428 MEMOIR OF A SURVEY OF 



left the banks of the Phungan, and halted early on a little rivulet 

 falling into it. We should have gone farther, but we were told that 

 we should find no water until we had crossed the next hill. We picked 

 up a walnut in the jungle, but could not find the tree. When the people 

 rejoined us whom we had left behind, they stated that they had found the 

 last lingerer, but that as he was unable to come on with them, they had 

 given him a flint and steel, which he was in want of, and he promised to 

 follow us slowly. 



We set out again early in the morning, and were employed till twelve 

 o'clock in a most fatiguing march over a hill. At the bottom, on the 

 opposite side, we met with a small rivulet, and it was earnestly debated 

 whether we should halt or not. The Mishmi guides were the only people 

 of the party who pressed for making an attempt to reach the next place 

 where water could be obtained — and their argument being a very cogent 

 one, with the small stock of rice remaining, we went on, and, after ascending 

 and descending two more hills, we halted at four o'clock with the guides 

 and some of the Singfos, who appear to have more stamina than the 

 Khamtis. The remainder of our people did not arrive till late at night, 

 and some not till the next morning. Our own pots and rice not having 

 been brought up, we got a Singfo to lend from his store, and our hands 

 supplied the place of spoons, while the pot lid served for a drinking-cup, 

 out of which we could yet enjoy our gin and water. Heavy rain all the 

 evening ; but since crossing the Phungan, we have always been fortunate 

 in halting where wild plantain leaves could be procured for building our 

 huts. The hill crossed is of sienite. 



We started in heavy rain again the next morning, and descended to 

 the Namsa'i river, which appears to rise also in the Phungan Bhiim, near 

 the pass, and runs parallel with the Phungan. I did not understand 

 whether the cause of our leaving the banks of the latter was the difficulty 



