208 Capt. Pemberton's Mission to Bootan, 1837-38. [March, 



Art. V. — Journal of the Mission which visited Bootan, in 1837-38, 

 under Captain R. Boileau Pemberton. By W. Griffith, Esq. 

 Madras Medical Establishment* 



The Mission left Gowahatti on the 21st December, and proceeded a 

 few miles down the Burrumpootur to Ameengoung, where it halted. 



On the following day it proceeded to Hayoo, a distance of thirteen 

 miles. The road, for the most part, passed through extensive grassy 

 plains, diversified here and there with low rather barren hills, and 

 varied in many places by cultivation, especially of sursoo. One river 

 was forded, and several villages passed. 



Hayoo is a picturesque place, and one of considerable local note ; 

 it boasts of a large establishment of priests, with their usual companions, 

 dancing girls, whose qualifications are celebrated throughout all 

 Lower Assam. These rather paradoxical ministers are attached to 

 a temple, which is by the Booteas and Kampas considered very 

 sacred, and to which both these tribes, but especially the latter, resort 

 annually in large numbers. This pilgrimage, however, is more connect- 

 ed with trading than religion, for a fair is held at the same time. 

 Coarse woollen cloths and rock salt form the bulk of the loads which 

 each pilgrim carries, no doubt as much for the sake of profit as of 

 penance. The village is a large one, and situated close to some- low 

 hills ; it has the usual Bengal appearance the houses being sur- 

 rounded by trees, such as betel palms, peepul, banyan, and caoutchouc. 

 To Nolbharee we found the distance to be nearly seventeen miles. The 

 country throughout the first part of the march was uncultivated, and 

 entirely occupied by the usual coarse grasses ; the remainder was one 

 sheet of paddy cultivation, interrupted only by topes of bamboos, in 

 which the villages are entirely concealed ; we found these very abun- 

 dant, but small: betel palms continued very frequent, and each garden 

 or enclosure was surrounded by a small species of screw pine, well 

 adapted for making fences. 



Four or five streams were crossed, of which two were not fordable : 

 j heels were very abundant, and well stocked with water fowl and 

 waders. At this place there is a small bungalow for the accommoda- 

 tion of the civil officer during his annual visit ; it is situated close 

 to a rather broad but shallow river. There is likewise a bund road. 



We proceeded from this place to Dum-Dumma, which is on the 

 Bootan boundary, and is distant ten miles from Nolbharee. We con- 

 tinued through a very open country, but generally less cultivated than 



* Presented by the Government. 







