1884.] Major Macgregor — Notes on the Ahas. 199 



at, if he did not actually join in, an attack on a guard of the 42nd 

 Regiment, A. L. I., at Balipara. On that occasion seven sepoys with 

 their families were " cut up." In 1840 the Akas captured three natives 

 of Balipara, and in 1841 Tagi was induced by the astute Political Officer 

 to surrender himself. Before his surrender, Tagi, however, wisely 

 released all the captives. On his surrender he was pardoned, and a 

 pension of Rs. 20 conferred on him. In 1844 this pension was doubled, 

 and in 1848 was raised to Rs. 520. Since then the Kapachors have 

 received that sum yearly ; the Hazarikhowas receiving a yearly sum of 

 Rs. 180. 



About 300 years ago the Akas, under a Raja called Bam, were 

 settled on the right bank of the river Bhoroli near Balak Pung, and to 

 this day there are evidences (in the shape of masonry, &c), which bear 

 witness to the occupation of that site. In those days the Akas evident- 

 ly built themselves (or made their slaves build for them) more sub- 

 stantial houses than they do now. The only specimen of a stone house 

 which I have seen in Aka land was one to the west of Laby's villlage. 

 This house was built at the instigation and for the accommodation of a 

 Buddhist priest from Thibet, who about half a century ago used to pay 

 the Akas yearly visits for the purpose of converting them to Buddhism. 

 I believe that as long as the priest was with them they adopted the 

 tenets of Buddha, but directly the man died they resumed the old demon 

 worship of their fathers. 



In considering the political relations of the Akas with the British, 

 I should mention that it was in 1868 the Akas first became alive to the 

 fact that they possessed a valuable and marketable commodity in the 

 form of rubber. It is really to the rubber question (i. e., whether the 

 Akas have the right, which they claim to have, to cut rubber down to 

 the Bhoroli or not) and the action taken by the Forest Department with 

 reference to the claim that the late misbehaviour was principally due. 



The Akas intermarry with the Meri-Akas to the east and with the 

 Mijis to the north ; but seem to have no social relations with the Daphlas 

 or with the Bhutias. 



The country inhabited by the Akas (of which there are two clans, 

 viz., the Kapachors and Hazarikhowas) is situated on the Sub-Himala- 

 yan Range to the north of the district of Darrang on the right bank of 

 the Brahmaputra in Assam. 



Roughly speaking, the Aka country lies between the parallels of 27° 

 and 28° north latitude and 92° and 93° east longitude. 



The Kapachors are bounded on the north by the Mijis and Diging 

 River ; south by the Darrang District, Assam ; east by the Phusung 

 River and Moris; and on the west by the Hazarikhowa-Akas. 



