ASAM AND THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. 387 



The direction the next day was still the same, or a little more south, 

 and we passed over more level ground : several open spots were met with, 

 which admitted of our travelling at a brisk pace. At the deepest part of 

 this bend, to the south, we came on the steep mountain's face again, and here 

 the path was bad in the extreme. About one o'clock we left the Brahma- 

 putra to proceed in an easterly direction over the hills, round which the 

 river winds. They were here rather low and spreading out into a more 

 even yet undulating surface ; the extent of the open tract was from eight 

 hundred yards to near a mile, and a great part of it was cultivated : in seve- 

 ral directions houses were seen, some of them close to our path. As we 

 advanced over this new ground, an evident improvement was observed, 

 the houses were built on more commodious spots, each had its grove of 

 plaintains. Mithuns and chowr-tailed cows were grazing in numbers, and 

 the men who appeared lazily standing near our path to view the strangers, 

 were wrapped in long warm cloaks with sleeves : there were even rude walls, 

 built of stones without cement, to keep the cattle out. At one house, GhaltJm 

 was recognized and invited in: he promised to hear the news and not 

 detain us a minute, but his favorite Madh being offered him, he was easily 

 detained, and repeatedly I sent in vain to remind him that we were waiting 

 his leisure in the rain. I wished to enter the house, but was given to 

 understand that I should be a most unwelcome visitor. Presently we 

 met Primsong and our messengers, who begged, in Jingsha's name, 

 that we would halt for the night where we were, or in a spot to be 

 pointed out, and that arrangements would be made for our better recep- 

 tion on the morrow, he being unable to invite us to his house on 

 account of a sacrifice having been offered for his sick brother. We 

 were accordingly led to the hill's side near the village of one G<5n t shong, 

 who appeared and stared at us, with many more Chiefs, but none of them 

 appeared at all inclined to shew the ordinary hospitality, but rather they 

 looked at and examined us to keep aloof from further intercourse. The 

 spot pointed out for our halting-place was closely surrounded with jungle. 



