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OBSERVATIONS on the Inhabitants of the Garrow 

 Hills, made during a Publick Deputation in the Years 1788 

 and 1789. — By John Eliot, Efq 9 



IN the month of September 1788 I was deputed by Government to in- 

 veftigate the duties collected on the Garrow hills, which bound the 

 northeaftem parts of Bengal ; and, to conciliate the good will of the 

 people, who had hitherto known no intercourfe with Europeans, fome 

 fcarlet cloth was given me by Government to be diftributed to them. 



The mountaineers, who inhabit different parts of India, have been 

 generally confidered Savages, equally unreflrained by law and morality, 

 and watchful to take every opportunity of committing depredations on the 

 low country, pillaging the inhabitants, and deftroying their villages, 

 whenever they could do fo with impunity. At Boglepore however, it has 

 been proved, that the hill people, by good treatment and encouragement, 

 may be in a great degree civilized and rendered at leaft peaceable and in- 

 offenfive, if not ferviceable: my obfervation of the character and conduct of 

 the Garrows has induced me to believe the fame good confequences may be 

 expected from encouraging them ; but I propofe to relate in plain language 

 what I experienced on my vilit to them, and leave others to form their own 

 judgment ; and, as I am the firfl European, who has travelled among them, 

 I (hall alfo add a few obfervations on the country, and on what attracted my 

 notice as being in any refpect peculiar. 



On drawing near the hills you have; a beautiful fight of three ranges of 



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