426 WILD SPORTS OF BURMA AND ASSAM 



I believe the Province would have been neglected to this 

 day. 



But English capital was largely invested in that industry, 

 and the planters gradually but surely forced the Government 

 to introduce a better government. 



But the success of a few companies induced others also to 

 embark in tea, and the wildest and, in many cases, the most 

 dishonest speculation took place, and led almost to the ruin of 

 the whole trade. 



Assam is a long, narrow valley, bounded on one side by the 

 Bhootan, and on the other by the Cossyah and Garrow hills. 

 It is intersected by the Brahmapootra river, one of the finest 

 in India ; as it debouches from the Himalaya it takes a 

 westerly course and finally falls into the Bay of Bengal. 



There is scarcely a portion of this valley through which this 

 mighty river has not at some time or other flowed ; sometimes 

 approaching the Cossyah range to the south, and at others to 

 the Bhootan hills to the north ; it has left deserted channels 

 everywhere, and has at last settled down about the centre of 

 the valley, about half-way between the two ranges which proved 

 insurmountable barriers to its erratic course. Wherever this 

 river has once flowed and receded it has left vast beds, which 

 are now swamps, covered with tangled and high grass, many 

 of which are quite impassable for laden elephants. In these 

 recesses, almost impregnable, vast herds of elephants, rhinoceros 

 and buffaloes live unmolested, save by an occasional European 

 hunter, who, unheedful of the stories told him by the old stay- 

 at-home residents of the deadly malaria prevalent there, has 

 penetrated their wilds. 



Assam, like Burma, is subject to a damp heat, totally 

 unlike the hot dry climate of the greater part of India ; one 

 suits certain constitutions and the other, others. Men who 

 will thrive in the one won't in the other, and vice versa. 



Like in Burma, so in Assam ; it does not do for a man to 

 drink freely or to lead a sedentary life. He should wear 

 flannel and be ordinarily careful. I travelled over the whole 

 valley at all seasons, and suffered very little from malarial 

 fever ; but there is one thing a man in Assam must avoid, and 

 that is (if he encamps near the foot of a range of high hills) 



