23 TRACES OF BARLY NON-ARYAN INVASIONS OF ASAM bokel (mud, et. Sans. Banka, Santali-Asamiya) and have come across dong (small pool of water, Kisis-Asamiya), hold (shallow pool) and as well as ui (white ants), fila (a mound of earth, both Malayain Asamiya), and dhip (raised carth, Munda-Asamiya), and they may have needed a tokon (a big bamboo stick, Malayan-Asamiya) to drive away the methon (a wild bull, Khas-Asamiya): and of course, they may have first dis- covered and tasted the Jaha (fine rice) and other rice. They may have needed and so invented the holonga (bamboo pointed to be used for carrying rice plants etc.), which would not do if were buti (short and blunt). They must have been high-class weavers, for they not only carried on the cottage industries of mugi and kimkhap, but also might know the use of ache (coloured thread, Malay-Asamly) and in order to keep their topola (bundle) of such valuable clothes, they must have inventod the Japa (a bamboo box). We know little of the physionomy of the Austries. They might either be blutkund or ghut-mut (dwarfish, Munda-Santali-Asamiya) and nodoka (stout, Khasia-Asamiya) or they might be leng! (very tall, Munda-Asamiya) or even mech (curved) and kongo (with crooked fingers), or teleka (large-eyed, Malay-Asamiya). They might have sports and games of dhop (boll of cloth, Mundi-Asamiya) and might become cafal (strong. Mundäri-Asamiya). Still less we low of their inner nature. They might be alabide (useless) or bhoda (stupid, Mundi-Asumiy) or they might be atom- tokari (smart, both Mundi-Asamiy); they might have often been in dodhor-mor (dilemma, Santali Asamiya) or in khang (anger, Khasia- Asamiya). They might be hute (rough, Munda-Asamiya) or even gogord (cross-tempered). Their matā (male) and matki (female, Munda-Asami- yä) might have worked together in the field, where they might focl crcd (cold) and cegi (burning sensations in their dingi (neck, all Malayân-Asamiya) at times, as also thetuai (numbness due to cold), even so by dang (bachelor, all Munda-Asamlys) poople, They might or might not be tokond (extremely poor), but all-the- same, they ate bagl (white, Malayan-Asamiya) Rs by removing their cokora (shell, Khaisil-Asamiyā) and could say when the milk would be sereka (dilute, Mund-Asamiya). Next to the Austries came the Mongolold Invasion of India. Their contribution to Bharatiya culture is even more valuable. Besides, per- haps, more widespread terraced cultivation of rice and of silke industry. we owe to them the eultivation of tea and betel nut as also the pine-
