332 
A BOTANICAL TOUR IN THE SOUTH LUSHAI HILLS 
dug-outs were obtained, in place of the one which had done the 
journey from Chittagong whither it returned. 
Early on the morning of the 21 St a fresh start was made, and 
rowing kept up till nightfall, when camp was pitched. Next day 
Barkhal was reached in the afternoon. The latter part of the jour- 
ney to Barkhal was difficult and tedious from the dug-out constantly 
getting aground on shoals or the flat rocks in the'rivdr bed. 
At'Barkhal itself there are nearly two miles of impassable rapids 
the river here flowing in a gorge, as the name Barkhal implies, with 
very steep and thickly wooded banks. To get over the difficulty 
caused by the presence of the rapids the Government has constructed 
on the north bank of the river a single trolly line of rail running 
from the foot to the head of the rapids, where the line and the jungle 
clearing alike cease. The trollies are propelled by Sonthal coolies 
With some difficulty tw^o fresh dug-outs were secured, to take the 
place of the two from Rangamatti. Accordingly on the morning of 
the 23rd March the last stage of the river journey was begun, and 
that night camp was pitched just above the rapids of Utan Chatra, 
through which the dug-out was hauled by main force. 
Next day the 24th, after surmounting one more set of rapids 
Demagiri was reached and the river Journey ended. Demagiri is 
about fifty-six miles from Rangamatti, that is, about 120 miles from 
Chittagong by river. Between Barkhal and Demagiri is the bound- 
ary between Bengal and Assam. 
The scenery for the first twenty or thirty miles up the river 
differed in no wise from the ordinary plains scenery. 
As one journeyed higher up, how’ever, the banks became steeper 
■and more thickly wooded, with multitudinous species of trees and 
shrubs. Collections were made at each of the halting places so far as 
time permitted. These, however, are not included in the present 
report, as the localities do not come within the South Lushai Hills. 
At Demagiri the writer met with the subdivisional officer for 
Lungleh, who was returning thither after having been out on tour, 
and in his company the remainder of the journey was made. 
The four marches that intervened between Demagiri and Fort 
Lungleh were as follows: — 
25th March 
26th „ 
27th „ 
28th „ 
. Demagiri 
. Tuichong 
. Lungsin 
. Ridge camp 
to Tuichong S miles. 
„ Lungsin lo^ „ 
„ Ridge camp 13 „ 
„ Fort Lungleh 10^ „ 
These were four very fatiguing marches in the hot sun and uphill 
the whole way practically and during the last three the writer 
