FINALLY QUITS UPPER ASSAM. 



61 



Left Kamroop on the 19th, and proceeded in a S. W. direction 

 for twelve miles, when we halted on the Darap Kha, at the foot of 

 the Naga hills, opposite nearly to Beesala. Nothing of interest 

 occurred. 



Feb. 2\st. — Commenced the ascent, and after marching about 

 ten miles, halted in a valley near a stream. Temperature 66°. Water 

 boiled at 210^°, giving an altitude of about 77°, or 383 feet above 

 Suddiya. The road was very winding, the path good, except towards 

 the base of the hills : the soil sandy, in places indurated, and resting 

 on sandstone ; but there is not yet sufficient elevation to ensure much 

 change in vegetation. Found Kaulfussia* below in abundance, 

 observed Castanea and a Quercus ; three species of Begonia, and three 

 or four species of Acanthacea. In other respects the jungle resembles 

 that of the Singpho territory. Dicksonia is abundant. Dipterocar- 

 pus of large size occurs. Caught two innocuous snakes at the 

 halting place. f 



Feb. 22nd. — The distance of the march is about 12 miles, and we 

 halted after crossing the Darap Panee ; some parts of the route were 

 difficult, at least for elephants. No particular features of vegetation 

 yet appears. The summit of the higher hills looks pretty. Tree 

 jungle considerable, open places with low grass, is the surrounding 

 feature of vegetation. The hill first surmounted from the halting place 

 is covered with a Camellia or Bunfullup, (i. e. bitter tea) of the As- 

 samese. The fruit has loculicidal dehiscence. In habit it is like 

 that of the tea, but the buds are covered with imbricate scales. At 

 the summit of the hill, it attained a height of 30 or 40 feet. Bego- 

 niacea, Urticageae, Acanthacese, Filices, are the most common. 



Feb. 23rd. — Halted to enable the elephants to come up ; they 

 arrived about 10 a.m. Temperature of the air 75°, water boiled 

 at 210°, altitude 1029 feet. The Darap is a considerable stream, 

 but is fordable at the heads of the rapids. Fish abound, especially 

 Bookhar, a kind of Barbel,^ which reaches a good size. Clay slate 

 appears to be here the most common rock, and forms in many places 

 the very precipitous banks of the river. Alsophila ferruginea, Areca, 



* See Description by the Author, As. Res. Bengal, Vol. xix. 



f Since described from these specimens as Calamaria monticola, and Dipsas 

 monticola. Vide Proc. Zool. Soe. March 12th 1839, and Cal. Journ. Nat. Hist. 

 Vol. i. pp. 80-S5. 



t As. Res. Vol. xix. p. 336. 



