DUFFLAHS.
The Dufflah tribes are divided into innumerable petty clans, and reside in Char Dooar, Now Dooar, and Chuh Dooar. They are a very uncivilized race of beings, and formerly were extremely troublesome: committing atrocities, attacking and kidnapping the people of the plains, and extorting a large amount of black mail in kind annually. To enumerate the several petty robberies, disturbances, and murders committed at different times by these wild mountaineers, would, at the present day, be neither interesting nor profitable: it will suffice to remark that the people are all disunited, living under independent chiefs with separate interests, and have never leagued together in large bodies to ravage the plains for plunder or the capture of slaves. No union seems to prevail amongst them as with the Singphoos, Abors, and Khamtees; their irruptions and depredations, therefore, are always on a small scale. Almost every clan seems suspicious of its neighbour, and the sanguinary feuds amongst themselves are frequent. Of their religion, manners, customs, and habits, we regret to say little is known, and that little of a character not to be relied on: the same may be said of our information respecting the Akha tribes.
| A DUFFLAH. | A DUFFLAH CHIEF’S WIDOW. | A DUFFLAH CHIEF. |
London: Smith, Elder & Co. 65, Cornhill.
In 1836–37, an agreement was entered into with the Dufflahs to forego their extortions on receiving from the British Government a fixed sum in lieu of all demands. Unlike the Booteahs, who cannot live in the plains, the Dufflahs seem disposed to adopt agricultural habits; and considerable numbers have deserted their hills and located themselves in the plains, paying revenue for the land they cultivate at the same rate as our Ryots. From these symptoms of industry, we are led to hope that in the course of time others will follow their example, and descend from their hills to enjoy the protection of the British Government; when their condition will be greatly ameliorated.
In Char Dooar there are no less than one hundred and eighty Dufflah chiefs, belonging to twelve distinct clans, who receive 1,020 rupees per annum in lieu of the black mail formerly extorted from the Ryots. In the Now Dooar, there are nine dooars (passes or tracts of country leading into the northern hills) occupied by fifty-eight Dufflah chiefs, who receive compensation or a pension from Government of 1,523 rupees 9 ans. annually in lieu of black mail; making a grand total for both Dooars of 2,543 rupees 9 ans. 8 pice. It remains only to notice the amount supposed to have been collected as black mail by the Dufflahs from the people in Now Dooar previous to the year 1836–37, when a pecuniary compensation was given to the Dufflahs in lieu of this objectionable exaction. The contributions levied as black mail were nearly all given in kind. On the arrival of the Dufflahs once a year, from their mountains in the Now Dooar, it was their custom to take from the Sahoorea Ryots Government free pykes (or men), from each house:—
| Rs. | Ans. | Pice. | |
| 1 seer of salt, valued at | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 5 seers of rice | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ready cash | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 0 | 6 | 0 |
and if the ready money of one anna was not paid, a Moonga, or Erea Gumcha, or handkerchief valued at three annas was taken instead. On their return to the hills, another cess or contribution, amounting to 7 rs. 10 ans. was levied from each village or community, fixed originally at twenty houses; and whether they had decreased or increased in numbers the Dufflahs neither reduced nor augmented their demand. The articles taken from each village consisted on this occasion generally of—
| Rs. | Ans. | Pice. | |
| 1 Erea cloth, valued at | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 Moonga Gumcha handkerchief | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1 cow | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| Cash, as a present | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Rice, 1 bhar | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1 duck | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1 seer of salt | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1 seer of oil | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 7 | 10 | 0 |
Besides the Sahoorea, or free population, there were four villages (Baghmarra, Bihalle, Sakomata, Bakola) wholly inhabited by Cacharees, who were denominated Bohoteahs, or slaves; being free men bestowed originally by the Assam kings for a particular purpose or service. This caste or tribe the Dufflahs especially considered as their slaves, from whom they claimed the right to collect two-thirds of the produce of their labours. Each Bohoteah received from the British Government two poorahs of land, and one rupee only was taken from him as revenue, or capitation tax; being two rupees less than that paid by the Government Pykes. The remission of two rupees granted in his favour, was to enable him to meet the demands of the Dufflahs against him, in addition to the following amount of black mail, viz:—
| Rs. | Ans. | Pice. | |
| 1 Erea small cloth | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 Moonga gumcha | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1 chunam (or lime box) | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 1 kuttaree, or knife | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1 jappee hat or umbrella | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1 bhar of rice | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1 duck | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1 seer of salt | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1 seer of oil | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 3 | 0 | 0 |
From this it would appear that the Bohoteahs paid to the Dufflahs five rupees each in produce; while the free population was assessed at the rate of about eight rupees per village of twenty houses, which would average about six annas four pice per house. From the free and slave population united, as far as we have means for determining, the sum realized in kind from the inhabitants of the whole Dooar, amounted to 2,503 rs. 10 ans. 6 pice; so that in reality the Dufflahs have gained by the money substituted for black mail.
In the palmy days of the Ahoom Government it is not certain that this system existed; but on the Ahoom Rajahs becoming proselytes to the Hindoo creed, they and their followers degenerated; and being unable to check by force of arms, the inroads of the numerous hill tribes both on the north and south frontiers of the valley—a space of 400 miles, accessible by innumerable passes—they readily permitted the tribes to levy black mail once a year on certain portions of land called Dooars. Thus were continual hostilities averted, and the Ahoom Rajahs had leisure to pay attention to their own affairs. Intestine commotion, however, worked the destruction which foreign aggression was restrained from accomplishing.
CHAR DOOAR DUFFLAHS.
| No. of Chiefsin each Khel or Clan. | No. of Khels or Clans. | Name of Khel or Clan. | Amount of Pension. | ||
| Rs. | Ans. | Pice. | |||
| 23 | 1 | Phering Ooela | 97 | 8 | 5 |
| 20 | 2 | Oopur Takoolea | 108 | 5 | 2 |
| 21 | 3 | Nam Takoolea | 196 | 14 | 1 |
| 21 | 4 | Rapo Oolea | 76 | 11 | 4 |
| 46 | 5 | Paee Olea | 234 | 12 | 2 |
| 7 | 6 | Oopur Taolea | 17 | 1 | 11 |
| 2 | 7 | Nam Taolea | 3 | 10 | 7 |
| 3 | 8 | Chana Oolea | 23 | 6 | 7 |
| 37 | 9 | Oopur Tabungolea | 106 | 2 | 9 |
| 10 | Purbutea village, Mekla Gaum, Deka and Bur Gaum extinct | 4 | 8 | 4 | |
| 11 | Jeynath Hya Babang Gaum, of Kuchla Barru, extinct | 0 | 8 | 3 | |
| 12 | Names of chiefs unknown, extinct | 150 | 0 | 0 | |
| 180 | Total | 1020 | 0 | 0 | |
DUFFLAHS OF NOW DOOAR.
London: Printed by Stewart and Murray, Old Bailey.
[1] The name of the Moa Mareya Muttuck Gosain is Nahor; he is called Ushtobhoj, the eight handed priest, or an incarnation of the Deity: a title which he assumed in order to receive greater adoration from the people. He established his claim to the title by a device or deception. Making three men stand behind him, from under a covering they presented their hands in front of his body, and these, with his own, made his credulous disciples believe he really had eight hands. Having also some defect in his legs, he was known by the appellation of the Lame Moa Mareya Priest Nahor. [↑]
[2] This princess was the daughter of the Munepore Rajah; she was first married to Rajeswur Sing, and afterwards to his brother, Luckme Sing. The Muneepories are called Mogolies, and a tank, temple and an estate is to this day called the Mogolie Princess’s Pokhuree and Khat. In the Assam annals, she is called Koorung Neyune. [↑]
[3] Abor is derived from the Assamese word boree, friendly; aboree, unfriendly. Thus we understand the term Abor Nagas, Abor Dufflahs, independent or hostile tribes; and this designation seems common to all rude tribes in Assam. [↑]
[4] In many parts of Assam there are many fine temples and old forts built of stone and bricks; but, the art of making such firm and durable bricks as were used in former days seems now to be entirely lost. [↑]
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