12 Oust — Non- Aryan Zianguacjes of India. [Jan. 



the less familiar names of an affluent of the Burhamputer or Sampu, 

 which, entering British India at the extreme eastern point of the valley of 

 Asam, for some distance flows westward betwixt two ranges of hills : at a 

 certain point the southern range ceases, and the great river flows round this 

 point, and altering its course discharges itself into the Bay of Bengal : on 

 each side of this river, as it flows through the valley, are tribes speaking 

 distinct languages, with a population calculated at little less than one 

 million. We shall perceive, when we look at them closer, that, except in a 

 geograj)hical sense, or for temporary convenience, this grouping cannot be 

 maintained. It was the original opinion of Mr. Hodgson that all these 

 languages were Tamulian, a general phrase, by which he intended non- Aryan, 

 or aboriginal. Dr. Caldwell has convincingly shown that, if by Tamulian 

 was meant Dravidian, of which group Tamil is the chief member, the analo- 

 gies pointed out betwixt Dravidian and these languages are less numerous, 

 and of less essential character, and less distinctive, than the analogies which 

 exist between the Finnish and the Dravidian, of a vague and structural 

 character common to all languages of a Scythian origin. Max Miiller 

 maintains, that no trace of Dravidian has as yet been discovered north of 

 the Ganges, In the Dravidian, which is at a much more advanced stage of 

 the agglutinating class, there is an entire absence of intonation ; while in 

 the Lohitic languages, as in the Chinese, they are conspicuous : indeed, 

 Mr. Robinson describes four different intonations prevalent in the language 

 bordering the Asam valley ; and he maintains, that all these languages were 

 originally monosyllabic, though gradually passing into the earlier stage of 

 agglutination. 



The first in order, as we enter the valley, are the Bodo, called also 

 Borro and Kachari, and Dhimal, of which Mr. B. Hodgson has published a 

 grammar and vocabulary. The same author furnishes particulars and a voca- 

 bulary of the Kooch language : the inhabitants of Kooch Behar have 

 abandoned their ancient agglutinating language, and adopted a bad Bengali : 

 they have become partly Muhammadan and partly Hindu : a small section 

 have clung to their ancient faith and language, which is known as Pani- 

 Kooch, and an examination of this residuum of an almost extinct unwritten 

 language has led Col. Dalton to found the opinion, that it belongs to the 

 Dravidian family, and has no connexion with the Kooch. The Kachari 

 language, above alluded to, is also known as Mech. Mr. Bobinson has 

 supplied a grammar of this language, and Major Lance, Deputy Commis- 

 sioner in Asam, has another in preparation : there is no written character, 

 and the number of peoj^le who speak this language amounts to 60,000. 



Following the range of mountains eastward, we come uj)on a race of 

 downright savages and Pagans, practising polygamy and polyandry, who 

 receive a black-mail from the Government of British India to compensate 



