382 MEMOIR OF A SURVEY OF 



In its onward course the river stretches to the N. W. between steep 

 mountains, and is soon lost to the view. On our march, we had occa- 

 sionally perceived through the clouds very heavy snow lying on the 

 peaks to the north, one of which I conjectured, from its shape, to be the 

 turret peak of Sadiya. Descending from the rock we reached extensive 

 fields belonging to Riding's village, and travelling some distance through 

 them, with the river two or three hundred yards off, on our right, we passed 

 several houses built singly, but all ornamented with a small grove of plain- 

 tain trees, and about four o'clock we, at last, arrived at Riding's. 



Much of this man's asperity of manner wore off, now that we had 

 become his guests, and he was active in doing whatever he could for our 

 comfort : a pig was killed as a matter of course. We found waiting our 

 arrival, my old acquaintance Primsong, who had supplied us with the 

 earliest intelligence relative to the route to the Lama's territory. 



Next day, when I talked of moving on without loss of time, difficulties 

 were started, and the Mishmis declared that we must not think of proceed- 

 ing till proper notice should have been given to the Chiefs of the next vil- 

 lage, particularly to one Dingsha, whom they regarded as the person of 

 greatest influence on our route — for this purpose they proposed that 

 Primsong and GHALtJM's nephew should advance, and receive their report 

 on the road. 



I remarked that our arrival here did not cause the like commotion and 

 assemblage of people, that it did at Ghali^m's. We made our purchases 

 of rice at a dear rate, and were materially assisted in this by the Luri 

 Gohain and other Khamti Chiefs, who are all skilful workmen in silver, 

 and who readily employed themselves in fashioning ear-rings at Riding's 

 forge, for the purpose of barter — the workmanship giving a double value 

 to the silver. A couple of hammers and a few punches are all the tools 

 requisite, which they carry with them in their travelling bag. The silver 





