1S(35.] On the Boksas of Bijnouf. 147 



Notes of Observations on the Bohsas of the Bijnour District. — By 

 Dr. J. L. Stewart. 



[Received lOtk January, 1865.] 



Travellers in Central America tell us tliat the phrase quien sabe 

 {" who knows?") stops them at every step, when they seek to inquire 

 into the past history of the natives, and some analogous expression is 

 probably in frequent use, in similar circumstances, among all barbarous 

 or half-civilized races who have no literature. In this country quien 

 sahe is fully represented by Miabar nahin and Khuda jane, and of these 

 I have had much more than was pleasant, in trying to discover some- 

 thing of the past history of the Boksas of the Bijnour district. My 

 attention was first directed to the existence and peculiarities of these peo- 

 ple, while making some investigations as to the food of the inhabitants 

 of the district, and various circumstances subsequently led me to be some- 

 what curious about them. And although I have miserably failed in 

 making out anything definite as to whence the Boksas came or from 

 whom they sprung, a few facts have been elicited regarding the habits, 

 mode of life and health of those who inhabit the Bijnour Forest and 

 the Patli Doon, which may have some interest as relating to a section 

 of this tribe, the last of which, it seems not unlikely, will be seen by a 

 few more generations. 



This information was only acquired by a good deal of patient digging 

 among these Boksas themselves, during several weeks of the cold 

 season of 1862-63 when I visited a considerable number of their villages, 

 and conversed with many of their inhabitants, including some of the 

 most intelligent headmen among them. 



No detailed description of the Boksas, or of any section of them, 

 has hitherto been published, but there are many scattered notices 

 of those who inhabit the eastern portion of the Bohilkhund forests, 

 in the reports and papers of Traill, Batten, Jones and Madden ; 

 and Sir H. M. Elliot, in his supplement to the Glossary, gives some 

 interesting traditions as to their origin. Frequent reference will be 

 made to these notices hereafter, but, meantime, a few general facts 

 gleaned from these and other sources may be given regarding the distri- 

 bution and characteristics of the eastern Boksas. Since our occupation of 



