COSSYA IIILLS, or Khassya Hills, estimated area 7290 sq. milos, 80 miles in length from N.
to S.. and 40 in breadth. extend from lat. 24° 35' to 26° 7', and from long. 91° 35' to 02° 4'. About 16 miles on the SyMet side, and about the same on that of Assatn, consists of lowland interspersed with small hills. In the interior, about 50 miles in extent, is an undulating hilly table-land, from 1500 to 2500 feet high. Tho localities admitting of cul tivation aro the plateaux of the Cossya and Jaintia tho lower ranges on the Assam border, and the slopes towards the Sylhet plains. The area of the three plateaux is about 3500 square miles, and their heights vary from 3000 to G000 feet above sea-level. The soil is a ferruginous red clay, with a subsoil of shingle, little qualified for profitable cultivation. In the hollows, however, a fine black mould is found, extending often over many acres. The population of the Jaintia hills is about 40,000 souls, and of the Cossya bills about 82,400. The
Cossya states are twenty-five in nutnber, of which five, Cherrapunji, 1Chyrim, Nusting, Sungree, and Nuspoong, are commonly called the Semi independent States. The chiefs exercise civil and criminal jurisdiction over their own people in all matters pertaining exclusively to them. The minor states, known as the Dependent States, are twenty in number, the chief of which is Nuugklow.
Moleem was conquered in 1829, and the raja of Khyrim ceded to the British the territory t,o the S.E. of the Oomean or Booga Pane river. In 1861 the raja was deposed, and Malay Singh, a new chief, installed. Agreements have been entered into with Mowyang in 1829, Dowarrah Notoormen in 1837, Soopar Punji in 1829, and in 1860 with Bhawal.—Aiteheson's Treaties, etc. See Cairns, p. 543.