330 CACHAR. Chap. XXXI. 



Birmah. Low ranges of forest-clad mountains at the head 

 of the Soormah, separate it from Silchar, with which it is 

 coterminous ; the two chief towns being seven marches 

 apart. To the south-east of Silchar are interminable jungles, 

 peopled by the Cookies, a wild Indo-Chinese tribe, who live 

 in a state of constant warfare, and possess the whole hill- 

 country from this, southward to beyond Chittagong. Two 

 years ago they invaded and ravaged Cachar, carrying many 

 of the inhabitants into slavery, and so frightening the 

 people, that land previously worth six rupees a biggah, is 

 now reduced to one and a half. Colonel Lister was 

 sent with a strong party to rescue the captives, and 

 marched for many days through their country without 

 disturbing man or beast ; penetrating deep forests of 

 gigantic trees and tall bamboos, never seeing the sun 

 above, or aught to the right and left, save an occasional 

 clearance and a deserted village. The incursion, how- 

 ever, had its effects, and the better inclined near the 

 frontier have since come forward, and been enrolled as the 

 Cookie levy. 



The Munnipore emigrants are industrious settlers for a 

 time, but never remain long in one place : their religion is 

 Hindoo, and they keep up a considerable trade with their 

 own country, whence they import a large breed of buffalos, 

 ponies, silks, and cotton cloths dyed with arnotto (Biaod), 

 and universally used for turbans. They use bamboo 

 blowing-tubes and arrows for shooting birds, make excel- 

 lent shields of rhinoceros hide (imported from Assam), and 

 play at hockey on horseback like the Western Tibetans. 

 A fine black varnish from the fruit of Holigarna longifolia, 

 is imported from Munnipore, as is another made from 

 SesuviumAnacar din ui (marking-nut), and a remarkable black 

 pigment resembling that from Melanorhcea usitatissima, 



