ASAM AND THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. 405 



east, (after getting round the base of the low hill intervening,) we found 

 that the north face of that hill is a perpendicular rock, rising from 

 the water's edge, and a smile might be observed on the countenances of 

 our friends, as they watched the effect upon us of the sight of this im- 

 pediment, for they had no intention of showing us the commodious path 

 which we afterwards discovered on our return ! Determined not to be 

 deterred so early in our career, I led the way through the brambles up the 

 rock, and in spite of the opposition of dense underwood, we continued to 

 advance, and we got over the difficulty — -but a difficulty it really was, and 

 our people came up very late. In the mean time we missed our friends 

 of Pasi. We encamped on a small sand bank, which is to the west of 

 the Padu village, on the opposite bank — small hills filled the space to the 

 river left by the direct continuation of the high Reging range. There is 

 generally a small bed of stones under the base of the hills, found alternate- 

 ly on either bank, which would add one hundred to two hundred yards 

 to the breadth when the river is full. At present the breadth of water 

 was two hundred yards. 



The opening of the hills now showed the direction of the river from a 

 considerable distance to be from W. N. W. I went forward to have a 

 better view of the next reach, and a little in advance I found a well- 

 beaten path continuing along the edge. 



At dusk, we were surprised by a rather numerous body of armed men 

 suddenly riling down from the hill to our east. We took no notice of 

 them, and they drew up and seated themselves in a circle at forty or 

 fifty yards distance from us, and found that not only the Chiefs but several 

 of the Commoners of Pasi were here mixed with the Padu people — whom 

 it seems the former had alarmed with the views of our advance. They 

 remained perfectly quiet, and built their huts for the evening. Finding 

 them not likely to open the communication, I sent to know the intention 



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