H. Blochmann — Koch Bihar and Asdm. 
67 
1872.] 
tions for the harem, for servants, baths and fountains, and a garden. In the 
town there are flowerbeds in the streets, and trees to both sides of them. 
The people use the sword, firelock, and arrows, as weapons. The arrows 
are generally poisoned ; thoir mere touch is fatal. Some of the inhabitants 
are enchanters ; they read formulas upon water, and give it the wounded to 
drink, who then recover. The men and the women are rarely good looking. 
As the people, a day before the army arrived, had fled, the Nawab 
strictly forbade plundering ; and a few soldiers, having gone marauding and 
brought home a cow, or a goat, or a few plantains, were marched through the 
camp and the town with an arrow stuck through then- noses, and the stolen 
things suspended from their necks. This encouraged the inhabitants, and 
they returned to their homes. 
The son of the Rajah* about this time fled from his father, and waited 
on the Nawab, and became a Muhammadan. 
Isfandiar Beg, son of the late Ilah Yar Khan, was ordered to Morang to 
capture Bhawanfit’h, the Rajah’s vazir. Farhad Khan also was sent there 
hy another route. Riza Quli Beg Abalcash, a companion of Isfandiar, 
captured the vazir and brought him in fettered, as also his wife and child. 
According to orders, the Yak Duar was levelled with the ground, and by 
cutting down the trees for about a hundred yards, an open space was made. 
106 guns, 145 zamburaks, 11 ramcbangis, 123 matchlocks, and much material 
and baggage, were seized. The artillery stores were forwarded to Jahangir- 
nagar. Of the other things Muhammad ’Abid, the Barrack Master, took 
charge. A party was then sent to Kanthalbari at the foot of the Bhutant 
Hills, where the Rajah concealed himself ; but the Rajah withdrew to the 
summit of the mountains. Only an elephant, several horses, and cow car- 
nages, and a Bhutiah, were brought back. The Bhutiah begged hard for his 
life, and promised to take a letter to the Rajah of Bhiitant, whose name is 
Dharm rajah, and who is over one hundred and twenty years old. He is an 
ascetic, eats only plantains, drinks only milk, and indulges in no pleasures what- 
ever. He is famous for his justice, and rales over a large people. The prisoner 
also told us that a river runs through his kingdom, not very broad, but very 
* The ’ Alamgirndmah calls him Bishn Naniin, and says that Bhim Narain from 
distrust had always kept him under surveillance (p. G88). 
Tor MccTi , the Bibl. Indica edition of that work has Mash e< The inhabi- 
tants of Koch Bihar belong to two tribes, the Mech and the Bihar tribes. The former 
live within the ‘ band,’ the Bihiirs without it. In fact the name Kooh Bihdr has a 
reference to this tribo ; even A'sam is sometimes called ‘ Koch A’sam.’ The people 
are very ngly, both men and women ; they look like Qalmaqs, and have a steel blue 
complexion. Some are fair. Among the Meches white people are found. This tribe 
furnishes agriculturists and soldiers” (pp. 692, 693). 
The king in the ’ Alamgirnamah also is described as an effeminate voluptuary, 
w ho left every- thing in the hands of his vazir ‘ Bholnnath.’ 
