1839.] the Naga territories of Assam. 449 



lower hills was steep. Having descended to them we passed through 

 patches of deserted cultivations of the wandering Cacharees. At 2 p. m. 

 crossed the Hogigugaw river a short way above its junction with the 

 Kuttna, which river terminates in the Matura. At 3 p. m. we pas- 

 sed through the large Cacharee village of Guabari, and here saw evi- 

 dent signs of improvement in the condition of the country. After 

 crossing fine sheets of rice lands belonging to several villages of Ben- 

 galis and Muneeporees we arrived at the Bengalli village of Bhogur- 

 konah and encamped. The fields of rice here appeared fine, but the 

 ryots seemed to be less particular in the comfort of their Khatts, or 

 farms, than the Assamese. They lived in fewer houses, which however 

 were larger than those in Assam. 



The absence of the useful and ornamental jack, tamool, and moon- 

 gah trees made the appearance less rural and comfortable than the 

 generality of the Assam farms. 



January 16th. At 8° 30' a. m, crossed the Tecul or Degul river, and 

 passing another swampy nullah, and some jungle, reached a cluster of 

 low hills covered with small bamboos (Bagul Bans) over which we 

 passed, and came to another sheet of rice land attached to some widely 

 scattered Muneeporee hamlets. 



The road was now south-south-west over the rice fields, till we 

 reached the village of Oodarbund, on the right bank of the Matura river, 

 a place of considerable importance, being the entrepot to which the 

 Cachar Nagas take down their cotton to barter it for salt, dried fish, 

 conch shell, beads, &c. and I heard also for slaves, who are stolen from 

 the weaker Naga villages ; an infamous trade of this kind seems carried 

 on in the hills of Cachar. The Nagas are particularly fond of the conch 

 shells, which they cut up for neck ornaments, and which are valued at 

 one rupee per shell. From Oodarbund we went across a fine plain 

 of rice stubble to Mennabund, and then passed through a strip of 

 jungle and recrossed the Matura; from this our road lay across rice 

 fields of about a league in extent ; we then ferried over the Barak 

 river opposite Silchar, which we reached at 3 p. m. The Barak is 

 a considerable river, evidently, from the broken state of its banks, liable 

 to a very great rise of water in the rains. 



January 17th. Captain Burns, who was absent on my arrival, re- 

 turned this morning, and availing myself of his kindness, I remained 

 till the 19th, and obtained much valuable information and assist- 

 ance from him with regard to my future plans, &c. I recommended 

 that the expedition should start immediately against the Angamees 

 (who were supposed to be located a short way beyond Semker) with 

 the party I had brought over from Assam, as great delay had occurred 



