Passing the healthy and pretty stations of Tezpore and Bishnath, I arrived at the mouth of the little stream Dikhoo, in nine days, and, mounting an elephant, rode through a dense tree and grass jungle to Seebsaugur, distant twelve miles from the Burrampooter. It was a bitterly raw, cold, wet day; but a blazing fire on the floor in the snug reed and grass cottage of an acquaintance, soon erased from my memory the inconvenience of the previous ten days’ exposure.
In the rains, the Burrampooter river resembles a sea, extending for many miles over the country. In the dry season it will be found in many places more than a mile wide. The current in Upper Assam, above Dibroo Ghur, is much more rapid than the Ganges river, and far more dangerous; from the river being strewed with immense trees, which are whirled down the stream with awful impetuosity, threatening instant destruction to the boat so unfortunate as to come in contact with them. For this reason, the canoes of the country being more manageable, and even if filled with water, too buoyant to sink, much less risk is incurred by travelling in them than in the comfortable budgerow, or large native boat of Western India, roofed with straw. The canoe has also another advantage, in case of a storm, as it can in a few minutes be dragged on shore and remain in perfect safety till the toofan has passed over. The confinement, however, and constant reclining posture are almost unbearable in the hot weather; and there is a painful sense of insecurity from the streams and rivers in many parts of Assam swarming with crocodiles. Natives, when bathing, are not unfrequently seized by crocodiles, and I have heard that one of these amphibious monsters has been known to seize a paddler unsuspiciously sleeping in the front part of the boat: which is not improbable, as the sides of a canoe are only six inches or a foot above the water. Such occurrences, however, are too rare to justify the fears that are entertained; but their rarity, considering the great numbers of crocodiles on the banks, is nevertheless a marvel. In the Chawlkhawa river, opposite Burpetah, I have seen basking in the sun on the sand banks, as many as ten crocodiles at a time; and upon one occasion, a heap of one hundred crocodile’s eggs, each about the size of a turkey’s egg, were discovered on a sand bank, and brought to me; I found on blowing them, that they all contained a perfectly formed crocodile, about two inches long, which would have crept forth after a few days’ farther exposure to the sun.
The flesh of the crocodile is like that of fish, emitting the same odour, and partaking of the flavour of the coarsest of the finny tribe. After skinning a small crocodile caught by a fisherman in his net, one of my native servants made a curry of the flesh, which is consumed by some low caste men in Assam, as well as in Western India. The eggs of crocodiles and river turtle are esteemed delicacies. Upon the merits of the flesh of the turtle I need not expatiate. I have frequently endeavoured to shoot the crocodile, but if they be not almost invulnerable, they contrive to elude capture; for when wounded they manage to get into the river, and either escape to recover, or die out of sight. It never was my fortune to kill and secure more than one, which was upwards of twelve feet in length. He was mortally stricken with one ball.
The station of Seebsaugur merits little notice. It is a low, flat country, subject to inundations. There are several large artificial tanks, and one or two fine old Hindoo temples, in and about the station. The fort of Rungpore, built of brick on the opposite side of the Dikhoo stream, is quite in ruins; and of the old city of Rungpore, not a hut is now in existence: all the inhabitants being now apparently located at Seebsaugur, which, from having become the residence of the civil officers in charge of the district, will in a few years, in all probability, be a populous, thriving town. After a few days’ residence at Seebsaugur, I again set out in a small boat on the Burrampooter; passing the new station of Dibroo Ghur, the residence of the Political Agent of Upper Assam, and other gentlemen connected with the manufacture of tea, I ascended the dangerous rapid formed by a ridge of stones extending almost across the river, a little below the junction of the two rivers, Dihong and Dibong, with the Burrampooter, and in seven days from Seebsaugur, arrived at the end of my journey, Saikwah. Here I assumed the command of three hundred men, and two six-pounders.
The site of Saikwah, the north-eastern frontier military post in Upper Assam, is on the south bank of the Burrampooter; on low ground, intersected by numerous streams and surrounded with dense high tree-jungle, having the Bisnacorie and the Saikwah streams on the west and east, and the Burrampooter on the north. For the comfort of the troops, a space of about one thousand square yards has been cleared of jungle. In the vicinity of, or a few miles distant from Saikwah, there are some small villages inhabited by tribes denominated Dooaneahs, Moolooks, Kesungs, Jillys, Mishmees, and Meerees who, from their wild habits, prefer the jungles to the plains. They grow a scanty supply of rice, kullie (a species of vetch) and Indian corn; the whole of which is generally consumed in a few months, leaving them to depend for the remainder of the year on leaves of the forest kutchoos (a kind of arrow-root) and wild yams. Saikwah was selected as a military post in 1839, immediately after the station of Suddeah on the opposite or north bank had been surprised and burnt by the neighbouring tribes. It is eighty miles distant from the Patkoe mountains, separating Assam from Burmah; but it is by no means so desirable a station for the health of the troops as the deserted post of Suddeah, in an open plain of six miles in extent. The object, however, of the change of locality, was to enable the Light Infantry to afford protection to the tea-gardens in Muttuck from the sudden aggressions of the numerous wild, fierce, border tribes. In this respect it has answered; hitherto, few depredations having been committed, though insurrections have been frequent.
The trade of Saikwah consists of ivory, wax, and a little cotton; the amount of ivory sold in the bazaar, the shopkeepers informed me, averaged annually about six hundred pounds. A more desolate place than Saikwah can scarcely be imagined. It is surrounded by fierce and treacherous tribes, who occupy a most impenetrable tree and grass jungle, and whose endeavours are perpetually directed to the annihilation of the troops. At first, the hourly patrol’s grand rounds and alarms allowed me little rest or ease, but the alertness of the troops in getting under arms at night to repel any meditated attack, soon obliterated from my mind all apprehension of surprise. The Assam Light Infantry wish for nothing better than an opportunity of contending with the Singphoos, or indeed with any of their treacherous neighbours (whom they hold in the utmost contempt) in a fair battle in the open country; but in the jungles they find it almost impossible to come in contact with their foes.
A few days after my arrival at Saikwah sufficed to plaster my mat-and-grass cottage with mud, and with the assistance of the Sipahees, a chimney for a fire-place was soon constructed, with bricks and mortar obtained from old buildings at Suddeah; then putting in a glass window, I was enabled, in comfort and solitariness, to pursue my usual vocations in all weathers. In this secluded retreat, every incident, however trifling in itself, acquired an importance which induced me to note it in my tablets. On one occasion, about eight o’clock at night, sitting by a snug fireside, my attention was arrested by the approach of an unwelcome visitor making his way in at the door. Taking up a candle to ascertain who or what was forcing ingress to my dwelling, I beheld a python, or boa-constrictor, about six feet long, steadily advancing towards me. In my defenceless position it may be imagined that safety depended on immediate flight; and the monster thus speedily gained entire possession of my habitation. It was, however, for a few minutes only, that he was permitted to remain the undisturbed occupant of the abode; for my servants quickly despatched the intruder with a few blows inflicted with long poles. An apothecary, who had long been attached to the Assam Light Infantry, assured me that pythons, or boa-constrictors, were very numerous in our vicinity, and of an immense size, some not being less than fifteen or eighteen feet in length. I had evidence of the truth of the statement; a skin, fifteen feet long, being subsequently brought me by the natives. I caused it to be tanned and sent to England. Small serpents were often met with. On one occasion the apothecary brought me two boa-constrictors of about four feet long, which he had found on a table curled up amongst some bottles in the same room where his children were sleeping. In all probability the lives of the infants were saved by the musquitto curtains preventing access to the bed. Boa-constrictors are exceedingly fond of rats, and on this occasion they had evidently been in search of their prey.
1. MANGOE FLY.
2. QUEEN (OR ARRINDY) SILKWORM OF ASSAM.
3. LONG HORNED BEETLE.
London, Smith Elder & Co. 65, Cornhill