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Revisits the Tea Localities in the Singphoo and Muttack Districts, Upper Assam.

Dec. 2nd.—Returned to Jingsha via Kussin Panee, or river, and Karam Panee, the march being a tolerably easy one. Found along the steep banks of the former a fine Meniscium, frondibus 6–8 pedalibus, and an arborescent Polypodium, caudice 12–15 pedali, partibus novellis densissime ferrugineo-tomentosis; frondibus subtus glauco-albidis. The caudex is altogether similar in structure to that of Alsophyla, equally furnished with strong black bristly radicles towards its base.

Dec. 3rd.—Left for Husa Gam’s about 9, and arrived at the village which is on the Kampai of the Singfos, Tup-pai of the Mishmees about 4½ P.M. The first part of our march was to the E. up the Karam, we then traversed for a long way heavy jungle in a S. direction, and then came on the dry bed of the Kampai, up which we ascended to the village. Found a Ruellioidea, Cyananthus, mihi. Oom of the Assamese, with which the Kamptees dye their black blue cloths. Noticed an arborescent Araliacea inermis, foliis supra decomposita; panicule patentissima. The Husa Gam treated us very handsomely forming a striking contrast with the Mishmees; he declares positively that no tea exists in this direction; I shall therefore proceed direct from Luttora to Beesa. Roxburghia occurred on the route. The village is on the left bank of the river: the direction from Jingsha’s being about N.W.

Dec. 4th.—Reached Luttora after an easy march of three hours and a half, for the most part along an excellent path. We passed the following villages en route Chibong, Wakon, Mtarm, and Mcyompsan: three of which are of some size; none however so large as Nsas. This is the largest Singfo village I have seen, and probably contains 400 people. This village and all the others are situated on high ground, the ascent from the Kampai being probably 70 feet. The country consists of level, apparently good soil, with here and there broadish ravines in which bamboos are abundant. Cultivation is common, and of considerable extent. On a similar eminence is situate Luttora, and it has been well chosen, for on both sides that I approached it, the ascent is steep and capable of being easily defended; the south side is bounded by the Ponlong Panee, which runs into the Tenga Panee. If any ascent it is an easy one, and must be to the westward; to the north, there is a small stream, but neither this, Ponlong or Tenga are any thing but mere rills, which may be easily leaped over in the dry seasons. Our route from Nsas was to the W. of south. No stockades appear to exist in this quarter.

Luttora is not so large as Nsas; formerly the Luttora Gam was the chief of all this soil, but he has been partly deserted by two bodies of men who have respectively chosen Nsas and Htan-tsantan.

The Gam visited me in the evening at our halting place on the Ponlong; he is a large, coarse, heavy-looking man, nearly blind, and excessively dirty. He proposed of himself to me, to become the Company’s ryott in accordance with the wish, he said, of the Dupha Gam; but when I told him he ought to send or go to the Suddiya Sahib, or Political Agent, he said he wanted to see the Dupha first: he was accompanied by a very loquacious oldish man, who had just returned from Hook-hoom, to which place he had gone with the Dupha. They left apparently not much pleased at my being empty handed.

Dec. 5th.—Left at 6½, reached the Muttack Panee about 8½, having come through much heavy bamboo jungle; we then ascended the dry bed of the Muttack, and ascended after some time the Minaboom. This was most tedious, as we continued along the ridge for two hours; we then commenced our descent, but did not reach the Meera Panee much before 1 P.m. Down this we came here, and then along some curious chasms in the sandstone, and encamped about 3. The difference of soil between the Minaboom and the Mishmee hills is most obvious; on the N.E. declivity there is much soil; but on the opposite side little but rounded stones which supply the place of soil, and in places we saw nothing but sandstone conglomerate? or indurated soil with many boulders imbedded in it, and a blackish greasy clay slate; while on the Mishmees, on the contrary, all is rock, hard and harsh to the touch; or where loose stones do occur on the face of the hills, they are all angular. The vegetation of sandstone is likewise far more varied; and that of the Meera Panee district, abounds in ferns, among which is Polypodium Wallichianum. The Tree-fern of Kujing I observed in the Muttack, Sedgwickia in Minaboom, two Magnoliaceæ, one bracteis persistent, induratis, and a Dipterocarpus. The chief vegetation of the ridge consists of grasses, among which bamboo holds a conspicuous place. A Begonia was common along the Muttack. The Meera Panee would well repay a halt of two or three days.

At our halting place we met four Burmese, despatched by the Maum, {51} who has arrived at Beesa on a visit to the Luttora Gam.

Dec. 6th.—Reached Beesa after a sharp march of six hours. Our course lay at first down the Meera Panee; here I observed more of the Polypodium Wallichianum, which is common throughout the Singfo hill country, and appears to be used as grog, at least the juice of the petioles. We then diverged to the westward through heavy jungle, and the remainder of our march consisted of uninteresting dense jungle, water-courses, and excessively low places. Observed Sabia in some of the jungles; the only interesting plants gathered were an Impatiens and two or three Acanthaceæ. About 2½ P.M. we came on the Noa Dihing, which is now nearly dry, the water having flowed into the Kamroop. No boat, not even a dak boat, can come near Beesa. It is obvious that this river here never presented any depth, both banks being very low; the bed consists of small hard boulders.

Dec. 7th, 8th.—Halted at Beesa.

Dec. 9th.—Started for the Naga village, at some distance, and

Dec. 10th.—Left for Kujoo or Khoonlong, which we reached about 1, after a march of five hours. At 10, we arrived at Dhoompsan or Thoompsa, a large village with extensive cultivation. The remainder of our march was through heavy jungle, many parts of which were very low, and crowded with a fierce Calamus. The higher parts abound in a Dipterocarpus, and two Castaneæ. I found many fine ferns, all of which however we collected last year. Chrysobaphus, not uncommon. Apostasia rare.

Dec. 11th.—Visited the tea in the old locality at Nigroo. No steps have been taken towards clearing the jungles, except perhaps of tea. The Gam tells me, that the order for clearing was given to Shroo, Dompshan, and Kumongyon, Gams of three villages near the spot. Noticed Dicksonia en route, so that we must have passed it last year. Æsculus also occurs here.

Dec. 12th.—Arrived at Kugoodoo after an easy march of two hours and a half. At 12, went to see the tea which lies to the S.S.W. of the village, and about ten minutes’ walk to the W. of the path leading to Negrogam, and which for the most part runs along an old bund road. After diverging from this road we passed through some low jungle, which is always characterised by Calamus Zalaccoideus; and then after traversing for a short time some rather higher ground, came on the tea. This patch is never under water; there is no peculiarity of vegetation connected with it. It runs about N. and S. for perhaps 150 yards by 40 to 50 in breadth. The Gam had cleared the jungle of all, except the larger trees and the low herbaceous underwood, so that a coup d’œil was at once obtained, and gave sufficient evidence of the abundance of the plants, many of which were of considerable size, and all bore evidence of having been mutilated. They were for the most part loaded with flowers, and are the finest I have seen in the Singfo country. Young buds were very common, nor can I reconcile this with the statement made by the Gam, that no young leaves will be obtainable for four months. From the clearing, the plants are exposed to moderate sun; it is perhaps to this that the great abundance of flowers is to be attributed. The soil, now quite dry at the surface, is of a cinereous grey; about a foot below it is brown, which passes, as you proceed, into deeper yellow; about four feet deep, it passes into sand. No ravines exist, and mounds only do about a few of the larger trees. The soil as usual is light, friable, easily reduced to powder, and has a very slight tendency to stiffness.

Dec. 13th.—Left for the Muttack: our course lay through dense jungle, principally of bamboo, and along the paths of wild elephants; these beasts are here very common. We halted after a march of seven hours on a small bank of the Deboro; the only plant of interest was my Cyananthus in flower.

Dec. 14th.—Continued through similar jungle along the Deboro; bamboo more frequent. About 2 P.m. we left the undulating hillocks, and the jungle became more open. At 4, we reached Muttack, but had still to traverse a considerable distance before we halted at Kolea Panee. We crossed the Deboro en route; no particular plant was met with. I shot two large serpents, Pythons; one 8, and the other 10 feet long. The Kolea Panee is of some width, but is fordable.

Dec. 15th.—After marching for about seven hours, halted at a small village. The country passed over was, like most of this part of Muttack, open, consisting of a rather high plain covered with grasses, T. sperata, Saccharum, and Erianthus, with here and there very swampy ravines; the soil is almost entirely sandy, light at the surface; the yellow tint increasing with the depth, which is considerable. Crossed the Deboro by a rude wooden bridge. I found no particular plants en route.

Dec. 16th.—Reached Rangagurrah, after a march of about an hour: and halted for the day.

Dec. 18th.—Started to visit Sedgwickia at the wood, where we found it in February last. Reached the spot, which is at least ten miles from Rangagurrah, in two hours and a half. The trees had evidently not flowered last year; many of the buds were of some size, and such contained flower buds, each capitula being in addition enveloped in three bracteæ densely beset with brown hair. The natives assured me, it will flower about April, or at the sowing of halee. When we before found it, the buds were all leaf buds, which at once accounts for the non-appearance of flowers. Gathered Sabia in the Sedgwickia wood. The Major {53} arrived before I got back.

Dec. 20th.—Revisited the tea locality of Tingrei, which we reached after a five hours’ march. The portion of it formerly cleared is now quite clean: all the plants, and they are very abundant, have a shrubby shady appearance; the branches being numerous, so that the first aspect is favourable. But one soon detects an evident coarseness in the leaves, the tint of which is likewise much too yellow; altogether their appearance is totally unlike that of teas growing in their natural shade. That part, and the more extensive one which we first visited in February last, is now clearing; almost all the large trees have been felled, and all the underwood removed. The branches, etc. are piled in heaps and set fire to, much to the detriment of the plants: all the tea trees likewise have been felled. My conviction is, that the tea will not flourish in open sunshine; at any rate, subjection to this should be gradual. Further, that cutting the main stem is detrimental, not only inducing long shoots, but most probably weakening the flavour of the leaves. It appears to me to be highly desirable, that an intelligent superintendent should reside on the spot, and that he should at least be a good practical gardener, with some knowledge of the science also.

Dec. 24th.—Reached Suddiya. The country passed through was, for the first two days, of the same description as before; i.e. rather high grassy plains with belts of jungle, and intervening low very swampy ravines. The soil precisely the same as that of the tea localities. The last march was, with the exception of Chykwar, through low damp dense jungle.

* * * * *

Extract from the Author’s letter to Captain F. Jenkins, Commissioner of Assam, regarding the Mishmees. December, 1836. {54}

“I had thus become acquainted with all the influential chiefs near our frontier, and by all I was received in a friendly and hospitable manner. In accordance with my original intentions, my attention was in the first place directed towards ascertaining whether the tea exists in this direction or not, and, as I have already informed you, I have every reason to think that the plant is unknown on these hills. From what I have seen of the tea on the plains, I am disposed to believe that the comparative want of soil, due to the great inclination of all the eminences, is an insuperable objection to its existence.

“As I before observed to you, during my stay at Jingsha, my curiosity had been excited by reports of an incursion of a considerable force of Lamas into the Mishmee country. It hence became, having once established a footing in the country, a matter of paramount importance to proceed farther into the interior, and, if possible, to effect a junction with these highly interesting people; but all my attempts to gain this point proved completely futile; no bribes, no promises would induce any of the chiefs to give me guides, even to the first Mishmee village belonging to the Mezhoo tribe. I was hence compelled to content myself for the present, with obtaining as much information as possible relative to the above report, and I at length succeeded in gaining the following certainly rather meagre account.

“The quarrel, as usual, originated about a marriage settlement between two chiefs of the Mezhoo and Taeen tribes: it soon ended in both parties coming to blows. The Mezhoo chief, ROOLING, to enable him at once to overpower his enemies, and to strike at once at the root of their power, called in the assistance of the Lamas. From this country a force of seventy men armed with matchlocks made an invasion, and, as was to be expected, the Taeen Mishmees were beaten at every point and lost about twenty men. The affair seems to have come to a close about September last, when the Lamas returned to their own country. Where it occurred I could gain no precise information, but it must have been several days’ journey in advance of the villages I visited.

“It was owing to the unsettled state of the country, resulting from this feud, that I could gain no guides from the Digaroos, without whose assistance in this most difficult country, I need scarcely say, that all attempts to advance would have been made in vain. These people very plausibly said, if we give you guides, who is to protect us from the vengeance of the Mezhoos when you are gone, and who is to insure us from a second invasion of the Lamas? Another thing to be considered is, the influence even then exercised over the Mishmees near our boundaries by the Singphos connected with the Dupha Gam; but from the renewal of the intercourse with our frontier station, there is every reason for believing that this influence is ere this nearly destroyed.

“The natives of this portion of the range are divided into two tribes, Taeen or Digaroo and Mezhoo, these last tracing their descent from the Dibong Mishmees, who are always known by the term crop-haired. The Mezhoo, however, like the Taeens, preserve their hair, wearing it generally tied in a knot on the crown of their head. The appearance of both tribes is the same, but the language of the Mezhoos is very distinct. They are perhaps the more powerful of the two; but their most influential chiefs reside at a considerable distance from the lower ranges. The only Mezhoos I met with are those at Deeling-Yen, a small village opposite Deeling, but at a much higher elevation, and Tapan. I need scarcely add that it was owing to the opposition of this tribe that Captain WILCOX failed in reaching Lama. The Digaroos are ruled by three influential chiefs, who are brothers DRISONG, KHOSHA, and GHALOOM: of these, DRISONG is the eldest and the most powerful, but he resides far in the interior. PRIMSONG is from a distant stock, and as the three brothers mentioned above are all passed the prime of life, there is but little doubt that he will soon become by far the most influential chief of his tribe. Both tribes appear to intermarry. The Mishmees are a small, active, hardy race, with the Tartar cast of features; they are excessively dirty, and have not the reputation of being honest, although, so far as I know, they are belied in this respect. Like other hill people, they are famous for the muscular development of their legs:—in this last point the women have generally the inferiority. They have no written language. Their clothing is inferior; it is, however, made of cotton, and is of their own manufacture;—that of the men consists of a mere jacket and an apology for a dhoti—that of the women is more copious, and at any rate quite decent: they are very fond of ornaments, especially beads, the quantities of which they wear is very often quite astonishing. They appear to me certainly superior to the Abors, of whom, however, I have seen but few. Both sexes drink liquor, but they did not seem to me to be so addicted to it as is generally the case with hill tribes:—their usual drink is a fermented liquor made from rice called mont’h: this, however, is far inferior to that of the Singphos, which is really a pleasant drink.

“Religion. Of their religion I could get no satisfactory information—every thing is ascribed to supernatural agency. Their invocations to their deity are frequent, and seem generally to be made with the view of filling their own stomachs with animal food. They live in a very promiscuous manner, one hundred being occasionally accommodated in a single house. Their laws appear to be simple—all grave crimes being judged by an assembly of Gams, who are on such occasions summoned from considerable distances. All crimes, including murder, are punished by fines: but if the amount is not forthcoming, the offender is cut up by the company assembled. But the crime of adultery, provided it be committed against the consent of the husband, is punished by death; and this severity may perhaps be necessary if we take into account the way in which they live.

“The men always go armed with knives, Lama swords, or Singpho dhaos and lances; and most of them carry cross-bows—the arrows for these are short, made of bamboo, and on all serious occasions are invariably poisoned with bee. When on fighting expeditions, they use shields, made of leather, which are covered towards the centre with the quills of the porcupine. Their lances are made use of only for thrusting: the shafts are made either from the wood of the lawn (Caryota urens) or that of another species of palm juice—they are tipped with an iron spike, and are of great use in the ascent of hills. The lance heads are of their own manufacture, and of very soft iron. They have latterly become acquainted with fire-arms, and the chiefs have mostly each a firelock of Lama construction.

“With Lama they carry on an annual trade, which apparently takes place on the borders of either country. In this case mishmee-teeta, is the staple article of the Mishmees, and for it they obtain dhaos or straight long swords of excellent metal and often of great length; copper pots of strong, but rough make, flints and steel, or rather steel alone, which are really very neat and good; warm woollen caps, coarse loose parti-colored woollen cloths, huge glass beads, generally white or blue, various kinds of cattle, in which Lama is represented as abounding, and salts. I cannot say whether the Lamas furnish flints with the steel implements for striking light; the stone generally used for this purpose by the Mishmees is the nodular production from Thumathaya—and this, although rather frangible, answers its purpose very well; with the Singphos they barter elephants’ teeth, (these animals being found in the lower ranges,) for slaves, dhaws, and buffaloes.

“With the Khamtees they appear to have little trade, although there is a route to the proper country of this people along the Ghaloom panee, or Ghaloom Thee of WILCOX’S chart; this route is from the great height of the hills to be crossed, only available during the hot months.

“With the inhabitants of the plains they carry on an annual trade, which is now renewed after an interruption of two years, exchanging cloths, Lama swords, spears, mishmee-teeta, bee, which is in very great request, and gertheana, much esteemed by the natives for its peculiar and rather pleasant smell, for money, (to which they begin to attach great value), cloths, salt and beads: when a sufficient sum of money is procured, they lay it out in buffaloes and the country cattle.”