ON THE ROUTE FROM ASSAM TO AVA. 



123 



they exist on the range in this direction. One of the most interest- 

 ing plants is a new species of tea, which I believe to be a genuine 

 Thea ; it is called Bun Fullup, or jungle tea, by the Assamese, in con- 

 tra-distinction to the true tea plant, which is called Fullup. This 

 species makes its appearance at an elevation of about 1,000 feet, and 

 is met with as high up as 4,000 feet. It attains the size of a tree of 

 30 feet in height ; it is used only as a medicine. No real tea exists 

 on this route ; several plants were pointed out to me as tea, but all 

 were spurious instances. The higher portions of the ranges have a 

 flora approaching in many instances to that of northern latitudes. 

 As examples of this, it will be sufficient to allude, in addition to the 

 trees mentioned above, to the existence of two species of Daphne, 

 one of Barberry, several species of a genus nearly allied to the 

 Whortle Berries, a Violet, and several species of Smilacinese, to which 

 order the Lily of the Valley belongs. 



In concluding this part of my report, I may perhaps be permitted to 

 advert to the question of the possibility of transporting a body of 

 armed men into the Burmese dominions by this route. Although 

 there is nothing in the nature of this portion of the boundary which 

 would render this operation very difficult, yet considering the state 

 of the adjoining parts of Upper Assam, and that of Hookhoom, it 

 becomes almost impracticable. I allude to the extreme difficulty of 

 procuring grain in Upper Assam, in which, at least around Sadiya, 

 annual scarcities are by no means uncommon, and to the utter im- 

 possibility of drawing any supplies from Hookhoom in its present 

 miserable state. All the necessary supplies would require to be 

 drawn from Lower Assam, and for the transport of these the scanty 

 population of this extremity of the valley would by no means be 

 sufficient. Bearing on this point it must be remembered, that from 

 the 1 st of April to the 1 st November, these hills cannot be traversed 

 except by their native inhabitants, without incurring great risk from 

 the usual severe form of jungle fever. 



III. From Namtusseek to Wullaboom. 

 Country traverseh subject to Burmese authority, forming 



GREATER PORTION OF THE VALLEY OF HoOKHOONG, OR THE PaEEN- 

 DWENG. 



March 1. From Namtusseek to Nhempean. — Direction E. Distance 

 18 miles, crossed the Namtusseek, then passed through heavy tree 

 jungle, and subsequently over extensive grassy plains. 



