154 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [May, 



been engaged for the last year in seeking a route by which India and 

 Assam could communicate more directly with China. That such a 

 route does exist, I have ascertained, namely, from Bat hang to Zy-yu, 

 a Tibetan town at the foot of the Himalayas on the east, thence cross- 

 ing the mountains to Sudyu on the Brahmaputra, a distance alto- 

 gether of 180 miles, or thereabouts. This route leaving Bathang leads 

 south-west crossing the Kinchar Kiang, Lantsan-kiang and Now- 

 Kiang rivers, to the Tibetan monastery of Bonga, thence north-west 

 to the Tibetan village of Song-nga, Kui-dzong in the south Poiui 

 country, and thence west a few days to Zy-yu. (The Pomi country 

 alluded to is part of a province of Tibet, subject to the government 

 of Lassa, the northern half being only religiously dependent on the 

 Grand Lama). The road is travelled by mules carrying cargo, and 

 occupies some twenty days between Zy-yu and Bathang, but at this 

 moment from the warlike nature of the Mishmi tribes, and the fear 

 entertained by the Lamas and people of Tibet for foreigners, it pre- 

 sents many difficulties to peaceful intercourse, while the severe climate 

 will probably confine communication to eight months during the year. 

 Of this, however, I am not certain, nor am I certain that this route has 

 not been travelled by the Catholic Missionaries in earlier years. 



I have spoken of the river Yang-tzu as the great trade artery of 

 China, and will conclude these notes with a few remarks on its great 

 annual rise and fall. 



The original cause of the summer floods which annually deluge the 

 plain of Hoopeh, Nganhwei and Kiang-tzu, forming the valley of the 

 Lower Yang-tzu, takes rank amongst the first scientific problems yet to 

 be solved by western energy and learning. 



That the snows and rains of the country drained by the Yar-loong- 

 kiang and Kin-char-kiang, influence the rise of the Yang-tzu, is without 

 doubt, but that they are the sole cause of the floods, appears doubtful. 



"While travelling from Wei-si in Yunnan towards Chung-ching through 

 Bathang, Tatseanloo and the Tar-tow-ho country, I everywhere en- 

 countered floods and signs of floods, the like of which, so the people told 

 me, had not been known lor twenty years. Part of the town of Artenze 

 on the northern border of Yunnan had been washed away, and many 

 pints of the road which I had travelled in May and June had bee 

 channels for terrific mountain torrents, and to the east of Tatseanloo 



