ASAM AND THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. 349 



In the evening a storm of wind and rain came on, and the thunder 

 rolled in awful peals, echoed by the surrounding walls of mountain. On 

 the morrow heavy and continued showers forbad exit from the house, 

 and on the third day we were, in the same way, involuntary prisoners. 

 I was assured that it would be necessary to wait some time after the 

 cessation of these heavy rains before the rivulets between us and the 

 Tain hills could possibly be crossed, and I was also reminded that if 

 they should continue, we should very soon find the Laih so swollen as not 

 to admit of our fording it on our return, and as to procuring provisions, 

 however hospitable our host seemed, I found that he watched his very 

 slender store with great and jealous vigilance. The poor fellow, indeed, 

 could have ill afforded to feed my people for one day. Under these circum- 

 stances, I felt well pleased that some intermission of the weather permitted 

 me to regain my more comfortable habitation at Chali on the fourth day. 

 Here again I was detained by the state of the Karam, which could not be 

 forded. 



I shall hereafter have occasion to allude to the opportunities I have 

 had of acquiring a knowledge of the rivers between Asam and China. I 

 will therefore, in this place, merely mention that one of the higher class 

 of Khamtis present, had been a resident at Yunan for a period of eight or 

 nine years. He gave me an account of the stages, rivers, and cities, 

 agreeing closely with the account given to Dr. Buchanan by the Bliammo 

 Governor. He did not go to Santafou — but leaving Bhammo he went in 

 three days to Mungivan on the east bank of the Namiun ; thence in five 

 days he reached a larger town called Mungti, and thence, between that 

 place and Mangmen* he crossed the Namkho, which he describes as equal 



Mang, in the Sham, or Khamti, means country or town. 



s 2 



