July, 1850. 



KOLLONG ROCK. MUSICAL SOUNDS. 



295 



amongst which were many curious and beautiful air- 

 plants.* 



The view from the top is very extensive to the north- 

 ward, but not elsewhere : it commands the Assam valley 







KOLLONG ROCK. 



and the Himalaya, and the billowy range of undulating 

 grassy Khasia mountains. Few houses were visible, but the 

 curling smoke from the valleys betrayed their lurking-places, 

 whilst the tinkling sound of the hammers from the distant 



* Erla, Ctelogyne (Wallichii, maculata, and data), Cymbidium, Dendrobium, 

 Sunipia, some of them flowering profusely; and though freely exposed to tlie 

 sun and wind, dews and frosts, rain and droughts, they were all fresh, bright, green 

 and strong, under very different treatment from that to which they are exposed 

 in the damp, unhealthy, steamy orchid-houses of our English gardens. A wild 

 onion was most abundant all over the top of the hill, with Hymenopogon, 

 Vaccinium, Ophiopogon, Anisadenia, Commelyna, Didymocarpus, Remusalia, Hedy- 

 chium, grass and small bamboos, and a good many other plants. Many of the 

 lichens were of European kinds ; but the mosses (except Bryum a<genteurn) and 

 ferns were different. A small Staphyl'tnus, which swarmed under the sods, was 

 the only insect I remarked. 



