1864.] Meport of the Great Trigonometrical Survey* 387 



have had to make an extensive circuit, in its onward progress to 

 Chittagong, had the operations been required to be kept within the 

 British Boundary, Fortunately, Mr. Buckland, the Commissioner of 

 Chittagong, had sufficient influence with the Maharajah of Tipperah 

 to induce him to consent to our operations being carried across his 

 territory, on the direct line to Chittagong. 



Mr. Lane proceeded, in the first instance, to Agartolla, the 

 chief town of Tipperah, w T here the Maharajah resides ; and there he 

 succeeded in securing the friendship and good- will of the Prince and 

 his Court to an extent to justify the expectation, which was subse- 

 quently realized, of obtaining their cordial assistance and co-operation. 

 Mr. Lane deserves much credit for the tact he has displayed in culti- 

 vating amicable relations with the barbarous races that inhabit the 

 hill country of Tipperah, who have long been a terror to the industri- 

 ous population of the plains within the British Frontier. Mr. Lane 

 has sent a valuable report on the portion of Independent Tipperah 

 traversed by himself and Assistants during the past Field Season, from 

 • which extracts will be given in an appendix to this Report. # 



# The duty of selecting stations for the Triangulation devolved on Mr. 

 Rossenrode, than whom the party could not have had a better pioneer. The 

 following simple narrative of his operations is extracted from his letters : — 

 "When the Kookies were apprized of my arrival at Heara, they naturally 

 concluded that I had come to apprehend and punish them for the robberies and 

 murders they had perpetrated on our frontier. They hid themselves in the 

 jungles, and left their villages. With much persuasion the Rajah's people 

 brought them to my camp. They watched all my proceedings, and asked me 

 no end of questions. I always keep a man near me to interpret, and I answer 

 every question they put me ; all seem satisfied with my answers, and the 

 confidence I place in them. Of course my movements are slow, because my 

 work has the greatest difficulties to contend with ; the inhabitants must be 

 conciliated, the site to be fixed upon must be traced and found, and cleared of 

 jungle. To fix on sites at all in this dense and almost uninhabited forest, in 

 which the sun can seldom be seen, is a feat any man may be proud of, especi- 

 ally when the inhabitants try to mislead. I hope to get on faster, when I divest 

 the minds of these savages of all suspicion. I am all day long climbing or 

 descending hills, or wading through water. Wild elephants and buffaloes are 

 numerous, and may be come upon suddenly, when wading through the water- 

 courses. Whenever you see a bamboo signal, avoid the direction it points to 

 because an unerring arrow is placed there, with a bow strong enough to give an 

 elephant his death blow. The Kookies think of nothing but eating and drink- 

 ing. Feeding them occasionally is a good plan, and they would become very 

 much attached to yon, and follow you like dogs, and, no doubt, prove faithful 

 and work well, if well fed. Last year I had to deal with the Nagas and 

 Kookies of Cachar, as well as those on the Manipoor frontier. They are the 

 same filthy, naked savages as their brethren in Independent Tipperah. They 

 frequently enquired whether I knew of Captain Guthrie, who made the road 

 from Cachar to Manipur, over the hills, and they said he was the best sahib 

 they had ever met with, and gave them buffaloes, cows, pigs, and goats to eat 

 daily, and grog to drink, so that, even now, they think of his feasts. 



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