774 Extracts from a report of a journey [No. 154. 



" Summagoding," it contains about 100 houses ; the men I found to 

 be civil and obliging, but very independent in their notions ; they are, 

 however, tributary to the Khonoma Nagas. The river at this point is 

 very narrow, and runs through two high perpendicular walls of rock ; 

 the rush of water during the rains is very considerable, width of river 

 not more than 60 feet. 



\Sth February. — Started at half-past 8 o'clock a. m. for Raja-piama, 

 to inspect the tea lands reported to be in those hills ; round along the 

 bed of the Diboo Panee, stepping very slippery on the large stones in the 

 river, hardly a pebble or grain of sand to be seen, the bed of the river 

 being filled with large round stones. An hour and a half brought us to 

 the foot of the Raja-piama hills, water nearly the whole way very shal- 

 low. Here I directed my people to remain and encamp, whilst I pro- 

 ceeded to the Raja-piama village to look at the tea, accompanied by 

 my teeklas, and guard. On arriving at the village, I was met by 

 Jeereebee Gaon Boora ; as unfortunately for me this was a grand festival 

 day with them, the whole party was more or less intoxicated, the Gaon 

 Boora, as head man, more so than his brethren ; he nevertheless re- 

 ceived me most cordially, and invitingly pressed me to taste of his 

 " futtica"* which to humour him, I put to my lips. After a little fur- 

 ther conversation, I requested to be shewn the tea ; Jeereebee immediately 

 escorted me to the spot, where I saw the tea plant growing most abun- 

 dantly and luxuriantly immediately near to the village ; I followed the 

 tea for some distance, and saw very many spots covered with it. Jeeree- 

 bee gave me to understand, that the whole of his low hills were covered 

 with tea. I think this may be possible, for tea has been found among the 

 Bazee-piama hills, but in small quantities. The leaves of the plant are 

 large, and of a finer kind than what I have generally seen in the Seeb- 

 sagur and Muttuck divisions. I asked Jeereebee if he had any ob- 

 jections to my sending up Assamese tea-makers to manufacture the 

 tea on the spot, telling him that I would give him monees,f salt, daws, 

 &c, to which, he replied, he would be very happy to accommodate in 

 any way, and that I should be welcome to send up the Assamese tea- 

 makers, and that he would protect them. He agreed also to supply 



* A fermented liquor from grain. f Beads. 



