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ON

THE INHABITANTS

OF

THE HILLS NEAR RA'JAMAHALL.

BY LIEUTENANT THOMAS SHAW.

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SLIGHT knowledge of the language of the natiyes of the hills, in the districts of Bhágalpur and Rajamahall, having brought to my observation that their customs and manners, as well as their language, differed from those of the inhabitants of the neighbouring plains, I have, for some time, endeavoured to acquire a good account of them, from the belief that, notwithstanding their connexion with, and dependance on, our government, they have been little known beyond the limits of the hills. The following description does not contain much more than a bare translation of what was written by the best informed mountaineer whom I have met with. I have spared no pains to render it faithful; for there alone it can have any merit. My information has been derived through a Soubadar of the Rangers (whom the late Mr. CLEVELAND had instructed in writing Nagree) as far as relates to the inhabitants of the hills in the three Tuppahs of Mudjeway, Ghurry, and Munnuáry. The first is to the south-west of Rájamahall, extending as far as Sicrigully; the second is

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thence in a westerly direction, as far as Shawhabad; and the third lies to the south of Ghurry, from whose people those on the borders of Bheerboom, and southeast of Rajamahall, differ in many respects. Whatever was material in these latter Tuppahs, was related by a Soubadar from that quarter to the one who can write; and both attended me in translating them. The Tuppahs of Mudbun, Pyer, Chitoleah, Barcope, Putsundaw, Jumnee, Hurnah Par, Dumsai, Kuneeallah, and others, have customs also peculiar to themselves. These I shall endeavour to ascertain.

The following relates immediately to the Tuppahs of Mudjeway, Ghurry, and Munnuáry, from which may be collected what ideas the inhabitants have of one Supreme Being, of a future state, and of transmigration. It is true they worship many gods, but these are considered inferior to, and the medium of adoration of, one all powerfur and omniscient Being; whom they call BEDO GOSSAIH, or the Great God. Their opinions on the metempsychosis, it is probable, have been borrowed from the Hindus, though they profess no particular veneration for the cow, or any other animal; for they believe it a punishment when God ordains a human soul, to transmigrate into any of the brute creation; and it is also a received opinion, that for certain crimes in this life, souls are condemned to the vegetable world.

The natives of the hills in these Tuppahs, having no knowledge of letters, or of any character, have a traditional story, brought down from father to son (but in what age it was received, is not now known) that the Bedo Gossaih made heaven and earth, and all that is therein. To people the latter, seven brothers were sent from Heaven. At first they remained together; when the eldest brother was sick, the six younger collected all manner of eatables, which they

agreed to divide, and to separate to go into different countries; one, a Hindu, got fish and goat's flesh in a new dish, for his share; a second, a Mussulman, was allotted fish, fowl, and every sort of flesh, except hogs, for his portion, in a new dish also; a third, Kirwary; a fourth, Kirrateer, got hog's flesh also in a new dish; a fifth, Kawdeer, got all sorts of flesh, fish, and fowl, in a new dish; a sixth, who was destined for a foreign country, got some of every sort of food, in a new dish; and after his departure, it was not known what had become of him, till Europeans made their appearance, when, from their manner of living, it was concluded that they were the descendants of the sixth brother; the seventh, Mullare, who was the oldest, and sick brother, got some of every kind of food, but put them in an old dish, for which he was considered an outcast, and ordered to inhabit these hills, where, finding neither clothes nor subsistence, he and his descendants necessarily became thieves, in which practice they continued, till such time as Mr. CLEVE→ LAND wisely conciliated their attachment to the English government, by a liberal generosity and munificence, while he entered their hills unattended, putting the utmost confidence in their faith; and made engagements to settle on their chiefs an inconsiderable monthly sum, in consideration of their good and peaceable behaviour and obedience, to which they have rigidly adhered; and this, it is related, put an end to their predatory incursions and marauding. The Kirwary cast crossed the Ganges and lived in tents, having no settled habitation. The Hindu and Mussulman remained in this country. The

Kawdeer went to the south; and this remained doubtful, till a party of them came to dig a tank for Mr. CLEVELAND. The Kirrateer went to the hills north of the Ganges. I cannot learn what names the brothers had, nor how they were provided with wives, VOL. IV. D

to increase and multiply: the creation of women does not bear any part in this defective account, which proceeds to relate, that GOD the Creator directed certain wombs to be fruitful. His commandments are, that men should give to such as will receive; and that, in like manner, others would give to them. By labour men must live; for this their hands were made; eyes were given to see with, the mouth to speak good and bad, as well as to eat sweet and sour, and the feet to walk. Abuse nobody without cause; neither kill nor punish, without a crime, or God will destroy you. These commands being sent, certain wombs were fruitful. But some men forgetting these divine ordinances, abused, beat, and oppressed each other without cause; when, the measure of their crimes being full, he summons them to his presence; the messenger carries sickness and death: On the sinner's appearing before God, being charged with forgetting his commandments, he is bound and cast into pits of maggots, or pits of fire, where he is to remain eternally.

Whoever keeps GOD's commandments, behaves well in all respects: he will neither injure, abuse, beat, nor kill, any person, nor seize their effects, nor plunder them, nor waste their grain, nor their money, nor their clothes, nor quarrel with any one; but praises GoD morning and evening; which last, the women also do. He will be charitable, clothe and feed the poor, and observe the festivals in GOD'S name, with the proper expense of grain, money, and clothes. GOD, for the just disposal of the goods he had granted for keeping his commandments, and praying, summons the righteous person into his presence, on his having enjoyed this world long enough. On his appearance, he is asked how he dealt with men, and how they behaved to him. Having rendered his account, as well of what he bestowed and re

ceived as of what he ate; that he injured nobody, but praised GoD morning and evening,---GoD an swers, "I saw that you behaved well, and kept my commandments; I will exalt you; in the mean time remain with me." After a short sojourn, he is sent to earth, to be born of a woman again, and to be a Raja, Dewan, or Cutwall, with abundance of worldly goods and territory. Should he forget to praise GoD in his exaltation, and give not meat to the hungry, but oppress the poor, God, in his wrath, will destroy him, snatch him away, and accuse him of neglecting his commandments, and forgetting to praise him. He will then cast him into a pit of fire, where, should not his punishment be eternal, he will not allow him to be born again of woman, but to be regenerated in the shape of a dog or cat.

Whoever offends in the presence of God, is dismissed to this earth, to be born of women, either blind, lame, or in poverty, never to have house, clothes, or victuals, nor any thing but what is begged from door to door. Should a person possessed of rank, grain, clothes, land, and every thing he could want, forget GOD's commandments, seize and plunder from others, ---GOD, in his wrath for the abuse of the good things which he had bestowed, will make him poor and a beggar; and having decreed that he shall remain a certain time on earth for his punishment, this being fulfilled, death snatches him away, and he appears in the presence of GOD. of GOD. GOD orders a man to kill another, and he kills him, yet lives happily and content; but no one must, from his own will and pleasure, destroy a fellow-creature, or GOD will destroy him. GOD orders a man to beat another, and he beats him; but whoever punishes a fellow-creature, without divine commands, the Supreme Being will direct a third person to punish the offender. No pers son shall abuse another without God's commands:

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