1836.] on the extreme N. E. Frontier of Bengal, 203 



thrown away, and the leaves, being taken out of the boiler, are put 

 into a pit dug into the ground, and lined with some sort of leaves, to 

 prevent the tea coming in contact with the earth. When the pit is 

 filled with tea leaves, it is then spread well over with a thick layer cf 

 the other leaves, and after all, covered over with earth, so as to exclude 

 all air. In this state it is allowed to remain for two or three months, 

 when the pit is opened, and the tea sold on the spot to traders, who 

 pack it closely up in the joints of bamhus, earthen pots, &c. and 

 transport it to other parts of the couutry on mules for sale. He also 

 mentions, that many thousand maunds of tea are manufactured at a 

 place called Polong, and exported to China. Where Polong is situated, 

 I have not been able to determine. 



In addition to the tea tree, the Singpho country has lately been 

 discovered to abound in many valuable gams, well adapted for var- 

 nishes. 



Burmese Singphos. — The Singphos of Assam are separated from the 

 Singphos subservient to the Burmese, by the Patkoi chain of moun- 

 tains ; and though these two races are entirely unconnected with one 

 another, and independent, yet a constant friendly intercourse is main- 

 tained between them. The Burmese Singphos occupy a very exten- 

 sive tract of country on both sides of the Irawadi, and from the 

 Patkoi mountains eastward to the borders of China. 



Trade with China. — As the Chinese carry on a very considerable 

 trade with these Singphos, and through the medium of their country 

 with Assam, I shall endeavour to mark out particularly the line 

 of communication between the two countries. The Chinese pro- 

 vince of Yunan being separated from a navigable channel of the 

 Irawadi, only by a mountain chain, inhabited by Shans, tributary to 

 Burmah, the Chinese merchants, by a short land journey across 

 these mountains, convey their merchandise on mules, to a place called 

 Catmow, on the banks of that river. There the Irawadi is a large 

 stream. The channel is unincumbered with rocks, trees, or sandbanks ; 

 the shores are composed of a stiff hard clay, not liable to tumble down, 

 and present every facility for navigation. The exact position of 

 Catmow seems undefined. The merchants, having loaded their goods 

 on boats, easily procurable, commit themselves to the gentle current, 

 dropping down with the tide due south, day and night, and on 

 the third or fourth day arrive at the mouth of the river called Nam-yang. 

 After ascending this river four or five days in a north-west direction, 

 they come to a town called Mung-kung, or Mugaum, the chief 

 depot of Chinese trade situated at the junction of two smaller rivers, 

 the one called Nam-kung, or the Mugaum river, the other, Nam-yang, 

 2 d 2 



