TASSYASSEE. 



237 



certainly 1,000 feet ; snow covered the ground in all sheltered spots. 

 The woods here are formed chiefly of Q. robur, Q. elecifolia also occurs 

 here and there, Gordonia, Cerasus, Rhododendron minus. 



Mosses and Jungermannise abound, and were in high perfection 

 owing to being saturated with moisture. Polytrichum, Neckera, 

 Brachymenium, Dicranura, Weissias, Fissidens, Hypnum, Didymodon, 

 Diastoma, Orthodon, were found in perfection. The only new plant 

 were a Campanula and a Chimaphila, which last was found at 7,000 

 feet. Berberis asiatica scarcely occurs below 6,000 feet, Hedera. 

 The birds seen were the jay, barbet, red-and-black-headed, variegated 

 short-wing, large ditto of Khegumpa, orange-breasted Trochilus, 

 brown Fringilla, green woodpecker, black pheasant, and small squirrel 

 of Assam was also found. 



From the fir wood, Tassyassee was distinctly visible, bearing nearly 

 due south, distance 10 or 12 miles. Koollong was also seen : all the 

 high ground between that and Bulphai was covered with snow. The 

 high range to the south is, I think, the same as that which runs up 

 behind from the pagoda above Bulphai. 



A few plants of the Assam Indigo, Ruellia indigofera, are kept 

 here, and preserved with care, but stunted and obviously unsuited 

 to the climate. Montario, our taxidermist, says that it is the fourth 

 plant he knows from which indigo is procured. First, Indigofera 

 — Second, the custard- apple, shereefa — Third, a climbing plant used 

 in Java, etc. probably Marsdenia tinctoria — Fourth, — ? 



February \0th. — Fine weather : thermometer at 7 a. m. 40°. Started 

 at 9 a. m., and reached Tassyassee at 3 p. m. ; the distance being nine 

 miles. We continued throughout nearly at the same elevation, 

 rounding the hill on which Koollong is placed. About three miles 

 from this we descended about 500 feet to a nullah, which we crossed 

 over by means of planks, thence we ascended about the same height, 

 and continued at nearly our former level until we descended to the 

 Koollong, which we crossed by the usual form of wooden bridge. 

 Thence we ascended 400 feet to the village, which is chiefly constitu- 

 ted by the Rajah's house, a very large edifice. The Koollong is still 

 a considerable stream, but appears to be fordable, at least in the 

 present season. 



The vegetation continued the same almost throughout. In ascend- 

 ing from the nullah above mentioned, we came on plenty of Pinus 

 longifolia, and on getting still nearer Tassyassee the Abies pendula 

 became more and more common, until it forms on the opposite bank 



