1848.] importance of the town of Bhanmo. 133 



Part second, up the Barak river (in Silhet called the Surmah) through 

 Cachar. This Cachar, with the capital of Khaspur, horders east to Sil- 

 het, and is governed by an independent Raja. The Barak river runs 

 through it, and is navigable as far upwards as Kalanaga Ghat, but in 

 the dry season only as far as Talayn, where rapids interrupt the passage. 

 The ground rises gradually towards the east to the Khainbunda moun- 

 tains, which separate Cachar from Munipur. These mountains consist of 

 several, from north to south running chains in a breadth of 40 miles, 

 which are not above 4,000 feet high, and over which a road has been 

 made by the Government of Bengal. Their Eastern foot rests on the 

 table-land of Munipur, which has an elevation of 2,500 feet above the 

 sea, and which is on all sides surrounded by mountains. This territory 

 belongs also to an independent Raja, residing at the principal town of 

 the same name, who, however, like his neighbour of Khaspur, is placed 

 under the inspection of a Company's Resident. Our road lies across 

 this elevated plain towards its eastern boundary, which is a range of 

 hills called by some geographers the Mirang mountains. Over these 

 we have to cross, then to descend to the Kubo valley, and to the above- 

 mentioned Ningthi river, on which we reach Monfoo, the first Burmese 

 frontier town. 



On our road from Calcutta we have found river communication for 

 the greater part of a direct distance of 250 miles to Silhet, and still 

 further on for 65 miles to Kalanaga Ghat. From this place to Monfoo 

 are only 105 miles, and we have to cross the Khainbunda mountains in 

 a breadth of 40 miles, on good roads, then to traverse the Munipur 

 table-land 30 miles broad, on more level ground, and finally over the 

 Mirang hills to Monfoo on the Ningthi river, 35 miles. 



The people which we meet on this track east of Silhet differ from 

 each other according to the nature of the country which they occupy. 

 They are first, the inhabitants of the low country, the Cacharees ; second- 

 ly, of the higher Munipur, and thirdly, of the hills surrounding that 

 table-land. They are all quite different from the Bengalees, and belong 

 to the same group of Eastern Asiatic races as the Thay and Shan, the 

 Burmese and Siamese. The occupants of the mountains round Muni- 

 pur are the Nagas or Kookees. They are a free, independent and very 

 active people, who, poor and separated from all cultivated countries 

 around, have remained unsubdued by more powerful neighbours. They 



