1840.] The Hodesum (improperly called Kolehan) , 697 



Kolehan— in what direction is wholly unknown, though it may be 

 conjectured they retraced their steps, for the name of Surawuk, is now 

 unJknown except in Tamar and Pachete, and then only used by the 

 jungle people occasionally in speaking of Bengalees. 



The Kolehan continued after this much in its pristine state, and 

 only known to others by its lying in the route of hosts of pilgrims 

 from Patna and Benares, &c. to Juggernath. The lands, broad and 

 fair, excited the cupidity of many of these travellers, but their dread 

 of the Hos deterred all thoughts of settling, until a party bolder than 

 the rest, journeying from Marwar, took up their residence as guests at 

 the house of a Bhooian Mahapattor, or Zemindar, where they re- 

 mained on various pretexts, astonished the Bhooians with a display 

 of their riches, superior knowledge, and by descriptions of their 

 country ; and ended by reproving them for living on terms of equality 

 with a people who were Mlechis, or unbelievers, and as fugitives from 

 another country, should be considered as subservient to them. The 

 Bhooians desirous of having their own Raja, and emulating their 

 councillors, entered into a league with the Marwarees, who procured 

 a number of their countrymen to assist in establishing the supremacy 

 of the Bhooians. In this they were totally unsuccessful, and the result 

 of a long struggle, the details of which are handed down disguised 

 with much fable in the traditions of the Ooria Bramins of the coun- 

 try, ended with the total discomfiture of the Bhooians, and the coalition 

 of the Marwarees with the Hos. The former established themselves in 

 Porahaut and the rich open plains to the northward, now called 

 Singbhoom ; the Hos withdrawing from this part occupied the re- 

 maining tract of open land, whose limits, described hereafter, constitute 

 the Hodesum, or Kolehan of the Hindoos. 



Up to this epoch no dates can be obtained, as the narrators of the 

 above events, Oradus and Hos, keep no account whatever of time. 

 But from the introduction of the Marwaree Singbhunsees, and other 

 Rajpoots who came to settle with them, a regular chronological history 

 has been preserved in the Madela, or records of the Porahaut family ; 

 unfortunately I am now unable to apply to these for any information 

 on these points. 



It appears that these settlers electing a chief, whom they styled 

 ' Raja,' and took up their abode for five or six generations at Porahaut, 



