76 S. E. Peal 
Note on the old Burmese route [No. 2, 
To the south-east, even if a littic too far south, must we turn, if 
anything approaching a trade route out of Assam is to be found, and at 
or near the old Burmese route, we at once get one that is remarkably easy _ 
and that with.comparatively little outlay would be suitable for wheel 
traffic. 
The station of Gauhati on the Brahmaputra, is now connected by a 
fine carriage road to the Shillong plateau, which rises to between 5,000 
and 6,000 feet, the last 3,000 feet of which is in a distance of only 12 
miles. 
The difficulties of crossing Patkai are, at least, Jess than half of those 
met with on such a road, and that we can easily overcome them we have 
demonstrated. 
Having glanced at the position of the route vid Nongyang, it may 
be well to indicate those of several others, leading from upper Assam into 
before noted, the valley of Hukong. 
There is a route through the Naga hills west of the Tirap river, and east 
of the Disang, that enters at the Namsang Nadi, a tributary of the Dihing, 
and not far south of Jaipur. This line after traversing the bed of the 
Namsang for some distance crosses the Patkai by the Takum pass, (say 
5,000 feet) and thence follows the Namyung till it joins Griffiths’ route 
(the latter is often called the Tirap route). 
A second entrance to this same Takum route is from Borhdt on the 
Disang river ; the water-shed about here, though, rises to 6,000 and 7,000 
feet and is a more continuous ridge, 
The late Colonel Hannay advocated a line vid Bhitor Namsang on the 
Tankak river in the Sibsdgar district, passing through the Naga villages of 
Sangloi, Sangsa, Sangba, Langia (or Longra), Horu Khet, and Chotagaon 
to Singolani, the latter situated on the Dinoi some 45 miles north and 30 
west of Munghhong, and near the western extremity of the valley of 
Hukong. ‘This line presents no very serious obstacles and is much used. 
Another route has been proposed entering the Dhansiri valley, passing 
Samaguting, and thence vid Phre re ma, Gopsi ma, Dibu ma, Teseshu ma, 
Tajoga ma, Kaza ma, Jessa ma, Kochapa ma, and lastly Teuchu ma on the 
Dinoi. 
This, however, is over a long line of hilly country and ends far to the 
west in the valley of Hukong, and from whence any road east must cross 
’ the whole line of northern drainage, whereas the endeavour should be to 
keep in the level plains of Assam as long as possible, having in view the 
facilities on the southern side, and also to penetrate the mountain barrier 
where not only lowest but narrowest. 
Once the plains of Hukong are reached, say near Numphin or old Bisa, 
