MISHMEE TEETA. 



37 



Nov. \4th. — Proceeded to Premsong's, which we reached in less 

 than two hours. Our march was in a westerly direction across a hill 

 of some elevation : the remainder of it was over kheties and level 

 ground. The plants evidently increase in interest as we advance in 

 the interior, Compositse and Labiatse being most numerous. A large 

 tree occurs not uncommonly, which is either a Birch or a Prunus, 

 most probably from the venation of its leaves, the latter ; the bark 

 is exactly like that of a Birch. Close to Premsong's I gathered 

 a Clematis, Valerian and a fine Botrychium, a Carex and a Cuscuta. 

 The mountain on the base of which Premsong's house is situated, is 

 a very high one ; it is the one that is so striking from Ghaloom's old 

 site : it is named Laimplan-thaya ; its summit, which is a high peak, is 

 very rugged, partially clothed with vegetation, in which, as in all the 

 others of the same height autumnal tints are very distinct. Thai-ka- 

 thaya is a smaller peak to the S. S. W. of Premsong's house. One 

 of my Mishmee Dowaneirs tells me that the Mishmee (Coptis) 

 teeta Khosha gave me last evening, is cultivated near his native 

 place ; its flower buds are just forming and are enclosed in ovate con- 

 cave squamae. The leaves are of a lively green, not unlike those of 

 some ferns, but at once to be distinguished by the venation ; it is very 

 evident that the Mishmees know nothing about the period of its 

 flowering, as they told me it flowered in the rains, at the same time as 

 the dhak flowers in Assam ; the radicles are numerous, tawny yellow- 

 ish, the rhizomata are rugged tortuous, the bark and pith are of yellow 

 orange colour, the woody system gamboge : this is the same in the 

 petioles : it tinges the saliva yellow. It is a pure intense bitter of 

 some permanence, but without aroma : it is dried over the fire, the 

 drying being repeated three times. Judging from it in its fresh 

 state, the test of its being recently and well dried is the permanence 

 of the colors. The Bee, flowers during the rains : its flower, {on dit) 

 is white and small ; they pretend that it is very dangerous to touch, 

 causing great irritation ; both Coptis teeta, and Bee, are found on 

 high hills on which there is now snow ; one of them, the Ummpanee 

 or Moochee, is accessible from hence in three days. 



The Mishmee name for the Teeta, is Yoatzhee ; of Bee, Tfiwee; 

 Ghe-on is the Mishmee name for the smelling root, which the Assa- 

 mese call Gertheon. The smell of this is a compound of Valeriana 

 and Pastinaca ; it is decidedly aromatic, and not at all disagreeable, 

 it is white inside and abounds in pith, but has scarcely any 

 taste. 



