1888.] S. E. Vq^\— Notes of a trip up the Dihing. 35 



highest cone "Wa'thong," a summit to the south-west ** Kambro," and 

 the continuation of it " Kunjong." 



A conspicuous double peak on the snowed ridge going east, they called 

 " Taiyiin." None of them had been to the east of Wathong, and describ- 

 ed the routes there as difficult and over snow. A party had come over 

 probably from Bor Kamti valley, some years ago and two of the men had 

 to be carried in, having lost their feet through warming them at a fire 

 when frost-bitten. No one seemed to know that hard rubbing with snow 

 might save a limb, and I described the process. As we sat talking, the 

 clouds moved off, and we had for the rest of the day a fine view of all the 

 hills. A peculiar persistent grey green shade, all over the lower part of 

 Kun jong had struck me for some time as contrasting with the upper part 

 of the same. I had attributed it to cloud-shadow, and the upper yellowish 

 brown, to sunshine, but as it remained there after all cloud had gone, I at 

 once saw it was caused by some change in the vegetation. 



On enquiry it turned out that the yellow ochre colour was caused by 

 dry grass and a small bamboo, called by them " Shu mu," the leaves o£ 

 which turn yellowish. It grows in scattered clumps all over the hills at a 

 certain elevation, with and above the belt of firs. 



This belt could be well seen in the large telescopes and the individual 

 trees, their branches, tufted heads, and shadows could be even distinguish- 

 ed. As usual with fir trees, they grew often up the s^eep ridges, and 

 gullies, or ran in a line up the shady southern side of a ridge, among the 

 snow fields, and had it all to themselves, barring the " Shu mu" little 

 bamboo, and grasses. The takin is partial to this region, and difficult 

 to shoot from its wariness and agility. They also report the elephant 

 as wandering up as far as the snow at times, say 10,000 feet or more. 

 Musk-deer and yak also reported. 



The crossbows these men had, were very powerful, 5 feet long, though 

 the stock was small, and light as possible (barely long enough for the short 

 arrows) and had the ordinary crossbow trigger of bone. Arrows plain, 

 and poisoned with aconite, were carried in a small tube of bamboo about 

 18" X 2" with a worked cover to slip on, the quiver tube being carried 

 under the left arm and breast, cap upwards, handy. I was surprised to see 

 no regular dao such as other tribes use, and in lieu of it they use the small 

 nearly straight and pointed knife carried on a sheath or in one. The 

 spears were beauties, heads well made and strong, the shaft of caryota stem 

 or nahar wood, and the spike a foot long and thin, but strong also. Most 

 had the basket covered by some skin, worn in the hollow of the back, the 

 suspenders going a-la-knapsack over each shoulder, and hitched in front 

 by the bone fastening, which fastening is noteworthy for its simplicity. 



