98 PURNEA DISTRICT. Chap. IV. 



alteration of the river-beds, the road undulates remarkably 

 for this part of India, and a jungly vegetation ensues, 

 consisting of the above plants, with the yellow-flowered 

 Cactus replacing the Euphorbias, which were previously 

 much more common. Though still 100 miles distant from 

 the hills, mosses appeared on the banks, and more ferns 

 were just sprouting above ground. 



The Bamboo was a very different species from any I had 

 hitherto met with, forming groves of straight trees fifteen 

 to twenty feet high, thin of foliage, and not unlike poplars. 



Thirty-six miles from Purnea brought me to Kishengunj, 

 when I found that no arrangements whatever had been 

 made for my clawk, and I was fairly stranded. Luckily 

 a thoughtful friend had provided me with letters to the 

 scattered residents along the road, and I proceeded with 

 one to Mr. Perry, the assistant magistrate of the district, — 

 a gentleman well known for his urbanity, and the many 

 aids he affords to travellers on this neglected line of road. 

 Owing to this being some festival or holiday, it was impos- 

 sible to get palkee-bearers ; the natives were busy catching 

 fish in all the muddy pools around. Some of Mr. Perry's 

 own family also were about to proceed to Dorjiling, so that 

 I had only to take patience, and be thankful for having to 

 exercise it in such pleasant quarters. The Mahanudclee, 

 a large stream from the hills, flows near this place, 

 strewing the surrounding neighbourhood with sand, and 

 from the frequent alterations in its course, causing endless 

 disputes amongst the landholders. A kind of lark called an 

 Ortolan was abundant : this is not, however, the European 

 delicacy of that name, though a migratory bird ; the flocks 

 are large, and the birds so fat, that they make excellent 

 table game. At this time they were rapidly disappearing ; 

 to return from the north in September. 



