486 Report of an Expedition into the Mishmee Hills. [No. 163 



After conversing with them for some time, I found they were prohibited 

 by their own Government from visiting the plains of Assam, and not 

 having been to Lassa the capital, were unable to give me any precise 

 information regarding the Tsampoo ; but said that, according to all they 

 had heard, the river flowed into the valley of Assam after quitting the 

 country to the north of the mountains, and is therefore in all probability 

 identical with the Dehong. 



The view from this village is very grand, as the distance from the 

 snowy range, which was immediately opposite, was only two days' jour- 

 ney to the summit, and from this point (Tuppang,) I was told by the 

 Mishmees that they were able to reach the village of Lamai in the La- 

 ma country in three days. 



As no further population is to be met with on this side of the snowy 

 mountains, I determined to retrace my steps from this point, as no 

 advantage could, I conceive, take place by my proceeding any further 

 in this direction ; I therefore on the following morning again left this 

 village, and, varying my route so as to allow of my getting a sufficient 

 set of sights to complete my survey, I arrived again at the Khamptee 

 village on the 22nd of December. 



From hence I set out to visit the celebrated Teeruth of the Hindoos, 

 called the Brahma Kund, which I reached, and returned from, in two 

 days. This place I found to be merely a bay or inlet of the Burhampooter, 

 into which falls a small stream, that issues from the side of the hill 

 immediately above it ; this is considered the holy water in which all 

 the devotees who visit the place bathe themselves, and is reported to 

 have the virtue of washing out all the sins that the person may have 

 previously committed. During the time of the Ahoms, it was necessary 

 for the king on his ascension to the throne to be washed in water 

 brought from this place, and until this ceremony was completed he 

 was not considered fit to take upon himself the reins of government : 

 to insure the benefits of absolution, it is considered necessary, that 

 the person should ever after forego the use of some kind of food ; 

 but as this is left entirely to the person's own choice, such articles 

 are commonly selected as are either not particularly liked by them, 

 or such as are not often procurable. At the point where the water first 

 shows itself, the large stone that covers the orifice as well as those 

 on either side of the stream, were formerly gilt by a Khamptee Raja, 



