330 MEMOIR OF A SURVEY OF 



certain knowledge of the origin of the Dihong, and they seemed to think 

 that the notions current amongst their tribe and the Asamese, as little 

 worthy my attention. They informed me that a tradition prevails with 

 the Abors of the Subanshiri, that their hunters once, travelling in quest of 

 game, went much further towards the north than usual, and that they 

 arrived at the banks of a noble and rapid river separating their wild hills 

 from cultivated spreading plains, whence the lowing of oxen was distinctly 

 audible. Another singular account they mentioned of the Dihong Abors, 

 that the Dihong is an anastomosing branch of a river of great magnitude, 

 called Sri Lohit, which also throws off the Brahmaputra, and passes into 

 unknown regions to the eastward. The Abors are supposed to see this Sri 

 Lohit, and on the opposite bank numbers of people, of a strange tribe, are 

 perceived coming down to the ghaut to bathe, but it is too rapid and too broad 

 to be crossed. Another tale is, that the Sondris not finding the sand equally 

 productive as usual in their old washing haunts, continued their way in a 

 small canoe up the river, renewing their search for gold continually, but 

 in vain, but that they suddenly arrived in a populous country, the man- 

 ners and appearance of the inhabitants of which were strange to them ; 

 that on mentioning what had brought them so far from their houses, 

 they were instantly rewarded for their toil by a large gift of the precious 

 ore, and sent back delighted. 



The Asamese are of opinion that the families of a Bor Gohayn, who 

 had been sent for under suspicious circumstances by the reigning Raja, 

 took refuge in the Kalita country ; but they seem to want authority for 

 the opinion, and at all events it is extremely doubtful, whether any inter- 

 course was kept up afterwards. I hesitate to express this opinion, 

 because an opposite statement has been made. My grounds for it are 

 that, when perusing the Asamese history, I did not meet with a satisfac- 

 tory account of what became of them. My recollection is, that " the 

 sons and family of the Gohayn fled up the Dihong,'" and the present 



