118 



REPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT 



considerable. On the surface of all, but especially on these last, an 

 oleaginous, highly inflammable fluid collects in the form of a thin 

 film. The jungle surrounding the springs ceases abruptly, the 

 ground around, and among them, being covered with stunted grass 

 and a few small herbaceous plants. Elephants and large deer are 

 frequent visitors to the springs ; of the former, the tracts are fre- 

 quent, and they are sometimes shot here by the natives. 



Vegetable Products. — The jungles afford several kinds of bamboo, 

 some of which are of value ; generally speaking the trees are not 

 large, with the exception of a gigantic Dipterocarpus, wood- oil or 

 dammar tree ; of this particular tree I have seen specimens measuring 

 100 feet from the base to the first branch. The wood is of no value, 

 nor have I seen any use made in Assam of the resinous secretion, 

 which is in great vogue on the Tenasserim Coast for the construction 

 of torches, etc. 



II. From Beesa Lacoom to Namtusseek. 

 Country traversed forming parts of the Naga range of 

 hills, and of the southern boundary of the valley of as- 

 sam : the northern side is subject to british, the southern 

 to Burmese controul. 



1st. Stage. — Halting place in the jungle, at an elevation of 770 

 feet above the sea. Direction SSE. Distance 12 miles, course over 

 low hills covered with dense jungle. 



2nd. Darap Panee. — Altitude 1029 feet. Direction SSE. Distance 

 1 2 miles, passed over some difficult places ; crossed the Darap twice 

 before we reached the halting place, course through very heavy jungle, 

 except on the summits of the higher hills, which are tolerably open. 



3rd. Namtusseek * or Tusseek Panee, altitude 1413 feet. Direction 

 SSE. Distance 12 miles, country more open: summit of the hills 

 covered with grass and scattered trees. The highest hill surmount- 

 ed was certainly 1000 feet above our halting place. 



4th. Namtusseek, or Tusseek Panee, altitude (not observed). Direc- 

 tion SSE. Distance 10 miles, course almost entirely up the bed of 

 the river over boulders, occasionally skirting the stream through 

 heavy and wet jungle. 



* The affix Nam, signifies in the Shan language a river or stream. 



