592 Notes on Northern Cachar. [No. 7. 



without, was obliged to succumb to treachery from within, aud a 

 much trusted cousin of his seized his government, and compelled 

 him to fly for refuge to Jynteah. 



In 1829 Toolaram, having obtained the assistance of Gumbheer 

 Singh, Rajah of Munipur, retook his country, forcing his cousin to 

 fly for protection to the Rajah of Cachar. 



After this an interference took place on the part of the British 

 Government, which obliged Gobind Chunder to make over certain 

 parts of the hills to Toolaram. Gobind Chunder was murdered in 

 1830, and Cachar lapsed to the English, Toolaram still holding his 

 place, and being kept in possession by us against further attempts 

 made by his cousin to dethrone him. 



In 1833 Toolaram executed two British subjects, on a charge of 

 having conspired against his life. For this act he was tried at 

 Gowhatti in Assam, and acquitted, upon it being shown that, as an 

 independent chief, he had power of life and death over malefactors 

 in his own territory. 



But care was taken to reduce this power, and by a treaty of 1834 

 his dominions were curtailed and his power limited to the trial of 

 petty cases within them, all heinous offences being rendered subject 

 to our officials alone. He was moreover called upon to pay an 

 annual tribute of four pair of elephant tusks, and, to make him more 

 dependent, became the recipient of a pension of Es. 50 per month. 



In 1844 Toolaram, having become infirm and old, prayed that 

 Government would transfer the management of his country to his 

 two sons ; this was done, and until 1853 it remained in their hands. 



But the young men did not appear to possess administrative 

 abilities. They quarrelled among one another, and the business of 

 the state was allowed to get into confusion. The inhabitants were 

 oppressed and fled, and the country became a place of refuge for 

 all the great criminals and defaulters of the neighbouring districts, 

 who, once across the boundary, could never again be heard of. Every 

 article of the treaty of 1834 having been frequently broken by these 

 rulers, it was thought incumbent upon the death of Toolaram, and 

 consequent on the event of one of his sons losing his life in waging 

 a war, in direct contravention to the above treaty, to put a stop to 

 the regular succession, and annex the country to our own dominions. 



