A Sketch of Assam: With some account of the Hill TribesButler, John, Major
History
A Sketch of Assam: With some account of the Hill Tribes
Butler, John, Major
Assam (India) -- Description and travel; Assam (India) -- Social life and customs; Ethnology -- India -- Assam
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.
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:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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