1881.] Nongyancj Lake, on the Burmese Frontier*. 5 



and air 63°. After all had cooked and eaten we started up-stream between 

 two islands, the river bed becoming wider up to 400 yards. Extensive 

 shallows over sandy bottom often rendered it difficult to keep to the pas- 

 sage, a line of deeper water frequently ending in a wide shallow that 

 compelled all hands to get out, and by sheer force push and drag the canoe 

 to the nearest channel. 



Near Poai Muk there were large islands of dry sand in mid -stream, 

 which are evidently well covered in the rains, thus indicating the large 

 body of water that must then be needed to fill the river bed. 



It was about here that some forty years ago a small cannon fell into 

 the river during an expedition, and which is now commonly reported to go 

 off with a loud bang under water once every three years. 



About 11 a. M. we reached Makum, a village on the right bank, now 

 celebrated for its fort, situated on a clay bluff overhanging the river. A 

 native officer and 20 police are in charge. The plan of the building is a 

 Maltese cross, walls 4 feet thick and 50 high, loopholed in three stories. 

 It was erected by the late General David Reid, R. A., who had long experi- 

 ence on this frontier, and to whom we are indebted for most of the little 

 permanent work of this kind in Eastern Assam. The fort is impregnable 

 to savages like the Nagas. While at Makum I saw old Gubor Jemadar, 

 formerly in charge here, but who is now pensioned. He has great influence 

 among the hill tribes about, and by timely tact has on several occasions 

 ' saved us from political complications with the Nagas. 



After hearing the object of my journey, he quite agreed as to its 

 feasibility and safety, giving me also some valuable information regarding 

 the tract I was about to visit, though he had himself never seen it. 



At Makum the Dihing is 350 yards wide, and at this season runs 

 shallow over shingle. Not far off there are valuable beds of coal up to 20 

 and even 30 feet thick ; there are also petroleum springs. The river here 

 takes a huge bend, the concavity facing the Naga Hills opposite to the 

 south. On a fine day the view from the fort, across the river and low- 

 forest and lower ranges of hills, is very fine, the higher ranges bordering 

 the basin of the Tirap running behind, as at Rangatu, 3,500 feet. Beyond 

 these again lie the hills near Yungbhi and Yugli, and the Patkai in the 

 extreme distance at 5,000 and 6,500 feet, rising here and there to 8,000. 



Having made the necessary arrangements as to parcels and letters, we 

 started next morning at 11 a. m , reaching Insa, or Bor Phakial, in the 

 afternoon, and camping on the huge sand below the village. The inhabi- 

 tants are mostly Khamptis, or Shans, a race from the south-east, who are 

 scattered more or less about near here, their head-quarters being at Manchi 

 or Bor Khampti, on the Mli Kha branch of the Upper Irawadi. They 

 speak and write Shan, using the Burmese character, and are Buddhists. 



