Oct. 1850. RETURN TO CHURRA. GEOLOGY. 323 



tesselated flowers, three and a half to four inches across : 

 and they formed three piles on the floor of the verandah, 

 each a yard high : — what would we not have given to have 

 been able to transport a single panicle to a Chiswick fete ! 



On the 10th of October we sent twenty-four strong 

 mountaineers to Churra, laden with the collections of the 

 previous month; whilst we returned to Nonkreem, and 

 crossing the shoulder of Chillong, passed through the village 

 of Moleem in a north-west direction to the Syong bungalow. 

 From this we again crossed the range to Nunklow and the 

 Bor-panee, and returned by Moflong and the Kala-panee 

 to Churra during the latter part of the month. 



In November the vegetation above 4000 feet turns 

 wintry and brown, the weather becomes chilly, and though 

 the cold is never great, hoar-frost forms at Churra, and 

 water freezes at Moflong. We prepared to leave as these 

 signs of winter advanced : we had collected upwards of 

 2,500 species, and for the last few weeks all our diligence, 

 and that of our collectors, had failed to be rewarded by a 

 single novelty. We however procured many species in 

 fruit, and made a collection of upwards of 300 kinds of 

 woods, many of very curious structure. As, however, we 

 projected a trip to Cachar before quitting the neighbourhood, 

 we retained our collectors, giving orders for them to meet 

 us at Chattuc, on our way down the Soormah in December, 

 with their collections, which amounted to 200 men's loads, 

 and for the conveyance of which to Calcutta, Mr. Inglis 

 procured us boats. 



Before dismissing the subject of the Khasia mountains, 

 it will be well to give a slight sketch of their prominent 

 geographical features, in connection with their geology. 

 The general geological characters of the chain may be 

 summed up in a few words. The nucleus or axis is of 



Y 2 



