1849.] K6cch, Bodo and Dhimdl people. 713 



personal communications with these tribes were chiefly with those still 

 found in all their primitive unsophistication on the banks of the Mechi, 

 and from much intercourse with these, during four months, I conclude 

 that neither people have any authentic ancient traditions. Nevertheless 

 the ancient connexion of the Dhimals with the west, and of the Bodo with 

 the east part of north Bengal, is vouched by the facts, that a tract of 

 country lying between the Konki and the Mahananda is still called Dhi~ 

 mali ; and a still larger tract situated between the great bend of the 

 Brahmaputra and the Garo hills is yet called Me'chpara. The close con- 

 nection of the Bodo with Kamrup, is further confirmed by the facts of 

 the mass of the people being still found there, though under the name of 

 Kachari, and by the intimate affinity of the Bodo speech and custom s 

 with those of the Garos. The so-called Kachar Rajah is a new man 

 and alien to the Bodo race, and so is the mass of the people of Kachar. 

 But Tularam is a Bodo ; and the late Rajah of Karaibari another ; and 

 the Kalang-dwar chief a third ; and among the Lords marchers of the 

 southern confines of Assam, others might once, if not still, be found ; 

 for when the keeping of the northern marches (towards Bhutan) was 

 entrusted to the Kocch race, that of the southern dwars or doors (to- 

 wards Garo and Naga land) was committed to the Bodo tribe, that is, 

 to its chiefs. It would not appear that any chief of Dhimal race now 

 exists : but the scattered remnant of this race assure me that they once 

 had chiefs when they dwelt as a united people in Morung, on the banks 

 of the Kaval (Kamla) whence they removed to the Te'ngwa, and ulti- 

 mately to and across the Konki, 60 years ago, in order to escape from 

 Gorkhali oppression. Of the few lately extant chiefs of Bodo race, 

 the Karaibari Rajah's estate is transferred to the stranger, and the 

 Kalang and Tularam chiefships are shorn of much of their " fair pro- 

 portions.'' But in the days of Hajo, the Kocch founder, as w ell as in 

 those of some of his more prudent successors, the Bodo seem to have 

 had great political consequence, and if Hajos' descendants had steadily 

 adhered to the wise maxims of their ancestor, their power might longer 

 and more effectually have defied its enemies, whereas most of the 

 Kocch Rajahs followed the illiberal Arian maxims of Viswa Sinh, and 

 thus the Bodo were driven back upon their beloved forests, retreats 

 which, speaking generally, neither they, nor the Dhimals, have since 

 quitted, save in Assam. I proceed now to the consideration of the 



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