TEA STATIONS. 



15 



all cut down by the Singfos, who are like all other natives excessively 

 improvident. The largest we saw, and which Wallich felled, was, in- 

 cluding the crown, 43 feet in length. Small plants are very common, 

 although Bruce had already removed 30,000. Mac. thinks they grow 

 chiefly on the margins of the ravinules or hollows. Their leaves 

 were all large, of a very dark green, and varying from four to eight 

 inches in length. The pith of the tree felled was excentric, the 

 greater development taking place as usual on the southern side ; it 

 was two and a half inches N., three and a half S. ; but about 10 feet 

 above the base this excentricity was nearly doubled. The wood is 

 very compact, and the tree apparently one of slow growth. The 

 largest that Bruce has seen, and which he felled last year, was 29 cubits 

 in length. The jungle was so thick that all general views as to its real 

 extent, and the circumstances limiting it, must be very superficial, 

 To the East the cessation of the lightness of the soil and of the hollows 

 is very abrupt, and strongly influences the tea, only a few small 

 straggles being visible in that direction. The jungle here was chok- 

 ed with grasses, and the large viscous Acanthacese of which we have 

 elsewhere en route seen such abundance. The tree evidently, even in 

 its large state, owes little gratitude to the sun, at least for direct rays, 

 none of which I should think ever reach it. The Singfos however 

 say, that it will only thrive in the shade. We halted after gathering 

 a crop of leaves under a fine Dillenia, which was loaded with its fruit. 

 Here the Singfos demonstrated the mode in which the tea is prepar- 

 ed among them. I must premise, however, that they use none but 

 young leaves. They roasted or rather semi-roasted the leaves in a 

 large iron vessel, which must be quite clean, stirring them up and 

 rolling them in the hands during the roasting. When duly roasted, 

 they expose them to the sun for three days ; some to the dew alter- 

 nately with the sun. It is then finally packed into bamboo chungas, 

 into which it is tightly rammed. The ground on which it occurs is 

 somewhat raised above the plain adjoining the village, as we pass- 

 ed over two hillocks on our route to the tea, and the descent did 

 not evidently counterbalance the ascent. 



Jan. 17 'th. — We arrived at Kujoo-doo this afternoon, having passed 

 through a great extent of jungle, which I am sorry to say presented 

 the usual features. We crossed the Deboro once during our march, 

 and several tributary streams which, as may be supposed, from the 

 size of the larger recipient river, are excessively insignificant. The 

 soil throughout, a good part seemed to be of clay. The only plants 

 of interest we found were two Bambusse in flower, and two species 



