398 TERAT. Chat. XVII. 



embouchure there are boulders as big as the head, and in 

 the stream, four miles below the exit, the" boatmen pointed 

 out a stone as large as the body as quite a marvel. 



They assured us that the average rise at the mouth of 

 the river, in the rains, was not more than five feet : the 

 mean breadth of the stream is from seventy to ninety 

 yards. From the point where it leaves the mountains, to 

 its junction with the Megna, is at this season thirteen 

 days' voyage, the return occupying from twenty to twenty- 

 five days, with the boats unladen. The name " Teesta " 

 signifies " quiet," this river being so in comparison with 

 other Himalayan torrents further west, the Cosi, Konki, &c, 

 which are devastators of all that bounds their course. 



We passed but two crossing-places : at one the river is 

 divided by an island, covered with the rude chaits and 

 flags of the Boodhists. We also saw some Cooch fisher- 

 men, who throw the net much as we do : a fine " Mahaser" 

 (a very large carp) was the best fish they had. Of culti- 

 vation there was very little, and the only habitations were 

 a few grass-huts of the boatmen or buffalo herdsmen, a 

 rare Cooch village of Catechu and Sal cutters, or the shelter 

 of timber-floaters, who seem to pass the night in nests of 

 long dry grass. 



Our servants not having returned with the elephants 

 from Rummai, we spent the following day at Rangamally 

 shooting and botanizing. I collected about 100 species in 

 a couple of hours, and observed perhaps twice that 

 number : the more common I have repeatedly alluded 

 to, and excepting some small terrestrial Orchids, I added 

 nothing of particular interest to my collection.* 



* The following is a list of the principal genera, most of which are English : — 

 Polygonum, Quercus, Sonchus, Gnaplialium, Crataegus, Lobelia, Lactioca, Hydrocotyle, 

 Saponaria, Campanula, Bidcns, Rubus, Oxalis, Artemisia, Fragaria, Clematis, 

 Dioscorea, Potamogeton, Chara, Veronica, Viola, Smilax. 



