1872.] H. Blochmann — Koch Bihar and A'sdm. GO 
however were mostly shallow, the daily progress was not more than 2 
or 2J kos. The fatigues which the men had to undergo defy all descrip- 
tion. The grass and the reeds especially were annoying to men and animals- 
At last, on the 9th Junnida II., [20tli January, 1662], they reached and 
took possession of Fort Jogig’hopah* [opposite Gwalpara], which belongs 
to Kanmlp. Tho enemies had fled without striking a blow. ’Ataullah, a 
servant of the Nawab, was left here as Thanahdar. It is a high and large 
fort on the Brahmaputra. Near it the enemies had for a short distance 
dug many holes in the ground for the horses to fall into, and pointed pieces 
of bamboo (called in their language phdnjis) had been stuck in the 
holes. Behind the holes, for about half a shot’s distance, on even ground, 
they had made a ditch, and behind this ditch another one three yards 
deep near the fort. The latter ditch was also full of pointed bamboos. 
This is the way how the Asamese fortify all their positions. They make 
their forts, like the Indian peasants, of mud. The Brahmaputra is south 
of the fort ; and on the east a large river, called the Banas, flows past the 
mountain and joins the Brahmaputra. To the north, the fort is guarded 
hy a ditch, several mountains, and dense jungle. The writer nearly lost 
one his horses that had put its foot into one of the holes. 
A bridge of boats was made over the Banas. At the time of crossing, 
the guns of a boat fell into the river ; so also a gun belonging to the 
Naw&b, which shot ser balls The latter was after several 
days’ labour recovered. 
Na$iruddin Khan, Yadgar Khan, and other Amirs crossed the Bralmri- 
putra, and marched along the other bank opposite to the army, whilst 
’Ataullah, one of the Nawab’s men, was left behind as commander of 
Jogig’hopah. 
On the 24th Jumada II. [4th February, 1662], the neighbourhood of 
Gawaliatti was reached. Rashid Khan was sent off, to prevent the enemies 
from escaping to the north. But before he could reach, they had fled, and 
left the fort empty. 
On the 25th Jumada II., the army reached Fort Srig’hat. The exits 
and entrances had all been closed with large logs of wood driven into the 
ground. Some the elephants pulled out, some Haji Muhammad Baqir of Isfa- 
han, a servant of the Nawab, renowned for his strength. The Nawab entered 
and inspected the place, and then moved to Gawahatti, which lies a kos further 
°n. Fort Pandu also, which lies on the other side of the river opposite to 
Srig’hat, was taken without fight. Yadgar Khan Uzbak killed, however, a 
* The 'Ala mil (mama h (p. 696) says that Jogig’hopah means ‘ Hermit’s Cave,’ and 
was so called from a Hindu Ascetic who had lived there. On the other side 
of the river was a mountain called Panch llat an, also fortified. An island on the river 
had also been fortifiod with palisades. 
