﻿174 A DESCRIPTION 



those of China ; but they manufacture very few mord 

 than are required for use. They are successful in 

 embroidering with flowers, and in weaving velvet 

 and tauthund, which is a species of filk of which they 

 make tents and * kenauts. Salt is a very precious 

 and scarce commodity ; it is found at the bottom of 

 some of the hills, but of a bitter and pungent quality. 

 A better sort is in common, which is extracted from 

 the plantain-tr^e. The mountains inhabited by the 

 tribe called Nanae, produce plenty of excellent Lig- 

 num Aloes, which a society of the natives import 

 every year into Asam, and bartar for salt and grain. 

 This evil disposed race of mountaineers are many de- 

 grees removed from the line of humanity, and destitute 

 of the characteristical properties of a man. They go 

 naked from head to foot, and eat dogs, cats, snakes, 

 mice, rats, ants, locusts, and every thing of this sort 

 which they can find. The hills of Camrup, Sidea, 

 and Luckigereh, supply a fine species of Lignum Aloes, 

 which sinks in water. Several of the mountains con- 

 tain musk-deer. 



The country of Uttarcul, which is on the northern 

 side of the Brahmaputra, is in the highest state of 

 cultivation, and produces plenty of pepper and Are* 

 #2- nuts. It even surpasses Dacshincul in population 

 and tillage ; bur, as the latter contains a greater 

 tract of wild forests, and places difficult of access, 

 the rulers of As am have chosen to reside in it for the 

 convenience of control, and have erected in it the 

 capital of the kingdom. The breadth of Utlarcul, 

 from the bank of the river to the foot of the moun- 

 tains, which is a cold climate, and contains snow, is 

 various; but is nowhere less than fifteen coss, nor 

 more than forty-five coss. The inhabitants of those 



* Kenauts are walls made to surround tents • 



