CHAP. xxvi. Assam. 415 



where we shot duck, teal, and snipe ; then to Jawai (Jynteah Hills), and so 

 on across the Hills to the Darrung river. ... In the depths of the pool 

 below we could see in the clear limpid waters not one Mahseer, but literally 

 thousands. . . . Ommanney caught a couple of fish. . . . The Cossyah 

 boats are very roomy, very buoyant, and are easily propelled by the 

 muscular arms of these Cossyahs. I got hold of a capital fellow, the only 

 word of English he knew was ' wind up,' which he kept repeating whenever 

 we came to a rapid, where there was danger of losing the spoon, or when 

 I struck a fish. We tried in the vicinity of our encamping ground, but 

 though we could see the fish in dozens, they would not look at our baits. 

 We could ascend the river only about a mile, and were then stopped by 

 waterfalls. I went up as far as I could without getting a bite ; I had to go 

 through these rapids. Coming back I struck a trout-like fish at the edge 

 of the rapid, and it was drowned before we got into smooth water. 



" Below our camp, towards the plains, the river was navigable for about 

 two miles, when it was partially dammed up by the Cossyahs. There were 

 alternately rapids and reaches of deep water. In one place which we called 

 the gorge, it was at least 50 to 60 feet deep, with the steep hills rising 

 abruptly out of the water's edge. I went down to the obstruction without 

 a bite ; coming back I put on my largest spoon, weighted it heavily, and 

 in the centre of the gorge struck a large fish which immediately took out 

 50 yards of line. After several rushes, I got the boat moored in a sandy 

 nook and gradually drew the fish towards me. General Blake now joined 

 me and stayed with me till the fish was killed. We could watch its every 

 movement ; it did its best to release itself from the hooks, it would be 

 almost on its side, and rub its mouth into the sand. Presently a fish, every 

 bit as big as himself, came by to see what the commotion was about, the 

 hooked fish went at him like a tiger, taking out some forty yards of line. 

 The sun was well up, the glare very unpleasant, and the perspiration pouring 

 down my face and almost blinding me ; yet I stuck to my fish, and, after 

 upwards of an hour's struggle, got it into the shallows, where 'Wind up' 

 cleverly relieved him. It weighed just 28 Ibs., and was, perhaps, the 

 handsomest fish I ever caught, and gave the most trouble to kill. The 

 next day I went below the weir, and, amongst other fish, caught one about 

 35 Ibs., but killed it in about a quarter of an hour. Lightfoot, of the 44th, 

 and Charley Wilson, of the Artillery, an old school-fellow of mine, joined us, 

 and we remained fishing in these waters three more days, and then went 

 partly across country, and partly by water to Jynteeapore, and thence back 

 vid Jowar to Shillong, putting up some woodcock en route. 



" I cannot give full particulars of this trip, because, as T have said before, 

 my journal is not by me. But in 1870, early in September, Col. Hicks, 

 Ommanney, Baurne, of the 44th, and I, started for these diggings, vid 

 China Poonghe. I need not enter into details of our march. At Jerreah 

 there is a river, which used to be, some years ago, full of Mahseer, but it 

 has been so poisoned of late years by the Cossyahs, that very few fish are 



