1837.] 



the Assam Tea Plant. 



435 



of the Bora Pihing river. From thence we entered the bed of a small 

 river which joins the Bora Dining, called at this place the Maun- 

 moo, *■ and proceeding up its bed, for the distance of about three miles, 

 reached the second tea colony. 



Nigroo.— -The soils in which the plant is here found, are of three 

 sorts, each of which differ from that in which it was found to grow at 

 Cuju, but presenting points still more instructive and interesting than 

 the latter colony afforded. The topography of the place, presents to 

 our notice ; First, the dry sandy bed of an occasional pond that emp- 

 ties itself by means of a deep drain (said to have bpen formed by 

 nature, though it looks artificial), extending across the colony of plants, 

 and communicating with the bed of the Maun-moo. Secondly, a 

 mound of tolerably rich, but very light soil, extending in a north east- 

 erly direction, and presenting a serpentine declivity to the S. E. 



The Maun-moo river partly encircles the spot, giving it the shape 

 of a small peninsula. The level of the river is about 15 feet lower 

 than the surface at the foot of the hillock, or mound, so that during 

 floods the tea plants in the latter situation, must be liable occasionally, 

 (I should think), to slight inundation. 



Approaching the spot, from the river, we crossed a zone of almost 

 pure sand, overgrown with reeds, and in the course of a few paces, 

 reached a sandy clayey soil in which we found a few small tea 

 plants ; a few steps farther introduced us to a drier, and less con- 

 sistent soil, in which the plants were found larger, and more nume- 

 rous. Surrounded by tea plants, we ascended the mound, the soil of 

 whichis light, fine, and of yellow colour, having no sandy character. 

 Here the plants were found still more numerous than in the lower 

 ground. 



Noadwar. — The third tea colony we visited, is near the village of 

 Noadwar, in the centre of Upper Assam, and not above twenty-five, 

 or thirty miles from the Bramaputra. 



Proceeding to the spot where the plants are found, we passed over 

 rice grounds which were almost quite under water from the torrents of 

 rain then falling, in the middle of February. Having entered the 

 skirts of a forest which, though not underwater, was wet and slippery, 



* Moo, or Mokh, mouth ; synonymous with Moon, in Bengalee. 



