1838.] Native account of washing for gold in Assam. 



621 



III. — Native account of washing for gold in Assam. By Moneeram, 



Revenue Sheristadar, Bur Bundaree. 



[Communicated by Capt. F.Jenkins to the Coal and Mineral Committee.] 



There are no old papers of the Assam time relative to the above 

 subject, but the following is compiled from the hearing of respectable 

 people and shews the present state of gold washing on this country. 



Before the British took possession of this country, the Assam rajas 

 used to take from the sonwal's of Upper Assam a yearly tribute of 

 4000 tolahs of gold, and in the time of the Boora Gohynes 2000 

 tolahs used to be taken : when the Government had possession of Upper 

 Assam, a tax was levied on the north bank of the river from 400 son- 

 wal pykes, and at present there are about 1 50 or 1 60 gotes of pykes 

 in all Upper Assam, from whom the raja collects a tax. Besides 

 these there are about 250 or 300 of these pykes (old and new) in the 

 Bur Senaputtee's country. There are also about 10 or 15 gotes* of 

 these sonwals in Bishnath, and Sonaree Chopree ; and some in Lithure, 

 Gorokhia, Kaloneecholee, and Morung, and there are 50 or 60 houses 

 of them in Sadiya and Soeekhoivn. In the raja's country the great- 

 est number of his sonwal pykes reside on the north bank of the Bur- 

 rumpootur : there are only about 26 houses of them on the south bank. 





During the 



Living nowl Runaway 



Assamese sonwal pykes during the 



present raja's 



and on which 



sonwal pykes 



time of Governmeut. 



time. 



bank of river. 



where living. 



Gotes. 









Bur Burooah's Bhag, 1 



tt 



,, 



Muttuck 



Seering Phookun's Bhag, .. 29 



16§ 



South bank 



>» 



Tupomeea Phokuns Bhag, . . 62 



»» 



»» 



Muttuck 



In Seesee Tangonee, 26 



»> 



>> 



Ditto 



In Lokimpoor, Soolpanee, 









Nome] and Charengeea Buroo- 









ah's Bhag 69 



44 

 7 

 3 



North bank 

 Ditto 

 Ditio 



, 



In Bunscotta, 12i 









Cackaree sonwals, in Seesee, 







tt 



Lokimpoor and Majalee, 250 



90 



Ditto 





Cackaree sonwals on the 







Muttuck, &c. 



south bank, 11 



4 

 15 



South bank 

 Ditto 





Near the Dehing river ,, 



»» 



Beheea sonwals, 44 



5 



North bank 



Muttuck 







4b7$ 



184f 





The kheldars object to the 184^ gotes of pykes at present put down 

 by the raja, but admitting all their objections, there are not less than 

 150 gotes of these sonwal pykes in the raja's country. 



* A gote of sonwals consists of four pykes or individuals. 



