1863. | Notes on the Tribes of the Kastern Frontier. 403 
marauding, which they all practise to a great extent, might be put down. 
I found it at first most difficult to induce the most powerful chiefs 
to meet me,and to remove the general dread and distrust that prevailed. 
At the first conference, to quiet their fears, I fully explained that my 
intentions were peaceable, and that my object was to survey and make 
a map of the country. I also explained to them that dacoity would in 
future be promptly and severely punished, and asked them how they 
proposed to put a stop to the same, appealing to the oldest chiefs, who 
seemed to possess considerable influence over the others. Many of 
them indignantly denied that they were robber chiefs ; others were 
noisy, and put thew hands to their sides, to feel they had daggers to 
defend themselves in case of treachery. After urging all the arguments 
I could think of, I broke up the conference, advising them to reconsi- 
der the subject more at leisure, and to let me know the result here- 
after. Some weeks after, Thambway, a chief of one of the largest clans, 
offered to serve as Frontier Police Sirdar. Considering that our Police 
stationed at the thannah, is perfectly useless.in preventing dacoities 
or apprehending offenders, unless supported by a large Military force, 
I brought the subject to your notice, and recommended the chief for 
employment. The chief object in the plundering expeditions is to 
obtain slaves. The village attacked is surrounded at night, and gener- 
ally set on fire, or a volley of muskets is fired into it. The inhabitants, 
as they leave their burning houses, are seized, the males are speared, 
and the women and children carried away into slavery. In the dis- 
tribution of plunder and slaves, they are guided by their own recognised 
rules. The leader of the expedition receives a double share, the petty 
leaders a share each, and their followers generally the plunder secured 
by each individual. Adult males are difficult to manage, and are inva- 
riably killed. The captive women and children are employed as 
domestic servants, and considered valuable property : 200 Rupees is 
generally demanded as ransom for each captive. During the period 
of my stay in the Hills, for 4 months, with one exception, the most 
perfect harmony prevailed between my party and the surrounding 
chiefs of banditti. For several months previous, the Police had at- 
tempted to recover several captives and were unsuccessful; when 
J was about leaving Tulukmee, at the earnest intercession of their 
relatives, I obtained all the 12 captives, valued at 2,400 Rupees, 
through the clan influence of the chiefs, four of whom were, on my re- 
