MISHMER MOUNTAINS. 



23 



putting one in mind of fat Norman damsels. Temperature in the boat 

 to-day 76°, the sky beautifully clear. The B. pooter seems still the only 

 river, the temperature of which is always below that of the air. One 

 interesting Elaeocarpus occurred — Petal, viridibus apice dentatis ; 

 calice griseo viridi, vix valvato. I may remark, that the aestivation of 

 Kydia is scarcely valvate. I saw a, to me, new kingfisher and wood- 

 pecker. The black and white kingfisher, Dalcedo rudus, is not found 

 on the B. pooter beyond the termination of the sand banks. 



Oct. \8th — Temperature in my hut at 5£ a. m. is 56°, outside it is 

 52^°, that of the river water 63°. We left about 8, and proceeded up 

 the Karam, which presented nothing singular. The volume of water is 

 now less, and rapids are more frequent : heavy snow is visible from a 

 little above Palampan Ghat, where the river bends to the northward ; 

 and a little further on a fine view of the Koond occurs. The Chasm is 

 bounded in the rear by the fine rugged peak so distinctly seen from 

 Suddiya due east. About 11, we reached the Ghat, beyond which 

 boats, except of the smallest description, cannot pass; and about 1, 

 started for the Mishmee village Jing-sha, situated on the Karam. Our 

 course was along the bed of the river, and nearly due east. Formerly 

 boats were able to reach the Ghat of the village, but the water has 

 become shallower, owing, they say, to a larger portion being carried off 

 by the Dea-soon, which runs into the Tenga-panee. We reached the 

 village Ghat about four in the afternoon, but our people arrived very 

 little before six o'clock. The march was tedious and difficult, owing 

 to the numerous stones which are strewed in the way : and the neces- 

 sity for crossing the river was so frequent, that all idea of shoes was 

 quite out of the question. To increase the difficulty, the stones in 

 the bed of river are very slippery, and as we crossed rapids, it fre- 

 quently required some care to prevent our falling. 



We were met by the Gam, or chief, before any signs of the village 

 there were visible. The population is small; the people fair, but 

 begrimed with dirt : the dress consists of a loose jacket without 

 sleeves. The primary article of clothing is indeed so scanty, that the 

 less one says about it the better. The women are decently clothed, and 

 have generally enormous calves, certainly bigger than those of the 

 men : their favourite ornament seems to be a band of silver, broad- 

 est across their forehead, which encircles their head. This village is 

 close to the hills, and within a day's journey of the Koond, at least for 

 a Mishmee. One Assamese slave is among the inhabitants, who was 

 sold when a boy. A few of the men have Singfo dhaos or swords, others 



