584 



NATURE 



{Oct. 16, 1879 



less useful for the growth and manufacture of tea, and 

 convert it from a cul-de-sac into a great highway. But 

 the spectacle would be removed of two large and populous 

 empires touching each other, and in harmony, yet having 

 no direct intercourse. 



In past times this subject received careful attention 

 from those who were in a position to judge of the relative 

 values of the various routes, and whether via Kamaun, 

 Nipal, Sikim, Bhutan, or the Mishmi Hills the elevations 

 were found to range from 10,000 to 18,000 feet, often at 

 several points on each line, and there has been an almost 

 unanimous agreement that the route from Asam vid 

 Patkai and Hukong Valley presents the least difficulty. 



Pemberton, in his report on the north-eastern frontier 

 in 1835, after a survey of Munipiir, Passage through the 

 Naga Hills and knowledge of the Bhutan frontier, 

 unhesitatingly reports it as the best route "presenting no 

 serious obstacles." 



The late General Francis Jenkins (Governor-General's 

 agent in Asam from 1834 to 1868) was well acquainted 

 with the various routes, and says :— " By this pass is — to 

 the best of my information — the only practicable line 

 throughout the encircling mountain ranges from Asam 

 and India into Burmese territory, and thence to China." 



Lieut. Charlton also, who had experience on this ques- 

 tion, says {Journal A. S.B., 1835):— "What a pity there 

 is no means of communication between Sadia and Yunan, 

 a good land road, and there are no natural obstacles of 

 any consequence to prevent it, would afford an outlet for 

 British merchandise into the very heart of China." 



In 1868 and also in 1869 Mr. H. L. Jenkins crossed 

 Patkai near the site of the old route, and demonstrated 

 that the only obstacles of any note were of a political, and 

 not a physical nature {Proceedings, A. S. Bcni;al,}v\y, 1870, 

 p. 230). In January last, 1879, the Chief Commissioner of 

 Asam kindly permitted me to cross the Patkai and ascer- 



MAP SHEWING THE PROPOSED ROUTE ACROSS PATKAI TO CHINA. 



tain relative and actual elevations, and briefly I may say 

 that the extreme altitude of the track where I crossed the 

 range is 3,445 feet above the sea, and 2,734 feet above the 

 level of the Asam valley, the descent on the Burma side 

 being about 1,000 or 1,200 feet only, the passage from the 

 river levels of one side to the other being always done in 

 one day, or one and a half if herds of cattle are taken ; 

 but it is noteworthy that the range is much lower at a 

 short distance to the east, where it is easily seen that passes 

 exist at 2,000 feet or less, where the old track is reputed 

 to have been, by which the Ahoms and the Burmese army 

 entered. The whole range is covered by a dense tree 

 jungle, and any one acquainted with the sturdy hillmen 

 who use this track will understand that the present route 

 is selected simply because it presents an easy passage. 

 The trouble of climbing a few hundred feet more or less 

 is of little consequence to these hardy mountaineers. It 



I is also near some villages where provisions are procurable, 

 ' the country east being absolutely uninhabited. 



After crossing Patkai I descended to the Nongyang 

 Lake, a sheet of water about 1,800 by i,coo yards, lying in 

 an open flat grassy valley, about 10 miles long by 2 or 3 

 broad. As I had taken a Rob Roy canoe with me, I was 

 able to get out on the lake and had a good view of the 

 range ; the lake and valley level stands from 1,500 to 2,oco 

 feet above that of Asam. On returning, my party crossed 

 from the Nongyang Lake on the Burmese side to the 

 river Nunki on the Asam side, in about seven hours of 

 actual travel. 



Hitherto the great obstacle to any route this way was 

 thought to be difficulty of crossing Patkai ; it was con- 

 sidered an impassable barrier, even by those in favour of 

 a joint route from Asam and Upper Burma. But it is 

 now clear that this barrier does not exist, and that an 



