70 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [March, 



I. — Short notes of a trip into the hills south of Sibsaugor ; by 

 A. C. Peel, Esq. — communicated through Dr. J. Anderson, 

 by Dr. Stoliczka. (Abstract.) 



Mr. Peel in company with Mr. Wagentreiber, Junior, accepting an 

 invitation from the Rajah of Banparas, started on their trip on tlie SOtli 

 of May last year. The usual difficulties of mountain travelling were 

 soon felt, the road passing to a great extent through jungle, generally 

 along streams ; and the path soon became so narrow that not more than 

 one man could pass on it at the time. The amount of waste land was also 

 very large, scarcely 1 percent, of the area appearing to have ever been 

 under cultivation, though in most places the land was well situated. 

 The rock was mostly sandstone, but many quartz pebbles were to be 

 seen in the bed of streams. 



Wild elephants appeared numerous. They are caught in traps, 

 these being deep excavations in the ground, wider below than above, 

 supplied at the bottom with numerous bamboo spears, and covered 

 over with branches of trees and grass. These traps are generally con- 

 structed on narrow passages of the road. Wild pigs and various deer 

 were observed in large numbers. Very remarkable was also the quantity 

 of fish in all the streams, but unfortunately the Nagas sometimes use 

 poison to catch them, and thus destroy often more than required to 

 satisfy their wants. 



The party of travellers was met by the Rajah's brother, who soon was 

 joined by the Hoondckai and the Lowdong. The latter is the name of an 

 official who travels in the name and the authority of the Rajah, the former 

 designates an official who represents the Rajah at home. After a march 

 of the first few miles the road became so difficult, that the elephants had 

 to be sent back ; and the journey was prosecuted on foot. The village* 

 Lowghong was soon reached, and with the permission of the Khoonsai, 

 or the head man of the village, the party visited the same. Only a very 

 small portion of the land was under cultivation and the same ground 

 is seldom cultivated for more than two successive years, a fresh 

 piece of forest being generally every two years burnt down for the 

 purpose of cultivating the dhan. The village was partially surrounded 

 by a ditch, 6 feet wide by 6 feet deep, and fenced by bamboo sticks; 

 besides this there were watch-houses and other kind of fortifica- 



