Sept. 1850. POMRANG. BOWRINGIA. 313 



north-east and dip north-west 60°) ; the soil was poor in 

 the extreme ; not an inhabitant or tree was to be seen 

 throughout the grassy landscape, and hardly a bush, save 

 an occasional rhododendron, dwarf oak, or Pieris, barely 

 a few inches high. 



At Pomrang we took up our quarters in an excellent 

 empty bungalow, built by Mr. Stainforth (Judge of Silhet), 

 who kindly allowed us the use of it. Its elevation was 

 5,143 feet, and it occupied the eastern extremity of a 

 lofty spur that overhangs the deep fir-clad valley of the 

 Oongkot, dividing Khasia from Jyntea. The climate of 

 Pomrang is so much cooler and less rainy than at 

 Churra, that this place is more eligible for a station ; 

 but the soil is quite impracticable, there is an occasional 

 scarcity of water, the pasture is wholly unsuited for cattle 

 or sheep, and the distance from the plains is too great. 



A beautiful view extends eastwards to the low Jyntea 

 hills, backed by the blue mountains of Cachar, over the 

 deep valley in front ; to the northward, a few peaks of the 

 Himalaya are seen, and westward is Chillong. We staid 

 here till the 23rd September, and then proceeded south- 

 eastward to Mooshye. The path descends into the 

 valley of the Oongkot, passing the village of Pomrang, and 

 then through woods of pine, Gordonia, and oak, the latter 

 closely resembling the English, and infested with galls. 

 The slopes are extensively cultivated with black awnless 

 unirrigated rice, and poor crops of Coia?, protected from the 

 birds by scarecrows of lines stretched across the fields, 

 bearing tassels and tufts of fern, shaken by boys. This 

 fern proved to be a very curious and interesting genus, 

 which is only known to occur elsewhere at Hong-Kong in 

 China, and has been called Boivringia, after the eminent 

 Dr. Bowring. 



