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When proceeding with the Assam Deputation for the Examination of the Tea Plant.

September, 1835.—We arrived at Pubna on the 9th of September, and left it on the following morning, pursuing the course of the Pubna “Karee,” which is exceedingly tortuous and of about an average width of 100 yards. On the evening of the 10th, we halted in the same river near its termination. This morning we reached the “Beera,” into which the Pubna Karee enters, and which at the mouth presents a vast expanse of water. Among the jheels which occur on every side, we noticed in abundance the Tamarix dioica. About noon we entered a narrow river, and in the evening a very narrow creek in which in two places we experienced a great difficulty in getting the boats along. We noticed Alpinia allughas, Nymphæa pubescens, Oxystelma esculentum, Apluda aristata, in abundance. Up to this period the two most conspicuous grasses continue to be Saccharum spontaneum, and Andropogon muricatus.

Sunday, 13th.—Arrived at Shiraz-gunge, about half-past 8 A.m., from which place the people say Jumalpore is a three days’ journey. The country through which we proceeded after leaving Shiraz-gunge is nothing but a net-work of rivers, several of vast size, and low islands, occupied almost exclusively by Saccharum spontaneum, and in some places abounding in Typha elephantina, in fruit. We halted at a small village in the evening, where we procured Centrostachys aquatica.

September 14th.—Came in sight of distant very elevated land, which we suppose to be the Kassiya Hills. This morning (15th) the Hills are very plain, and bear nearly due north. The country through which we passed yesterday presented no change whatever. Andropogon muricatus has now nearly left us; but the Saccharum reaches to a large size, and is incredibly abundant. The natives use it for thatching their huts. We were visited by a heavy squall in the evening.

16th.—Strong winds from an easterly direction. About noon we succeeded in reaching a creek, in which we are completely sheltered. During our route here, we were employed in examining a new species of Crotalaria, and one of Mitrasacme! In pools close to us are Damasonium indicum, Nymphæa cærulea, Myriophyllum tetrandrum, Polygonum rivulare, and a species of Villarsia, V. cristata.

19th.—Left the creek, and arrived at Jumalpore about 2 P.m.; the cantonment of which occupies the right-hand side of the Burrampooter, along the bank of which the officers’ houses are situated; indeed this is the only dry line about the place, as immediately inland there are nothing but jheels and rice fields. Jumalpore is about ¾ of a mile from the junction of the Jenai with the Burrampooter or rather from the point of exit of the former river.

24th.—We left the cantonment about 11 A.m., and proceeded down the Burrampooter, which is a very uninteresting river, and appears more like a net-work of water and sand banks; opposite Jumalpore, the banks are about a mile apart, but the distance between the extreme banks, leaving the island opposite the cantonment out of the question, is much more. During the dry weather this part of the river is passable, and indeed is in some places nothing but a dry bed of sand, so that people walk across it. During our stay at the above place we met with many interesting and new plants, among which a new species of Villarsia occupied the most prominent place. Cyperaceæ, Gramineæ, and aquatic Scrophularineæ abound. Solanum spirale occurs in abundance, and the trees commence to be clothed with ferns. I observed only one Epiphytica Orchidea, probably an Aerides.

The banks consist hitherto of nothing but sand, covered with Saccharum spontaneum. Andropogon muricatus is scarcely to be met with.

26th.—We left Mymensing this morning, and proceeded down the Burrampooter, the banks of which still present for the most part nothing but a succession of sandy banks covered with Saccharum spontaneum. The stream is not very rapid, and the river, owing to the numerous islands and banks, does not present so imposing an appearance as the Ganges. For the last week strong easterly winds have prevailed.

27th.—We entered the mouth of the Soormah, or, as the natives seem to call it, the Barak. The water of this river or portion of the Megna? is remarkably clear, compared with that of the Ganges; as indeed is that of the Burrampooter.

30th.—Some time after we entered the Soormah we apparently left its channel, and up to this morning we have passed through a tract of jheels with a few clear and very deep channels. The villages are built on small eminences, and are entirely surrounded with water; they have the usual form, and those houses adjoining the water have fences of an Arundo, which they tell us are intended to keep out the grass. We have since entering these jheels passed through and between immense beds of vegetation, formed principally of Oplismenus (Panicum) stagninus, Leersia? aristata, which by-the-bye is a distinct genus. Villarsia cristata, Nymphæalotus, Potamogeton, Azolla Salvinii, etc. etc. The only novel things we have met with are Ischæmum cuspidatum, Roxb. (sui generis,) and a small grass intermediate between Panicum and Chamæraphis. The wild form of Oryza sativa, Panicum interruptum and Leersia? ciliaris, Roxb. also occur; the two former in abundance. On the more dry tracts, that occasionally though very rarely occur, Andropogon muricatus appears. No Saccharum presented itself since the 28th. High ground was visible yesterday evening, apparently at a great distance.

October 1st.—We have continued to pass through immense jheels: about 6 A.m. we arrived at Hubbe-gunge, a large native town, situated on the Barak, which does not deserve the name of a river. The actual distance from this place to Chattuc is about 42 miles, and the high land in that direction was faintly visible for about 2 hours in the morning. The ground to the Eastward is losing the “Jheel” character, and appears densely wooded, and to the S.E. rather high hills are visible. Altogether this land of jheels is very remarkable, particularly on account of the great depth of the water, which except in one point has hitherto always exceeded 6 feet, and yet the water has fallen in all probability two or three more. As the head quarters of tropical aquatic plants, it is well worthy of attention; the profusion of Leersia aristata, Roxb. is immense, but this is almost exceeded by Oplismenus stagninus.

On the 3rd October, we left the tract of jheels, and proceeded by small rivers, overhung with jungle and fine bamboos; on the 5th we re-entered the Soorma and proceeded down it to Chattuc, which is situated on the left bank of the river, and which we reached in the afternoon. During our passage down the river we had beautiful views of the mountains, which do not however strike one with an idea of great height. We could plainly distinguish two or three waterfalls shooting over scarped precipices.

Churra Punjee, October 30th.—After a residence of 20 days here, I wrote to Mr. Solly, stating nothing particular, except that Bucklandia has coniferous tissue, and that Podostemon will probably prove Monocotyledonous and allied to Pistiaceæ. Our stay here has proved a source of great delight, and accumulation of botanical and geological treasures. The cantonments of Churra are at an elevation of 4200 feet above the sea, the native village being situated half way up the ascent which closes in the table-land on which the cantonment is situated towards the N. and W., and it is hence about 300 feet higher. The country immediately adjoining the cantonment is flat, with here and there a rounded hillock, destitute of any covering but grasses and a few low, half shrubby plants. To the Eastward there is a very deep and beautiful valley, the west side of which in particular is densely covered with jungle, but this does not contain any large trees. The opposite side, fronting our bungalow, runs nearly N. and S., presents a succession of ravines, and a most picturesque and varied surface. This valley, along the bottom of which as is usual a torrent runs, opens into the low country at Terrya Ghat, which is situated at the foot of the ascent to Churra. Directly to the south, and at a distance of about two miles from the cantonments, there is another valley likewise occupied below by a torrent fed by the Moosmai falls. The commencement of all these valleys, that I have at least seen, is a sheer precipice, which often, and particularly at Moosmai, assumes the form of a vast amphitheatre, over the brink of which cascades, especially at Moosmai, fall in tolerable plenty. It is in these places that the immense depth of the sandstone is best seen; the depth of the valley of Moosmai is, I am told, 1500 feet, the country above these precipices is generally level, and is in fact table-land. The most beautiful valley is at Maamloo, a village to the Westward of Churra, and about five miles distant. The approach to Churra is pretty enough, and gives the best view of the cantonment. The coal mines are to the Westward, and close to Churra. These I have not yet seen; the coal is of the very best description, it does not splinter, gives remarkably few ashes, affords an admirable fire and the best coke. Water-courses are plenty about Churra, but the body of water is at this season small, although it becomes considerable after a few hours rain; it is then that the great fall at Moosmai becomes really beautiful, the water shooting over the precipice and falling into a bason about 150 feet below. By a succession of these falls, although of more limited height, it at length reaches the bottom of the valley. It is only on the precipices about the fall that the Chamærops appears to grow; at the foot of a precipice a little to the right (going from Churra,) a tree fern grows, which I have Wallich’s authority for stating to be Polypod giganteum, a fern which occurred at Mahadeb, and which I have seen in somewhat similar situations at Mergui. All my excursions have been confined to this valley and to the water-courses immediately around Churra; once only have I quitted the table-land and proceeded to Maamloo, and yet in this very limited space the profusion of objects has been such as to enable me only to embrace a very limited proportion. The above excursion proved very rich. About half way to Maamloo I discovered a solitary tree fern (Alsophila Brunoniana,) and to the left, and up the broken sides of the calcareous cliffs that occur here and between Maamloo and Moosmai, a group of several magnificent specimens, of which on the succeeding day we brought home three. We saw none above 30 feet, although the specimen in the British Museum from these hills measures 45. Their axis is of small diameter, and is nearly cylindrical, the vascular fascicles being disposed in covered bundles, often assuming the form of a UU near the circumference of the very dense cellular tissue of which the axis is chiefly composed. Towards the base it is enveloped in an oblique dense mass of intermottled rigid fibres (roots) which, as they are developed in the greatest extent, the nearer they approach the base, give the trunk a conical form. Their growth is essentially endogenous, and will probably be found when examined aborigine to approximate to that of Cycadeæ, although these last are of a more exogenous than endogenous nature. Nothing however is known of the growth of Palms, Cycadeæ, or tree ferns. I have above alluded to the calcareous rocks or cliffs; these are of the same formation with those that occur so abundantly on the Tenasserim coast, although they are much more rich in vegetation. These I first saw at Terrya Ghat; like those of Burmah they abound in caves, and assume the most varied and picturesque forms; they appear to be the head quarters of Cyrthandraceæ, of which we found a noble species with the flower of a Martynia growing among the tree-ferns. They are very rich in ferns and mosses, of which last near the tree-ferns I gathered four species of four genera without moving a foot. The cliffs in which, or at the foot of which the coal is found, bound the Churra cantonments to the Westward. These are chiefly calcareous. The entrance to Churra lies between this and the precipice at Moosmai. Very few animals of any description are to be seen about Churra. I have seen one small species of deer, about half as large again as the mouse-deer of Mergui, and one young flying squirrel of a greyish black colour, with a very bushy tail. Leopards are, they say, not uncommon. Tigers do not generally come so high. Of birds, I mean about Churra, there are several species of hawks, and their old companions crows and swallows; but I have seen no sparrows, which is singular enough. There is one beautiful species of jay, with crimson-orange beak and legs, and a pretty king-fisher; but, except perhaps in the valleys, birds, I should say, are very scarce. With respect to shooting, scarcely any is to be had; wood-cocks are found in the dells about Churra, but sparingly. I have seen only one snipe and one quail.

Regarding the natives, I have little to say. They are a stout-built, squat, big-legged hill tribe: the women in regard to shape being exactly like their mates; and as these are decidedly ugly—somewhat tartarish-looking people, very dirty, and chew pawn to profusion—they can scarcely be said to form a worthy portion of the gentler sex. They appear to be honest; but that is a quality which, from the example of their European lords, they are said to be losing fast. They have no written character; every thing being transmitted by tradition, and performed by the interchange of tokens. They drink like fish, and manufacture a bad kind of arrack, the pernicious effects of which were experienced by the European invalids when the Sanatarium was in existence. They pay respect to their dead by the erection of a sort of kairns and large erect slabs of sandstone rounded off at the upper end: of these, I believe, they put up three or five to each friend, according to their means and, probably, rank. The Churra people cultivate nothing but a little cotton, and perhaps a species of Eleasine. They depend upon the plains for their support and supplies, and this is good management since rice at Terrya Ghat is sold at 70 or 80 seers a rupee. Their hire is, considering the cheapness of their food, very expensive; a man being rated at four annas a day, a woman at three, and a boy at two. I should add, that they have no caste.

The climate is certainly very cool and cold, the thermometer ranging from about 56° to 66° in-doors at this time of the year. The rains are said to be the coldest part of the year; they are excessive, commencing in April and ceasing in October. It occasionally rains for fifteen or sixteen days in succession, and without intermission; and nine or ten inches have been known to fall in twenty-four hours. Since we have been here, inclusive of this, we have had four days of wet weather, of which three were continued rain. Both were ushered in by the sudden irruption of heavy mists from below, which soon spread over the country, obscuring every thing. These sudden irruptions occur during the partial breaking up of the rain, during which time the valleys are completely choked up with dense mists, the summits of the hills on the opposite side to that on which one stands being alone visible. After the rains were over, in the first instance, the plains, or rather the mass of haze hanging over them, presented a most curious spectacle.

The coldest weather we have yet experienced was at Maamloo, on the 27th, the thermometer at 8 P.m. being at 52°. This is remarkable, as Maamloo is rather below Churra. There is however a good deal of wood round the place. {7}

With regard to Botany, the chief vegetation about Churra, as indeed is at once indicated by the appearance of the country, consists of grasses. Along the water-courses, which intersect this portion of the country, Bucklandia populnea, a species of Ternstræmia, Pandanus, Eugenia, Camellia, are found; while Compositæ, Eriocaulon, and ferns abound in the same places. The vegetation of the valleys is very rich and very varied; and, an affinity is indicated with the botany of China by the existence of a species of Illicum, I. khascanam, and several Ternstrœmiaceæ. The great orders are grasses, ferns, compositæ. During a trip to Maamloo, a beautifully situated village on the brink of the table-land, we discovered abundance of the tree-fern Alsophila Brunoniana, the highest of which measured 25 feet. The appearance of the tree is that of a palm. The flora surrounding these tree-ferns we found to be exceedingly rich. Among Nepal ferns, I may mention Anisadenia, Saxifraga ligulata.

Interior of the Khasyah Mountains.—On the 2nd, we left for Surureem; at which place we halted a day. Bucklandia here occurs, of a very large size, perhaps 50 or 60 feet. It is a rugged-looking tree, many of the branches being decayed. There we observed the first Rhododendrum arboreum. Our next stage was to Moflong; during our march thither, or rather mine, I had a fine view of the Himalayas, but not upon the regular road to Moflong. The European forms certainly increased in number between Surureem and the above place. Two great acquisitions occurred on the road; a new Crawfurdia, and a Podostemon which W. has named after me. This I found in the clear stream adjoining the Bogapanee growing upon stones, and adhering to them very firmly. It is on the hills about the Bogapanee that the firs first make their appearance, but do not attain to any great size. The valley of the Bogapanee is exceedingly deep, and both the descent and ascent are very difficult.

Moflong is a bleak exposed village and the bungalow or residence for travellers very bad. The number of European forms we found to increase considerably about this place. The only woods that occur are of fir, but the trees are of no great size; their frequent occurrence, however, stamps a peculiar feature on the scenery. We here experienced nearly three days of continued rain, and, as the place is bleak, we were miserable enough. We left for Myrung on the 9th, and the greater and all the first part of the long march was very uninteresting. At Mumbree, however, there is a decided improvement, and the scenery is very good. One here notices the occurrence of woods—of oaks, etc., and their form reminded me somewhat of the woods of Buckinghamshire. No woods of fir occur; all the trees occurring isolatedly. I should mention that the country between Molee and Moflong is quite peculiar in geological structure, abounding in Cyanite, the masses of which are of very considerable size. I imagine that the vegetation farther on in this direction would be more rich in European forms than elsewhere, at least between Churra and Mingklow.

Myrung is certainly far superior in every point to any place that we have yet seen; and, as the climate is peculiarly fine and the bungalow good, the degree of enjoyment is as great as can be expected. The features of the country are similar to those of Mumbree. The groves or woods are composed chiefly of oaks, intermixed with Magnolias, which attain a very large size. These forests seem all to have a northern aspect. Orchideæ abound in these woods, and so far as herbaceous forms go, European vegetation is on the decrease. From the bungalow one has occasionally a remarkably fine view of the Himalayas, mountains intercepted by large tracts of very high land, probably Bootan. The coldest weather we have experienced here was when the thermometer sank to 46°; even in the middle of the day the sun is not oppressive. It is singular enough, that the first attempts, so to speak, at a Fauna occur here. The woods abound with small birds. I shot one squirrel, with a very short tail and rounded head. Red deer (the Gyee of the Burmese) occur, though rarely. Two or three solitary snipes may be found during a day’s excursion, and perhaps a brace of quail, which are nearly as large as English partridges. Pheasants are reported to occur in the woods. I should add, that both here and at Nunklow snipe of a very large description, and of the habits of the solitary snipe, are found in small numbers. They are very brown, as large as a wood-cock, and their cry is that of a common snipe. Lieutenant Townsend informs me, that these birds are a totally distinct species. Lieutenant Vetch tells me, that the Khasiyas declare that they are the females of the wood-cock, in other words, wood-hens, and that in March wood-cocks abound in the places with these wood-hens. He likewise informs me, that the only difference he could ascertain to exist between these birds and wood-cocks, consists in their having very short and thick legs.

I have seen two of this particular description, but have never shot any.

After Myrung one can speak much less in favour of these hills. Nunklow is a pretty spot, and commands a really magnificent view of the Himalayas, of the Bootan mountains, and of the plains of Assam. Altogether this view is the finest which, in my limited experience, I have ever seen: I did not however like Nunklow, nor do my wishes recur to it. {9} The route thither is pretty enough, and not fatiguing. I may mention Nunklow as the station of some fine trees, among which is a Betula, two Æsculi, oaks, etc. in abundance. The pine is in fine order, but not large. Much more cultivation is carried on in this portion of the hills than elsewhere, and paddy is cultivated apparently to some extent. The temperature is much warmer, and the air by no means so bracing as that of Myrung. Perhaps at this place the flora resemble that of lower Himalaya more than other places we have yet seen. The march from Nunklow to Nowgong is very long, and, as we started late, owing partly to mismanagement and partly to the want of coolies, we were most agreeably benighted in the jungle. The descent is very sudden and commences at Nunklow; the valley, on the brink of which it is situated, being perhaps 2000 feet deep. It is in this valley or on its walls that the finest pines we have seen occur, but even here they do not attain a greater height than 60 feet, and perhaps a diameter of a foot or a foot and a half. As Mr. Brown of the Sillet Light Infantry informed me most correctly, many would make fine spars; but Mr. Cracroft’s language in one of the Journals of the Asiatic Society when describing these firs, seems rather overwrought. During our march I picked up a pretty species of Sonerila. A small stream runs at the foot of the descent, by what name it goes I know not. Near the Bustapanee, flowing along a valley about two hours’ walk from the last mentioned water. Wallich discovered abundance of his favourite and really splendid Polypodium Wallichianum, which I may accuse with justice of being an additional reason for our benightment. The stream is really the only respectable river we have seen, or rather the second one that can be called a torrent, the other being the Bogapanee. It boils along, and the body of water is great, even at the season of the year at which we passed it. It has forced enormous holes, frequently round, in the large masses of rock that form its bed, and then in and a few yards beyond the bridge of bamboos by which we crossed, it falls, they say, 70 feet into a fine bason, which however is only partly visible from above. They who have been on the edges of this bason say that the fall is really fine; it certainly has not much of this when viewed from above, neither can it, I think, even in the rains come up to Mr. Cracroft’s description. Moosmai is, après tout I will venture to say, the king of the falls between Terrya Ghat and Ranee Godown. On the farther side of this water, small trees of Cycas first make their appearance, but we had no time now or rather then to examine any thing. As the shades of evening lengthened we quickened our paces, and at last when it became dark, came up with the coolies in a most rugged road, and when it was dark, after stumbling about a good deal, I made my way to the foot of the descent, and reached a small stream, where we made preparations for a halt, and where we passed the night, during which we were treated with a slight shower of rain. As the season was far advanced we all escaped, scot-free, from fever, and reached the Bungalow called Nowgong about 10 o’clock next morning, where we spent the day.

From this time we were, I believe, all anxious to leave the hills, which had lost all their charms, although the vegetation was still more gigantic and interesting. But we were now confined to the road, which is very good, all digressions being prevented by the thickness of the jungles, and then in some places swarms of wild elephants. These animals appear most numerous about Onswye, near which there is a marshy place literally trodden up by them, and their tracks were so fresh that no traces of Wallich or his coolies could be identified, although they had preceded us only about half an hour. It was in this particular place that I gathered a solitary specimen of Butomus pygmæus. Beyond Nowgong, saul first comes into view, and many trees attain a considerable size. Some fine ferns and two beautiful Acanthaceæ, I may mention, as collected about that place. We reached Jyrung by an easy march the next day; every step adding only to a greater renewal of acquaintance with old faces, or at least old plain plants. Between Jyrung and the foot of the hills, we fell in with Henslowia glabra in fine flower: Wallich took many fine specimens, all of which were males. This species is, as well as the former, liable to deceive one as to the sex of the plant; but all the seeming ovaries beginning to enlarge are due to insect bites or punctures. To conclude: at the foot of the hills we were embraced with Marlea Begonifolia, Bauhinia purpurea, etc. almost exactly as at Terrya Ghat. Between the foot of these really delightful hills and Ranee Godown, I fell in with one plant only, deserving of mention, Dischedia Rafflesiana; this is worthy of notice, as our Indian Asclipiferous species have not hitherto been found, I believe north of Moulmain, nor otherwhere than that peninsula and the archipelago. From Ranee Godown we had the pleasure of walking nineteen miles to Gowahatty, which place we reached on the 23rd November.