It must not be forgotten that no Pinus longifolia exists on this route after leaving Telagoung.
Buxa is a rather pretty place, but as usual poor: the Doompa’s house is the only decent one in the place, the others, amounting to eight or ten, are common huts. The big house occupies an elevation in the centre of the pass, being cut off from the neighbouring hill on either side by a ravine, one of which is now quite dry, the other affords a scanty supply of water. The hills are covered with jungle, the only clearing being about Buxa, and this, except the flat summit of the hill, is overrun with bushes, Capparis modecea, Croton malvæfolia, Menisperma tropæolifolia. Bergeræ 2 species, Ixora, Brucea same as of the plains, Atriplex, Tournefortia of plains, Mæsa macrophylla, Mimosa scandens, Ficus elastica in good order, jacks, mangoes, oranges, plantains, Tabernamontana, Calamus, Cedrela Toona, are found.
Black pheasants, Bulbuls, Drongoles, Oorooa, Bucco, green pigeons. Long-tailed blue-crested shrike, etc. are found here. The Doompa, or Chong Soobah, is a man of no rank, and the place itself is of no importance, except as the pass or entrance between the mountains of Bootan and the plains of Bengal.
The descent from Buxa is gradual at first and not unpicturesque: after passing a small chokey about half a mile from Buxa, sandstone of a coarse nature commences. The descent is very steep, and continues so until within a short distance of a place called Minagoung, at which the bullocks are unladen at least of heavy baggage. The remaining descent is very gradual, and continues so for several miles. The march throughout and until the level of the plains is reached, was through tree jungle. The underwood being either scanty or consisting of grass.
On reaching the plains, the usual Assamese features presented themselves, viz. vast expanses of grass, intersected here and there with strips of jungle. Reached Chichacootta about 3 P.M.: distance eighteen miles, of which about fifteen were over either level or very gradually sloping ground. No villages occurred, and only one path struck off from the Buxa one. We passed two or three halting places.
The vegetation throughout was subtropical. At the same elevation as Buxa, noticed Cassia lanceolata, Torenia the common Leucas, Bheir, Solanum quercifolia, Banyan, Alstonia, Styrax, Caryota, Elephantopus, Osbeckia linearis, Herminioides, Wedelia scandens.
At 1,500 feet, Celastrus guttiferoid, Malvacea digyna, of which I found flowers on the path, Kœmpfera terminal, Antidesma, Anthericum, Echites arborea, Careya, Mimosa scandens, Pavetta, Rubiacea alia, Lepidostachys, Lagerstrœmia grandiflora, Leea crispa, Costus, Thunbergia grandiflora, Gordonia, Commelina, Phyllanthus, Briedlia, Dioscorea, Cassia fistula.
As we approached a lower level, the same plants continued: a Dillenia very common, Urena lobata, Hedera terebenthacea: the root is in some cases like figs, Spathodea, Nauclea, Sterculia carnosa, foliis palmatis, Dalbergia, Panax, Semecarpus, Rhaphis trivialis, Cymbid. alvifolium, Sarcanthus guttatus common, Apocynea fauce, 10-glandulata, Ixora, etc.
Saul was not common, nor did I see one tree of any size; it commenced about the margin of the Toorai.
Among the grasses forming the underwood of the Toorai and the grassy masses clothing the plains, Sacchara were the most common and the most conspicuous: next to these a species of Rottboellia. Sciurus Bengmoria occurred, Hemarthria, Greweia edulis, Leea crispa, Crinum in the Toorai, Viburnum of Sudya, Millingtonia pinnata, Volkameria serrata, Labiata Sudyensis, Mussænda erecta, humilis, Cinchona, Premna herbacea, Phœnix pumila.