172 REPORT— 1873. 



" Persian houses are not comfortable, in the English sense. Although the cha- 

 racter of native Persian domestic relations involves separate suites of rooms, there 

 is no privacy in any department ; for the women's part is as much frequented by 

 women and children as the men's by the ruder sex of all ages and classes. Servants, 

 unless kept away by order (a dangerous process with the idler ones), are apt to be 

 ubiquitous, and turn up at all hours of the day about the house, noisily bickering, 

 listlessly squatting, or moving with silent solemnity. Visitors used to give notice 

 of coming, but are gradually and tacitly abrogating the practice ; and natives and 

 Europeans will soon, it is presumed, call upon each other in Persia with as liUle 

 ceremony as elsewhere. Nor is it unlikely that the habit of bringing tea, coll'ee, 

 and pipes to every visitor will also faU into disuse. The old orthodox custom of a 

 threefold supply is, to say the least, inconvenient ; for strict fidfilment of a dozen 

 visits would necessitate the absoi-ption of thirty-six cups of wami liquid and thirty- 

 six * sets ' of tobacco inhalations." 



The paper, moreover, contained many particulars and some statistics of the late 

 disastrous famine, gathered during the last two of the three journeys above 

 mentioned. 



On a Visit to Koh-Khodja. By Major Bekesford Lovett. 



On Assam, and an Overland Communication tvith China*. 

 By J. M'CosH, M.D., late H.M. Bengal Army. 



The subject of this paper is an overland communication between India and 

 China, between Assam and Yunan, between a navigable branch of the Brahma- 

 pootra and the Yang-tsi-kiang, between the two most populous empires in the 

 world— the one numbering 200,000,000 inhabitants, the other 300,000,000. The 

 author spent the earl}' part of his service in India, in Assam ; and wrote its topo- 

 graphy, a book published by order of Government. After giving a bird's-ej-e 

 view of Assam and its suiTOundings, its people and climate, of the discoveiy of tea 

 in the province, and the rise and fall of its tea-plantations from want of labourers, 

 he proposes a route direct across from the Brahmapootra through Munnipoor aud 

 Upper Burmah to Bliamo, aud thence on through Momien and Talifoo to the 

 Yang-tsi-kiaug. Such a road, even a footpath, if protected by the Chinese, the 

 Burmese, and the Indian Governments, would afford a ready outlet to the surplus 

 population of China, and be the means of restoring prosperity to the bankrupt tea- 

 plantations. Moreover, he expresses a hope that at no distant day the North- 

 eastern Railwaj' of Bengal shall be extended across from the Brahmapootra to the 

 Yang-tsi-kiang in the same direction, when the immense trade of the Indus, the 

 Ganges, and the Brahmapootra, the Ningtee, the In-awaddy, and the Yang-tsi- 

 kiang, shaU be hoisted on trucks, and rolled from East to West and from West to 

 East in one gi-and tide, and that the British mercliants shall fill their pitchers from 

 the stream, and deal out its bounty to the people of the land. 



On Recent Arctic E.vplorations. By Clements B. Mabkham, C.B. 



On Discoveries at the Eastern End of Netv Guinea, 

 By Captain J. Moresby, R.N. 



On Russian Aecomits of Khiva and Turcomania. By E. Delmar Morgan. 



On a Journey from Pelcing to Han-Tcoiv. By E. L. OxENHAJr. 



* The original has been printed in extenso by order of the Secretary of State for India. 



