198 Major Macgregor — Notes on the Ahas. [Dec, 



Chapter IV, p. 154. " Sosnorski Chapter IV, page 154, " Fort 

 believes that the origin of the Doongan." The rebellion be- 



word " Doongan " relates to gan in the city of Lin-Tong 



the commencement of the ris- east of Sigan. 



ing of the Chinese Mnsalmans 

 in the year 1861. According 

 to him the insurrection first 

 began in the neighbourhood of 

 fort Doongan, which is situated 

 in the province of Shen-Si." 



6. Notes on Ahas and Akaland. — By Majok C. R. Macgregor. 



(Abstract.) 



The history of the tribes on the north-east frontier is very obscure, 

 and that of the Akas (or Hrusso clan) is no exception ; they assert that 

 they came originally from the south-east of the Assam valley, and this 

 is not improbable, when the fact that their language assimilates more 

 with that of the tribes bordering Manipur than with that of their im- 

 mediate neighbours, the Dufnas and Bhutias, is taken into consideration. 

 The Akas also assert that they are of noble origin, and every free Aka 

 considers himself more or less a ' Raja ;' the manner and bearing of the 

 free Akas is certainly in favour of their claims, as they assume a very bold 

 and dignified air ; ' Noblesse oblige ' is clearly marked in their deport- 

 ment, if not in their conduct. 



The Hrusso clan is divided into two sections, and locally called 

 Kapachors (thieves of cotton) and Hazarikhowas (eaters of a thousand 

 [hearths] ) : the above-mentioned names were bestowed by the Assamese, 

 and are now adopted by the Akas themselves, who are rather proud than 

 otherwise of the appellations. The Akas, like most of our mountain 

 tribes, delight in terrifying the dwellers in the plains, on whom they look 

 with the greatest contempt. I was informed by an Aka Raja (so called) 

 that the Kapachors had divided the mouzah of Balipara among them- 

 selves, and to each " Raja " was apportioned a certain number of houses, 

 the inhabitants of which were bound to give lodging and food gratis 

 to their respective feudal lords (and their followers) whenever it might 

 please them to visit the plains. The inhabitants are also expected to 

 present a yearly tribute in the shape of pigs, fowls, and silk cloths. 



In 1829 (four years after the British assumed the Government of 

 Assam) a Chief of the Akas called Tagi (the father of Mehdi, the pre- 

 sent Chief) was lodged in jail at Gauhati and released in 1833 ; four 

 years of captivity did not improve the Chief, for in 1835 he connived 



