52 
H. Bloclimann — Koch, Bihdr and Asam. 
[No. 1, 
In point of style, ShiMbuddin’s work is elegant and simple. The Per- 
sian is flowing and pure, and the total absence of Indian isti'mdl, or Indo- 
Persian constructions, shews that the author was a native of Persia. 
The book* consists of a short preface, an introduction (mugaddimah) 
and two parts (maqdlah). The introduction treats of the causes which led 
to the invasion of Koch Bihar and Asam. The first part relates the con- 
quest of Koch Bihar and the general condition of the country. The second 
part narrates the invasion of Asam by Mir Jumlah ; the occupation of the 
country, which lasted for fourteen months, from the 23rd Jumada I, 1072 to 
the 26th Bajab, 1073 ; the peace which was concluded ; and the return of 
the general to Khizrpur near Dhaka, where he died shortly after, on the 2nd 
Ramazan, 1073. The second part is divided into 17 chapters, of which the 
sixth is particularly interesting as containing a description of Asam and the 
Asamese in 1662 and occasional notices of the Aboriginal tribes in Eastern 
and Southern Asam. 
Koch Biha'r and Koch Ha'jo (Lower A'sa'm). 
The following extracts are taken from the Alcbarn&mah (Lucknow 
Edition, III, p. 207). “ To the events of this time [beginning of the 23rd 
years, of Akbar’s reign, A. H. 986, or A. D., 1578] belongs the arrival of the 
pesh/cash from Bengal and Koch Bihar. Rajah Balgosain, who is the 
Zamhidar of Koch, submitted again, and sent valuable presents from Bengal 
with fifty-four elephants.” 
This was after the total defeat of Daiid, king of Bengal, by Khan 
Jahdn. Ain translation, p. 330. 
The following passage from the same work (III, 762) refers to the end 
of the 41st year of Akbar’s reign, or the middle of 1005 A. H. [A. D. 
1596, end], 
“ About tins time Lachmi Narain submitted. He is the ruler of Koch, 
and has 4000 horse, and 200,000 foot, 700 elephants, and 1000 ships. His 
country is 200 Jeon long, and from 100 to 40 /cos broad, extending in the 
east to the Brahmaputra, in the north to Tibbat, in the south to G’hora- 
g’hat, and in the west to Tirhut. 
“ About five hundredf years ago, a woman prayed in a Mahadeo temple 
for a son. Her prayer was granted, and she called the son Bisa. He be- 
came the ruler of Koch Bihar. One of his descendants, or grandsons 
* The Asiatic Society of Bengal has a MS. of the work. No. 425 of the Persian 
Catalogue. It was also printed at Calcutta, in the old Madrasah, Baithak-khanah, 
1st Bajab, 1265, by Masihuddin Khan, a Munshf of the Foreign Department. The 
book is out of print. 
+ The Lucknow Edition has fifteen. Although I quote the Lucknow Edition of the 
Akbarnainah, I translate from MSS., for the text of the Lucknow Edition is worse 
than the worst possible MS. For Bisd the MSS. have B{bd, Biyd, or Bisbd. 
