1840.] Memoir of Sylhet, Kachar, ^ adjacent districts, 841 



march had been forgotten, except by a few old persons, who stated that 

 it was for the conquest of Manipur, and this statement has proved to 

 be correct, the researches of Captain Pemberton having elicited the 

 original treaty concluded with the chief of Chittagong, under which 

 it was agreed that the Raja Jy Sinh of Manipur, who had been expelled 

 by the Burmans, should be restored by us on certain conditions, chiefly 

 of a commercial nature. The expedition was prevented by the diffi- 

 culty of the country from proceeding beyond Kaspur, and was recal- 

 led to assist in the war against Kasim Ali Khan. 



In 1 774 a detachment under Major Henniker was employed against 

 the Raja of Jynta, whose country was conquered, but restored on pay- 

 ment of a fine. The cause of this collision is supposed to have been 

 connected with the marauding habits to which the Kasias were then 

 addicted, and which had not yet been suppressed. 



There is but one point of general interest untouched, upon which I 

 wish to offer a few words before concluding this very long paper. 

 Slavery has always existed in these countries, and the number of persons 

 in that unhappy condition is very large. In former days there is no 

 doubt great atrocities were committed in regard to this matter, whole 

 families of hill people being sometimes carried off* openly, sometimes 

 kidnapped, and sometimes brought under the pressure of famine, an 

 evil of frequent occurrence among the hills. Even in our days a 

 regular traffic was carried on in slaves, numbers being annually export- 

 ed from Kachar to Aracan through the British territories. This was 

 brought to the notice of the Civil authorities some years ago, and 

 effectually checked for the future ; but the law still permits domestic 



j or local slavery, though it prohibits exportation, and while the hill 

 people continue to make war on each other, and to sell their children 

 in times of scarcity, perhaps it is only a wise discretion, which allows 



! the existence of this great moral blot on society. But apart from 

 legislative provisions, there is a course by which the evil might be 

 gradually eradicated, while prodigious benefit in another shape, would 

 at the same time be conferred on all the countries in which it exists. 

 This is the formation of an establishment for the purchase and manu- 

 mission of slaves, more especially of children, which are often sold at 

 very low prices. These well brought up, and instructed in the use- 



iful arts as husbandmen and artizans, would in a few years become 



