Buchanan's description reveals that his ideas of development were deeply rooted in commercial concerns of the East India Company and modern Western notions of progress. When describing landscapes, he did not merely observe what existed but envisioned how they could be transformed and made more productive. He believed that forests should be converted into agricultural lands and was critical of the lifestyles of forest dwellers.

His description of the Rajmahal hills clearly reflects this vision. He wrote that "all that is wanted is some appearance of progress in the area and a vastly extended and improved cultivation." He further suggested that "Plantations of Asan and Palas, for Tessar (Tassar silk worms) and Lac, should occupy the place of woods to as great an extent as the demand will admit." This shows he prioritized commercial productivity over the existing forest ecology and the needs of local inhabitants.

As a Paharia forest dweller, I would have viewed Buchanan's ideas with deep suspicion and distrust. The Paharias had already experienced pacification campaigns and carried memories of brutal repression. When Buchanan traveled through the region in 1810-11 with his large army of people, he was perceived as an agent of the sarkar.

I would have seen his vision of development as a direct threat to my way of life and means of survival. His ideas of clearing forests for plantations and cultivation meant snatching away control over our forests and lands. Every white man appeared to represent a power that was destroying our traditional relationship with the forest. Rather than welcoming these notions of progress, I would have withdrawn deeper into the mountains to insulate myself from these hostile forces, continuing our resistance against outsiders who threatened our existence.