing ; and about a 

 mile farther up, there is a higher ledge, over which the river 

 falls in various beautiful cascades, about six feet high, which, 

 in the rainy season, unite in one great torrent, as appears 

 from evident marks on the banks. The river in May is 

 beautifully clear, and full of fish. The western face of the 

 hills near Barkal is cultivated in jooms ; nor is the term 

 Mugg mountains known in the vicinity. The rock is sand- 

 stone. 



I shall now give some account of the streams which fall 

 into the Karnaphuli between Sitakaghat and Barkal, and 

 which water the intermediate country, that is the proper seat 

 of the Saksah. 



About ten miles above Sitakaghat, following the course of 

 the river, the Kapty enters, coming from hills at a consider- 

 able distance to the southward. Canoes can ascend this rivu- 

 let to a village named Kamsey. About the year 1795, a large 

 band of the Bonzhu tribe of Kungkis descended by this rivu- 

 let, and committed great devastation on the Bengalese of 

 llunganiya. 



