A History of Assam c3.8

c3.8

But the most important results of the enquiries were in connection with the records of Ahom rule. The Ahoms were a tribe of Shāns who migrated to Assam early in the thirteenth century. They were endowed with the historical faculty in a very high degree; and their priests and leading families possessed *Buranji*s, or histories, which were periodically brought up to date. These were written on oblong strips of bark, and were very carefully preserved and handed down from father to son.* The number still in existence is considerable, and would have been much greater but for the fact that, about a century and a half ago, one of the chief ministers of State discovered that in one of them doubts had been cast upon the purity of his descent, and used his influence with the king to cause it to be destroyed together with all others which, on examination, were found to contain statements reflecting on those in power or their near ancestors.