250 



Report by Lieut. E. J. T. Dalton, Junior Assistant Commissioner of 



Assam, of his visit to the Hills in the neighbourhood of the Soobanshiri 



River. From the Political Secretariat of the Government of India. 



With a map. 



Pathalipam Mouzah, January 6th, 1845. — Reached this yesterday 

 evening from Luckimpore station, preparatory to setting out on a short 

 excursion up the Soobanshiri as far as I can go in canoes, and thence 

 to the nearest Meri villages by land. My object being to pay Tema 

 Hazaree a friendly visit, and to ascertain if it be practicable to make a 

 more extended tour through the country of the Hill Meris and Abors 

 next cold season. 



This day will be consumed in making the necessary arrangements — 

 to-morrow I hope to start. 



January 1th. — On the Soobanshiri. With quite a fleet of canoes, I 

 started from the Pathalipam Ghaut at 11 a. m., and considering the 

 difficulty of procuring boats and the number of people to be provided 

 for, there was less trouble, confusion and delay than might have been 

 anticipated. 



Including my own boat there are eleven canoes, thirty- two boatmen, 

 and with servants, Tecklas, Katokees and Meri Bhoteas, a guard of 

 five sepoys ; not less than seventy individuals, all packed as tight as her- 

 rings in a barrel. The canoes are moved by gold-washers who, from 

 constant practice in their gold-washing expeditions, are masters of the 

 art of managing boats in the difficult rapids of this river. Indeed I 

 am told that no other men could venture to work up in canoes to Sip- 

 loo Ghaut, whence we are to proceed by land. The canoes are very 

 small, and, except a light mat over my boat, no choppers allowed. 



Amongst these gold-washers are the Pawwas men, whose business 

 it is to convey the Hill Meris and their families who annually visit the 

 plains by this route from Siploo Ghaut to a Ghaut about six miles 

 above Pathalipam. These men, six in number, being most expert of all, 

 act as our steersmen. 



They use paddles of " Hingoree," short and stiff in comparison 

 with the long elastic " Bhola" paddles of the Suddiah and Debroo 

 Thooms. They work the boat however exceedingly well ; and no doubt 

 in the pattern and material of their paddles, they have adopted what 

 experience has taught them to be most serviceable for the rapids of this 

 river. In the shallows I see they chiefly work with the luggee poles. 



