a district of Hindustan, in the province of Bengal, situated between the twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh degrees of north latitude. It comprehends an area of 1300 square miles, and is bounded on the north by Bootan, on the south-west by Rungpoor, and on the east by Bootan and Rangamatty. This country towards the south is in a highly improved state, and very fertile. The betel nut, the semmel, and the banyan tree, thrive well, and attain to great luxuriance. In approaching the north towards the Bootan Mountains, the appearance of the country is most miserable; and the inhabitants are as stunted as the vegetable productions, being in general a poor-looking, piny race. They are thinly scattered over the country, which is not well cultivated, and extremely unhealthy, the land being low and marshy, interspersed with deep woods, and everywhere almost choked with a coarse vegetation of rank grass, reeds, and fern. The inhabitants are in such a state of poverty that they are in the practice of selling their children for slaves; and mothers are frequently seen dressing up their children in order to enhance their price.

It was about the year 1018 that the sultan Mahmood penetrated into the country of which Cooch Bahar formed a part. It was also frequently plundered by the Afghan governors of Bengal, but it always recovered its independence. In the year 1578 a Mogul army overran the country, and laid the rajah under contributions. About seventeen years afterwards, the prince voluntarily became a vassal of the Emperor Achar. The district was notwithstanding overrun by the Mogul troops in 1638. During the reign of Aurungzebe, the rajah of Cooch Bahar not only threw off his allegiance, but actually wrested from the imperial yoke several districts. This insult was speedily avenged by the emperor, who sent his lieutenant, Meer Jumla, in 1661, into the country, who took the capital, and changed its name to Alumgeernagar; and at the same time the bigotry of the Mussulmans was so intense that they destroyed the Hindu temples, broke in pieces a celebrated image of Vishnu, and converted the son of the rajah. Strict justice, however, was administered under his government, and all plunderers and offenders were severely punished. From Cooch Bahar he proceeded to Assam, the conquest of which he attempted, but failed to accomplish it. In 1788 Cooch Bahar was invaded by Sayid Ahmed, military governor of Rungpore, and plundered. The rajah was compelled to take refuge in the mountains; and another portion of the country was annexed to Bengal. In 1765 this district devolved to the East India Company; and in 1772 it was invaded by the rajah of Bootan, who laid claim to it, and, meeting with little resistance from the natives, rapidly gained possession of the country. Two battalions of native infantry were sent to the aid of the inhabitants; and the invaders were not only driven back, but the rajah, alarmed for his own safety by the advance of the Company's troops, was soon compelled to sue for peace.