of the valley of Assam. 369 



The coal appears to be remarkably fine and singularly heavy, 

 but I am sorry to say the stratum is so thin, as to be of no further 

 use than to indicate that a thicker may be near. The stratum is well 

 raised above the bed of the river, and can be approached to within a 

 short distance by canoes during the rains, while the direct distance 

 between it and the Booree Sootee cannot be above six or seven miles. 



I had not an opportunity of examining any specimen of the coal 

 Dalton found in the Durgmoo, which also flows from the same range 

 of hills considerably more to the west, but this may possibly be 

 a continuation of the same strata, and if I am rightly informed, coal 

 is also to be found in the Seesee river, (or its tributaries) which is still 

 more to the west : this would indicate that there is coal running all 

 through this lower range of Abor hills. All these streams, the Seesee, 

 Decmoo, Durgmoo, Dakaroo, as also the Dapii to the east of the latter, 

 fall into the Booree Sootee, are noted for the abundance and excellent 

 quality of the gold obtained by washing the gravel found in their 

 respective beds. 



I was well pleased with the Booree Sootee, the upper part of which 

 flows through a much more open description of country than is 

 generally to be found in Assam when abandoned for many years, 

 and it may some day again become even more important than it 

 was some fifty years ago, when about 900 gold washers were located 

 along its banks. The rate at which they were taxed being half a tolah 

 of gold per man, for which some remission was made to meet the 

 exactions of the Abors, but as these exactions of the hill people became 

 more and more oppressive, the population decreased, and the whole 

 of the country upwards from Seesee was abandoned by these gold 

 washers, a good many of whom are settled at Debroo Mook, and the 

 rest scattered all over the country. 



