A Sketch of Assam: With some account of the Hill Tribes

by Major John Butler

CHEEGEE KUPPACHOR AKHA.	KUPPACHOR AKHA.
Brother of the Tagee Rajah.	Tagee Rajah.

London: Smith, Elder & C^o. 65, Cornhill.

At one time it was the practice in Assam to locate small bodies of troops in stockades along the frontier, north and south of the valley at the foot of the hills; or in the immediate vicinity of hostile tribes, so as to overawe them and prevent predatory incursions into our plains for the capture of slaves and plunder. These posts, being far distant from the support of the head quarters of the respective regiments, and away from the immediate control of European officers, discipline and vigilance were perhaps too little regarded; and the consequence was, that detachments were not unfrequently surprised and massacred in the most savage manner. In 1835, there was a stockade at Baleeparah in Char Dooar, garrisoned by one havildar, one naick, and six sipahees of the 1st Assam Light Infantry. About 10 o’clock A.M. of the 3rd of February of the same year, the Kuppah Choor and Akha chiefs, Taggee, Nizam, and Somgsong, accompanied by a few daring followers, proceeded to the stockade: the havildar, unsuspicious of any treachery, went outside to converse with the Taggee Rajah, and told him that he must not enter the stockade. After a short conversation the Taggee Rajah—as a signal understood by the Akhas, drew his sword and inflicted a wound on the havildar’s left leg. Nazim Rajah then cut down the Naick with his own hand, and the whole of the Akhas instantly rushed on the havildar, entered the stockade, and murdered every person they could seize; slaughtering in all sixteen persons: the havildar, naick and four sipahees, and the wives and families of the Goorkha sipahees. Two sipahees of the guard happened to be bathing in a tank close by at the time of the attack, and saved their lives by running into the jungles. After the massacre, the Taggee Rajah set fire to all the houses inside the stockade, and retired with his followers to the fastnesses in the neighbouring hills.

Intelligence of this disaster reaching the civil authorities, a proclamation was immediately issued, offering a reward of five hundred rupees to any person who would bring the Taggee Rajah, dead or alive, and two hundred rupees for any information that would lead to his apprehension. This proclamation, however, was in 1837–38 modified by the express order of the Honourable Court of Directors, who intimated that the proceeding was most exceptionable, and that rewards should only be given for the apprehension of offenders, and not for slaying them. From that day until 1842, the whole tribe of Akhas and Kuppah Choor Akhas were treated as outlaws. Our outposts were strengthened, and all British subjects prohibited from furnishing them with grain or any other necessaries of life.

In 1842, the Taggee Rajah, of his own free will, came down from the hills and surrendered himself to the British Government. The excuse pleaded by him for the massacre of the guard was the tyranny and insolence of the sipahees towards his tribe; but it does not appear that the sipahees had any quarrel with the Akhas or Kuppah Choor Akhas, and it is therefore reasonable to conclude that the latter destroyed the guard because they were posted there to prevent depredations on the plains. Notwithstanding the crimes committed by the Taggee Rajah, Government directed his release, on his swearing future allegiance on his own behalf and that of his tribe. This was a matter of necessity: there were no means at hand of summarily punishing the outrage that had been committed, and the influence of the Rajah was requisite to curb the future irregularities of his people. As an inducement to him to restrain a rapacious banditti from future aggressions, a pension of twenty rupees per mensem was bestowed upon him for life. The Taggee Rajah, it might have been supposed, returned to his native hills somewhat appeased and gratified; but here again the British authorities were erroneous in their calculations. Incapable of comprehending our motives, and distrustful of our purposes, the Rajah, for two years, never resorted to the station of Tezpore to receive his pension. In 1844, however, an interview with himself and other chiefs took place, and an amicable and satisfactory arrangement was made. The Taggee Rajah received his pension of 240 rupees per annum granted in 1842; Nechoo received 24 rupees; Sankhandoo, 32 rupees; Seerkoolee, 32 rupees; Sorsoo, 32 rupees: in all five chiefs, their pensions amounting to 360 rupees per annum.

Thus terminated a desultory, harassing war of twenty years with one of the most restless tribes on the frontier. The manner in which the forbearance of these savages has been purchased will, we are persuaded, not be misconstrued into fear or weakness, but be productive of future peace and security and a freer intercourse with the people of the plains.

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.