| caption: |
back to the plains; gaonburas object to electing a mouzadar and paying revenue, but eventually agree |
| note: |
inaccurate spelling in the original text |
| text: |
22nd January, Saturday. A steep descent for about 3 miles brought us once more on to the plains and another mile and a half saw us into the Assamese village of Moorphoolanee. |
| text: |
In the afternoon Athoogah Phookun (the son of the late Kahang Phookun) together with the remainder of the gaonboorahs having arrived I called a meeting and explained the nature of my visit and that I had assembled them here in order to give them the opportunity of electing their own mouzadar. On hearing this they all began to cry out that they were not going to have any mouzadar, that they had not paid any revenue for the last 20 years and that they were not going to pay any revenue now. In reply to which I informed them that it was quite unmaterial to me whether they elected the Mouzadar or not as if they did not do so within the next two hours I should nominate a man myself and as regards revenue they were well able to pay it and would have to pay it and would be made to pay it so they had better consider the matter over thoroughly before they replied. They then left me and going about 200 yards off held a long consultation which lasted over an hour and then returned and informed me that they had no wish to oppose me in any way and that in obedience to my orders they had elected Athoogah Phookun as their Mouzadar. I expressed myself much pleased with their good and sensible conduct and at once formally invested their nominee with the title and authority of Mouzadar of the Western Rengmahs who then made a long speech and assured me he would carry out all my orders and pay in the revenue at Samoogooting within 30 days. |
