230 FLORA INDICA. 



ready to take every opportunity of improving our knowledge 



of geography. To the surveys of this corps, and in particular 



to Captain Wilcox himself, we are indebted for all that is 

 known of these countries. 



The Mishmi mountains, which occupy the most northerly 

 part, are the southern and western slopes of a mass of snowy 

 mountains which sweep round the north-west of Assam from 

 the east bank of the Dihong to the sources of the Dihing river. 

 The peaks of this chain are perhaps nowhere of great eleva- 

 tion as compared with the Himalaya, though many are covered 

 with perpetual snow ; and there are probably considerable de- 

 pressions, as at the source of the true Brahmaputra, which is 

 at the north-east angle of the chain, where the branch which 

 runs west, and bounds Mishmi on the north, is given off. 

 These mountains rise abruptly from the plain of Assam. 

 They have been visited by Captain Wilcox and by Mr. Grif- 

 fith, to whom we are indebted for all our information regard- 

 ing their vegetation. The climate is extremely humid. The 

 rainy season is the same as in Assam, but heavy winter rains 

 occur, and the air is usually extremely damp. 



The northern valleys of the Mishmi country appear to be 

 included in Tibet, and from the accounts of the few travellers 

 who have perilled their lives in attempting to ascend them, 

 the Tibet frontier is gained in about fifteen days' march up 

 the Brahmaputra, from the Kund or sacred pool of that river. 

 Wilcox, indeed, approached the frontier village of Taling; 

 and more recently a French missionary (M. Krick) reached 

 the same spot, where he was forced to retire, owing to the 

 jealousy of the authorities. 



The flora corresponds very closely with that of Sikkim, 

 Bhotan, and the Khasia mountains, and affords every indi- 

 cation of constant humidity. The mountains, up to six thou- 

 sand feet, are covered with a dense tropical forest, in which 

 Calami, Wallichia, Areca, Caryota, and Arenga, are common, 

 with tree-ferns, Pandanus, and Musa. Oaks, chesnuts, a wild 

 Thea, Guttiferce, Tiliacete, Verbenacete, and Araliacece are cha- 



