210 Dr Hamilton's Account of the Frontier 



the Joomeas are a few of the Saksahs, called by the Joomeas 

 Sak, and by the natives of Ava, Saek. In this southern part 

 of the district the Saksahs are, by the Bengalese, called Raj- 

 bangsi, which literally means descendants of princes, but all 

 over India is a term denoting a person of low birth. The 

 neighbouring part of the dominions of Ava is occupied by a 

 portion of this tribe. 



The rude people, most numerous among the subjects of 

 Kaungla Pru, by the Bengalese are called Moroong ; but un- 

 der this name are included two distinct tribes ; the first by the 

 natives of Arakan called Mroo, and the second Mroung, and, 

 in the dialect of Ava, Mroun. By the Joomeas the Mroo are 

 also frequently called Lay Mroo, while the Mroung are called 

 Wase Mroo, a nomenclature arising from some difference in 

 the nature of the revenue which they pay ; and a similar cir- 

 cumstance occasions some of the Mroo to be distinguished by 

 the name Paungsah. The Bengalese sometimes distinguish 

 the Mroung from the Mroo by calling the former Deinee 

 Moroong. The Mroo call themselves Moroosa. So far as I 

 could learn, all the Moroosa consider themselves as subject or 

 connected with a chief named Layklang, who lives at a great 

 distance, probably within the dominions of Ava; but each 

 head of a village (Ruasah) seems to arrogate to himself very 

 independent powers, and, according to the report of the Joo- 

 meas, battles between them are not uncommon, the power of 

 the supreme chief being diminished by his residing at a dis- 

 tance, and in a different kingdom. Neither Joomeas nor Ben- 

 galese seem to think it worth their while to interfere in the 

 disputes of these impure creatures ; but I found that the Joo- 

 mea chiefs subordinate to Kaungla Pru did not conduct them- 

 selves with haughtiness towards the Moroosa. On the con- 

 trary, they kept up a friendly correspondence by visits and 

 presents. I had interviews with several people of this tribe 

 on the banks of the Edgong river, and more intercourse with 

 those on the Mamuri, having both received and returned visits 

 to Kingdai, chief of one of their villages. The dialect spoken 

 at Ed"-onsr differs a little from that in use on the Mamuri, but 

 their language seems to have a considerable resemblance to 



