1872.] 
H. Blochmann — Koch Bihar and Asam. 
49 
Koch Bihar, Koch Hdjo, and Asam, in the 16 th and Vltli centuries, ac- 
cording to the Akbarn&mah, the Pddishdhnamah, and the Kathiyah i 
’ lbriyah . — By H. Blochmamt, M. A., Calcutta Madrasah. 
The beginning of Anrangzih’s reign is marked by two expeditions which 
led to a temporary occupation of territories beyond the frontiers of 
Eastern Bengal. Not only had the gradual retreat of Prince Shuja’ from 
Akbamagar (Rdjmahall) to Dhaka and Chatganw (Chittagong) given rise to 
the maintenance of a large army, consisting chiefly of troops recruited by the 
officers themselves, which might conveniently be employed to settle several 
frontier disputes of long standing, to in vade Rukhang (Aracan) and recoverthe 
children of the lost prince, but Aurangzib found it also absolutely necessary 
to give employment to generals on whose military experience, the result of 
the wars of succession, he looked with unconcealed distrust. Dadd Khan’s 
expedition to Palamau, of which the particulars were given in last year’s 
Journal, occupied the Bihar corps; and Mir Jumkh Mu’azzam Khan, the 
‘ Tar i wafadar,' or faithful friend of the throne, received orders to use 
his army and extend the imperial dominions in the north along the Brahma- 
putra, and in the south along the eastern shores of the Bay of Bengal. In 
the expedition to A'sam, which is related below, the furthest point to which 
the Mughuls advanced, is marked by the intersection of 95° Long., and 27° 
Lat., i. e., the district north of Sibsagar and Nazir ah (the old Ghargaon) in 
Upper Asam ; and in the expedition to Aracan, which was undertaken after 
Mir Jumlah’s death, the most southern point is Raimi, or Rambu, between 
21° and 22° Lat., half way between Chatganw and Akyab. Beyond these 
two points the Muhammadans did not advance. We have no particulars 
of any expedition led by the old kings of Bengal against Aracan ; A'sam 
was invaded about 1500 by Husain Shdh of Bengal, the scanty narrative of 
the expedition forming an interesting page in the description given by the 
Persian historian of Mir Jumlah’s invasion. 
The south-eastern frontier of Bengal up to the time of Aurangzib was 
the Phani (Fenny) River, Bhaluah and Nawak’hali being the most easterly 
‘ th&nabs’ of Sirkar Sunnargaon. The A'in i Akbari, indeed, includes 
Sirkar Chdtgfinw in Bengal ; but there is no evidence that the Mughuls ever 
obtained a footing east of the Phani River before tbe annexation of Chatganw 
under Aurangzib. The frontier then passed along the western portions of 
Tiparah as far as Silhat and Liitu, went then westwards along the southern 
skirts of the Khasiah, Garo, and the Karibari Hills, Hatsilah* on the left 
* Kennel spells the name Hautchella, and places it opposite to Chilmari on the 
right bank of the river. I cannot find the name on modern maps. Latu is spelt 
Ladu in the Am. 
