584 Notes on Northern Cachar. [No. 7. 



gated foliage of the trees, the huge, gnarled and moss-grown trunks 

 and branches, and the profusion of creepers, which, rope-like, bind 

 all the trees into a most inextricable tangle over head, and hang 

 in quaint festoons from the higher branches, might well form the 

 subject of an exquisite painting. But a great amount of dampness 

 prevails throughout, and the eye gets wearied with gazing on perpe- 

 tual sylvan vistas without any thing of stirring life to relieve the 

 tedium. So thick is the forest that at no place but one, on the 

 whole line of road up the face of the hill, are the plains of Cachar 

 visible. At this place the eye enjoys the freedom for a short time 

 given to it, although the view itself presents nothing particularly 

 interesting. Upon accomplishing the descent on the northern side 

 of the range, which is marked by the same changes of vegetation as 

 that on the south, North Cachar may fairly be said to have been 

 reached. The road proceeds thence to the station of Apaloo, cross- 

 ing the Jatinga river, which is here a small stream, then passing 

 over and running along small ranges of hills covered with dense 

 bamboo jungle, and crossing the rivers Dyung and Mahour. The 

 journey to Apaloo by this route may be performed with care in five 

 days, and on an emergency may be accomplished in three. 



The next road is that up the bed of the Jatinga river, and is 

 reached from Silchar via Burkhola, a village in the plains, about 

 twelve miles north-west of the station. After leaving Burkhola, the 

 road crosses a low range of hills, and descending on the river pur- 

 sues its course along the banks or in the bed of the stream, and by 

 an almost imperceptible ascent up the valley reaches that spot, 

 where the road by Oodharbund crossed the river, from which point 

 both routes unite. 



Eight miles is added to the distance if this route be chosen in 

 preference to that by Oodharbund, but the traveller is relieved 

 from the equivalent of twice that distance in fatigue arising from 

 the avoidance of abrupt ascents. 



If a good road be ever constructed between Silchar and Apaloo 

 this is indisputably the route which should be adopted ; although 

 some obstructions which now exist, would have to be removed. 

 Huge rocks block up the whole of the bed of the stream and the 

 valley for about three miles, along the road. A few hundred pounds 



