ASAM AND THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. 315 



expressed a wish in a note attached to that paper by their Secretary, that 

 some task similar to the one I propose to myself should be undertaken. 

 The interest too excited by the question of the identity of the Saripo and 

 Brahmaputra, evidenced by the notice taken of the subject in Europe, 

 seems to call for the execution of such a task : and I have therefore 

 been induced to draw up the following Memoir. 



I should have been well pleased to have seen the task fall into other 

 hands, and I have delayed undertaking it in the hope of some one better 

 prepared anticipating me, yet I would not be understood to disqualify 

 myself more than necessary. Having been on the spot from the begin- 

 ning, at first an interested observer, and latterly employed in exploring 

 myself much of the Terra incognita of that quarter, I consider that I 

 ought to be able to give a connected view of the progressive steps made, 

 as well as to supply many particulars necessary to the full comprehension 

 of the subject, not yet generally adverted to. 



In October 1824, several of the Officers employed in Revenue Sur- 

 veys were taken from those duties, and placed (to continue during the 

 war) under the superintendance of Major Schalch, in order that accompa- 

 nying the several divisions of the army and receiving his instructions, 

 they might derive advantage to the utmost practicable extent of the 

 opportunities so suddenly and unexpectedly opened of pushing our inves- 

 tigations beyond those barriers which the well or ill-founded jealousy of 

 our Eastern neighbours had hitherto opposed to us, and which we had 

 till then no immediate hope of surmounting. 



In the distribution I was appointed to act with Captain Bedford as 

 his Assistant, and our province was Asam. Besides the instructions given 

 generally to his corps by Major Schalch, (as conveyed in a circular letter) 

 Captain Bedford was verbally directed to consider the Brahmaputra 



