ASAM AND THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. 339 



announced the arrival of the Gaums of Maboom and Alonga, for whom it 

 was necessary to halt. In the interview with them, fresh difficulties were 

 started, and as there appeared to be some serious intention of detaining 

 Captain Bedford where he was, as a hostage for some of the people 

 carried off prisoners by the Suddeca Gohayn, he thought it expedient to 

 retrace his steps, and accordingly set out on his return on the evening of 

 the 18th. The course down the stream was rapid and disastrous — some 

 of the boats being wrecked in the falls. On the morning of the 19th, a 

 small stream was passed, called the Sitang Nadi, which appears to be a 

 diverging branch of the Bhanga Nadi, and the last point where that joins 

 the Dibong. On the afternoon, the mouth of the Dikrong was reached, 

 and a Survey of the lower part of its course commenced. It is a very 

 winding stream, about fifty yards wide near its junction with the Dibong, 

 which is about eight miles above the mouth of the latter. It flows through 

 a dense forest, and its water is thick and muddy. 



On the 20th, the voyage was prosecuted up the Dikrong, or Garmura, 

 as it is termed by the Khamtis, above Kamjan, on the left bank, half a 

 day's journey overland to Suddeya. The water was much more clear, and 

 ran in a sandy bottom. The current and depth of water in these tribu- 

 tary streams are much affected by the contents of the main stream, the 

 Bnrrampooter, and when that has received any considerable accession to 

 its level, the banks of the smaller feeders are overflowed. The name 

 Garmura is more properly applied to a small stream that falls into the 

 Dikrong from a jheel near Suddeya ; above this, the river is divided into 

 two small branches by an island, near which are the remains of a village 

 and bridge, and a pathway, opposite to the latter, leads to Buhbajeea. 



After passing the island on the 21st, the Dikrong became too shallow 

 for boats of any burthen, and much obstructed with dead trees ; the direc- 

 tion was northerly, and glimpses of the hills were occasionally gained. 



