4 S. E. Peal — Report on a visit to the [No. 1, 



missing Chum Deo, sent men after him for its recovery who followed to the 

 Billing whence they returned, this spot being now called " Nora-ulota," a 

 Nora's returned. 



The following is a copy of the passage in the History of the Kings of 

 Assam. 



£?^te 3A3^ df*BT ^fct^ 5?51 ?wft c^tsr c^«?p frotfif wftt, ^^t^tt ftcsr csr 



As we went up the river, the hills on either flank gradually subsided, 

 and gave place to level land, covered with mixed forest, the waterway 

 became shallow and wider, several Duania villages were passed, built more 

 or less after the Singphu pattern, **. e., long sheds of bamboo, the floor raised 

 on small posts. These people are the descendants of Assamese carried off by 

 Singphiis some 80 or 100 years ago, and reduced to slavery. Many escaped 

 from Hukong during and after the Burmese wars, and are now located 

 about the Dihing river, speaking both Assamese and Singphu, — dressing 

 like the former, but having the gross superstitions of the latter. 



During the day the Namsang Purbot, or hill, was a conspicuous feature 

 in the landscape, generally forming a fine background to the views on the 

 river. Its outline is good, and the colour at times dark green to blue, or 

 even purple, is seen reflected beautifully in the long still reaches of water, 

 with, at times, a wooded island in mid-stream, and a foreground of snags 

 piled in picturesque confusion. 



We were in no great hurry, so camped at the Juglo Duania village, 

 the ten or twelve houses of which were placed end on, at a few yards back 

 from the edge of the bank of yellow clay 30 feet high. 



Selecting a clean stretch of sand by the water, under the cliff, we soon 

 pitched our tents, and were visited by the headman, who brought the usual 

 little present of fowls, eggs, and some rice. The Bob Boy caused some 

 amusement, and one of the young men paddled it about very creditably, 

 considering it was rather crank, and the stream strong. As usual, great 

 interest was taken in my journey, and routes discussed after dinner. My 

 kerosine wall-lamp, revolver, and guns were duly wondered at, and a tiger 

 happening to announce himself by a loud whistle on the opposite bank, 

 I was enabled to gratify them by a shot from the Snider to frighten it 

 away, the echo rolling through the forest on each side for a long way, and 

 "sounding unusually loud and prolonged in the still night. At 9 p. M., the 

 thermometer stood at 65°, and we had a fine night. 



In the morning there was a heavy fog, with the usual light west-by- 

 south-west wind, threatening rain ; temperature of the Dihing water 68° 



