21 



CHAPTER II. 



Journal of a trip to the Mishmee Mountains, f rom the De- 

 bouching of the Lohit to about ten miles East of the Gha- 

 looms. Lat. 27° 50' to 28° 10' N. ; Long. 95° 20' to 96° 

 40' E. 



I left Suddiya on the morning of the 15th October 1836, and 

 halted at Noa Dihing Mookh, (river mouth) a place abounding in fish, 

 and promising excellent sport both in fly and live- bait fishing. The 

 temperature of the Noa Dihing, an indolent stream flowing over a flat, 

 sandy plain, was 79° ; that of the B. pooter, which falls in large 

 volume rapidly from the mountains, was 67°. Fish congregate in vast 

 numbers -at the junction of rivers of different temperatures, and are 

 there more easily captured than in other situations, a fact that ought 

 to be borne in mind, whether for the mere object of sport or the more 

 practical purpose of fisheries in India. 



The following day (16th) we passed Choonpoora, where the 

 rapids commence, and where stones first appear ; one rapid, a little 

 above Choonpoora, is severe. There is a severe one also at Toranee 

 Mookh, on which the Copper temple is situated ; and one at Tingalee 

 Mookh, on which Lattow is situated. The river now commences to 

 be more subdivided ; there is but little sand deposited alone, but vast 

 beds of sand and stones occur together. The banks are clothed with 

 jungle, and are occasionally skirted with tall grasses, but the churs 

 or islands disappear it may be said with the sands, and are only 

 formed in lower and more distant parts from the mountains, where 

 the velocity of the current is less. Temperature at 6 a.m. 66°, 4 p.m. 

 76°, (water of B. pooter 64.65,) 7 p.m. 72°. 



Buffaloes abundant, but I only saw a few. 



The most interesting plants were a Cyclocodon, Lyriodendron, 

 Sanicula : 32 species were collected. 



Oct. 1 7th. — Reached Karam Mookh, about noon. Rapids much in- 

 creased, some very severe, especially that opposite Karam Mookh, 

 which we crossed without accident, although as we crossed a conflu- 

 ence of two rapids, the water in the middle being much agitated ; it was 

 a wonder that no canoes were upset, The bed of the river is still more 

 divided, the spots between the streams being>-for the most part entirely 



