In submitting the following work to the public, the author deems it unnecessary to detain the reader by many prefatory remarks.
The subject is one of acknowledged interest at the present time. The daily increasing importance of Asam, and the conspicuous position it begins to hold as the scene of great commercial advantages to British India, render a "Descriptive Account" of the province a great desideratum.
But though no dispute will arise as to the importance of the work, the author has no reason to expect the same unanimity about the fitness of the workman. He delivers this volume to the world, with all the diffidence and anxiety natural to the author of such an undertaking. That there are defects in the work, he will admit; nor can he forget how probable it is, that more impartial, and more discerning eyes will discover many which are invisible to his.
He begs it, however, to be considered, that the
