1839.] the Naga territories of Assam. 455 



descending we reached a small winding stream, over which we 

 crossed several times, and which ran through a fine flat country 

 composed of rich reddish clay, and lightly covered with forest and 

 the very large Kakoo bamboos. Passing over the plain we came 

 to the Tamakee, or as it is called by the Assamese, Dhunsiree, a good 

 sized river flowing in a northerly direction, but the depth was not 

 very great ; indeed none of the rivers I had met with were very 

 deep, and the shallowness of their banks leads one to imagine that no 

 considerable body of water remains in them any length of time. 

 The Dhunsiree was filled with round stones, and an opening in 

 the great range to the south from whence it flows leads one to 

 believe that it originates at some distance within the range. After 

 quitting it we almost immediately ascended a middling sized hill, 

 which we passed over and ascended to a small streamlet. Border- 

 ing it we came to the hill on which Kareabonglo is situated ; it is of 

 a moderate height. Ascending it we found the village deserted, and 

 the guard who had gone on with grain snugly stowed away in 

 a capacious house ; the Semker coolies had dropped their loads and 

 run off one and all. Kareabonglo is a Naga village of about twenty-five 

 houses, on a hill that commands a good view of the surrounding 

 country, as also of the two villages called Galaga and Harapalo, of 

 about equal size. These Nagas, who speak the same language as 

 the Cachar Hill Nagas, are quite distinct from the Angamees, who 

 speak a different language, and would rejoice in the subjugation 

 of the Angamees, who force them to give them conch shells and 

 other things to purchase the preservation of peace. The chief Kaptoa, 

 to whom I had given presents, brought us grain, for which he was 

 duly paid ; other chiefs who brought any thing had the money al- 

 ways tendered to them in payment ; some however refused it, but 

 when I told them it was our custom, they carelessly took the money 

 as if it was not of the least value to them ; some again indignantly 

 refused. The view from the place last described was good, the huge 

 range of mountains one mile to the southward stretching out in a 

 north-east direction, and apparently terminating in large mountains. On 

 the north-east were two hills heavily clothed in dark green, to the west 

 the same, but broken by a plain or two. To the north, the first part 

 was the same description of country, till an opening in a distant ridge 

 of hills brought to view an extensive plain, which is Toolaram Senaput- 

 tee's country : a mist generally hung over the land, which was against 

 any distant prospect being obtained. The Cacharee coolies that had 

 accompanied us from Semker, under pretence of going to dine by 

 the stream-side at the bottom of the hill, ran off, and left us with- 



