QUITS HOOKHOOM. 



79 



of Upper Assam,) Ventilago, Quercus or Castanea, Composite, etc. 

 In the damp places a largish Loxotis, two or three Begoniae, ditto 

 Urticese occur. I noticed among and around the pits a species 

 of Bambusa, Celtis, Kydia calycina, Clerodendrum infortunatum, 

 Calamus, Areca, Dicksonia, Ficus, Pentaptera, and Rottlera. Pladera 

 has ceased to appear. 



Last night a sort of alarm occurred, and in consequence, this 

 evening, the head cooly gave his orders to his men in the following 

 terms : <( Watch to-night well." Nobody answering him, he conti- 

 nued, ** Do you hear what I say ?" Then addressed himself to them 

 in the most obscene terms, which habit and uncivilized life seem to 

 have adapted to common conversation amongst these people without 

 any breach of modesty or decorum ; and amongst the Assamese 

 such expressions likewise form not an uncommon mode of familiar 

 salutation. 



March 27th. — Left about 7, and proceeded over the Meinkhoon 

 plain in an easterly direction, in which the highest hills visible 

 from the village lay. We continued east for some time, our course 

 subsequently becoming more and more south. On reaching the 

 Nempyokha, we proceeded up its bed for about two miles, the 

 course occasionally becoming west. We reached Wollaboom at 12^. 

 General direction S. E. ; distance thirteen miles. The greater part 

 of the country traversed consisted of low plains, splendidly adapted 

 for halee cultivation. No villages were passed. Saw two paths, 

 one leading to the N., one to the S. not far from Meinkhoon ; of 

 these the N. one leads to the hills, the S. to a Singpho village. And 

 we passed burial places of some antiquity, and considerable extent. 

 New plants ; a Loranthus floribus viridibus, petalis 6 reflexis. Zizy- 

 phoidea, and an arborescent Bignonia foliis cordatis oppositis, integris, 

 basi bi-glandulosis, paniculis racemiformibus, solitariis et axillaribus 

 vel terminalibus et aggregatis. Marlea Sporobolus, Castanea edulis, 

 Pteris dimediata, etc., occurred. Noticed the tracks of a Tiger, of 

 Elks, and the Peewit or Curlew. 



Woollaboom is rather a large village on the Nempyokha, which 

 is here scarcely 40 yards broad ; it is of no depth, and has not much 

 stream. The villagers are Meereps, but seem to bear a small propor- 

 tion to their Assamese slaves. It is not stockaded, but was so 

 formerly. The Souba, like a Hero and a General, has erected a small 

 stockade for himself near his house, out of which he might be with 

 ease forced by a long spear, or a spear-head fastened to a bamboo. 



