1883.] S. E. Feid—J^ofes of a trip up the Billing. 45 



fcation, all is bare hard, glaring rock, shimmering in the hofc sun. Or at 

 another time taking " Kunjung," in the region of firs, one could wander 

 about almost as at Shillong among the grass and boulders and firgroups ; 

 some of which were very picturesque, and at last were so well known by 

 sight, that I could almost sketch them from memory, ending my journey of 

 two hours or so by a visit to the snow fields on " Wathong," the return 

 journey which in person might take four days' hard work, being done now 

 in as many seconds. 



The drawback of a high power on a small 0. G. is that the loss of 

 light is so great that either detail cannot be seen, or it can only be used 

 on such an object as the moon ; again, while the best small 0. glasses will 

 only stand a power of 50 and 60 diams. per inch, larger object-glasses up 

 to 3"-5 dia. will stand 100. 



Here on the top of this spur we found many large rounded boulders 

 as on the Mbong yang and all seemed to be various forms of sandstone, 

 not the gneissic or granitic kinds seen in the Dapha bed. 



Early in the morning I took the temperature of the water in the pool 

 at 39,° no doubt it was caused by the intense radiation. At the Da?pha 

 muk I had several times taken the temperature of the river in the morning 

 and found it generally 51° F . air being 40*^ to 43.° The temperature of the 

 soil at the same time by springs was, 62.° The temperature of sand must 

 fall a good deal in clear nights. In the mornings all the boulders embedded 

 in it, had a wliite band of dry sand right round. Here and there white 

 patches were seen, large and small ; one invariably found a boulder just 

 below, at an inch to 1|, the heat from which had prevented the deposition 

 of dew, on the sand over it. 



Late at night and early in the morning we had heard the rush of the 

 Dapha river, to the east, so in starting I calculated as if marching from 

 that river, and we got off at about 10 A. M. as I always make the people 

 eat first, (also their own custom). 



We very soon came to the Nchong stream now a little dell and with not 

 much water, all of us had a good drink as we should not get another chance 

 till late in the day. At one place we came on a party of nine Mishmis, and 

 some of our people exchanged opium for rice, they were crossing from the 

 Teng kha (Tenga Pani) to the new Jums on Dapha, one girl had the 

 peculiar pewter or silver coronet as an inverted crescent over the forehead, 

 several had cross-bows, others spears, and one a sword. We then crossed 

 the saddle between Nchong Bum and Joitho, which was pointed out by 

 the Singphu, and over a long flat tract, in which we were shewn the site 

 of old Bishi, where Wilcox passed, and which he marks. It could hardly 

 have been noticed but for the forest being just there almost entirely of 

 " Kot kora," the fruit of which can be eaten, raw or dried. The present 

 Bishi Gam was born here. 



