60 
DECEMBER 1765. 
had very much difficulty in procuring Provisions. The present Rajah (who is a 
Youth) resides in a very paultry House surrounded by a small Ditch & high 
Pallisadoes of Bamboo, which they dignify with the name of a Killa. We halted at 
this Place one day to procure Provisions & Hircars for the Western Roads, & then 
struck to the Westward after recrossing the Dulelly & Barally Rivers. 
19 After recrossing the Kongeea Creek 4 miles North of Dawaaty we entered a 
pleasant & well cultivated Valley running from V SE to NW : this Valley is formed by 
the Batyamarry & Seepansilla Hills, & has in it several Villages, the chief of which 
are Maahgong & Beejura, the latter lying on the P'rontier of Great Thibet. The 
Hilly Countrey in these parts ends near Beejura, in Latitude 26°-25 / N., the Countrey 
Northward of it being flatt till you approach the Boutan Mountains. 
We entered the Boutan Countrey between Beejura & Tanjygong, & crossed 
about 7 miles of it between Tanjygong & Bassagong : this part is flat, open, & well 
cultivated, & has two Creeks flowing through it which afterwards fall into the 
Champamutty River. This part of Boutan belongs to Siddylee Purgannah/ & is 
subject to the Rajah of Cutchubary, a principal Village 2 days’ Journey to the 
Northwest & close to the foot of the Mountains. 
I had some thoughts of proceeding as far as Catchubary, in order to take a view 
of the Countrey, as well as to be informed of the Situation of the Firr Forests, but 
finding the Natives very averse to it, & that they withdrew into the Countrey in 
order that we should not be able to procure Provisions, I judged it prudent to desist 
without further orders, as being foreign to the Service now in execution. 
20 After re-entering the Bengali & Bisnee Provinces at Bassagong. we proceeded to 
the Southwest for Rangamatty, that being the only road that is passable in these 
Parts. Two miles SW from Bassagong, we crossed the Champamuttey River which 
falls into the Baramputrey 19 or 20 Miles below. The Eastern Banks of this River 
are covered with thick Jungle or Sedges, & the Western with thick Woods of 
Guzzally Trees, 1 which are felled in great numbers & brought down the River in 
P'loats. However there are but few large Trees, the generality of them being fit for 
110 other use than Boat building. 
These Woods continue for many miles to the NNW, & to the Southward within 
a few Miles of the Baramputrey ; but Westward scarce four Miles. The Village of 
Chowtakee lies near y e Road on the West side of the Wood, & within 2 \ miles of 
the Boutan Countrey. There is a small extent of cultivated Land in the neighbouhood 
of this Village, but from thence Southwestward, we found nothing but thick Jungle 
for 7 miles; the Guzzally Woods lay about a mile on our left. The Tarang Creek 
passes within 2 miles of the West side of Chowtaakee. 
1 Siilli, one of the Eastern Duars, now included in Goalpara District. 
■2 The gujali or sal tree, Shorea robusta, the most valuable timber tree in N.E. India. The wood so heavy that it 
-.inks in water and has to be supported by bamboo floats or rafts. These forests are enumerated by Buchanan Hamilton 
(Martin, History, Vol. III., p. 474) and are still of great importance. The Government Reserves in 1903-04 covered an 
area of 7X7 square miles in the Goalpara District, of which about 163 square miles are stocked with pure Sal. Most of 
the timber is still used for boat-building (Imp Gaz.. , E. Bengal and Assam, p. 518). 
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