N.B.—The plants enumerated above, were transmitted to the India House in 1838, together with former collections made in the Tenasserim Provinces.
CHAPTER IV.
Journey from Upper Assam towards Hookhoom, Ava, and Rangoon, Lat. 27°25' to 16°45' N., Long. 96° to 96°20' E.
We left Suddiya on the 7th of February 1837, and reached Kedding on the 10th; stayed there one day, and reached Kamroop Putar, where I found Major White and Lieut. Bigge on the 12th. The jungle to this place was similar to the usual jungle of the Singpho country, very generally low, and intersected by ravines. We crossed en route the Karam river, the Noa Dihing, or Dihing branch of the Booree Dihing, on which the Beesa’s old village was situated; and lastly the Kamroop. Kamroop Putar is close to the Naga hills; it is a cultivated rice tract, on the river Kamroop. This river is fordable, with frequent rapids. The only curious things about it are the petroleum wells, which are confined to three situations. The wells are most numerous towards the summits of the range; and the place where they occur is free from shrubs. The petroleum is of all colours, from green to bluish white; this last is the strongest, partaking of the character of Naphtha, it looks like bluish or greyish clay and water. The vegetation of the open places in which the wells are found, consists of grass, Stellaria, Hypericum, Polygonum, Cyperaceæ, Mazus rugosus, Plantago media, etc., all of which are found on the plains. One of the wells is found on the Putar, or cultivated ground; the petroleum in this is grey. The Kamroop river above this Putar, strikes off to the eastward, and the Kamteechick, a tributary, falls into it from the south; this last is a good deal the smaller; the banks of the Kamroop are in many places precipitous. About two miles from the Putar, a fine seam of excellent coal has been exposed by a slip: [{60}] the beds are at an inclination of 45°, and their direction is, I think, nearly the same with that of the left bank of the river in which they occur; immediately over the seam there is a small ravine, where three of the veins are still farther exposed. Caricea, a new Dicranum, Alsophila ferruginea, Polytrichum aloides, Bartramea subulosa, and Jungermanniæ are common near this spot.
Left Kamroop on the 19th, and proceeded in a S.W. direction for twelve miles, when we halted on the Darap Kha, at the foot of the Naga hills, opposite nearly to Beesala. Nothing of interest occurred.
Feb. 21st.—Commenced the ascent, and after marching about ten miles, halted in a valley near a stream. Temperature 66°. Water boiled at 210½°, giving an altitude of about 77°, or 383 feet above Suddiya. The road was very winding, the path good, except towards the base of the hills: the soil sandy, in places indurated, and resting on sandstone; but there is not yet sufficient elevation to ensure much change in vegetation. Found Kaulfussia [{61a}] below in abundance, observed Castanea and a Quercus; three species of Begonia, and three or four species of Acanthacea. In other respects the jungle resembles that of the Singpho territory. Dicksonia is abundant. Dipterocarpus of large size occurs. Caught two innocuous snakes at the halting place. [{61b}]
Feb. 22nd.—The distance of the march is about 12 miles, and we halted after crossing the Darap Panee; some parts of the route were difficult, at least for elephants. No particular features of vegetation yet appears. The summit of the higher hills looks pretty. Tree jungle considerable, open places with low grass, is the surrounding feature of vegetation. The hill first surmounted from the halting place is covered with a Camellia or Bunfullup, (i.e. bitter tea) of the Assamese. The fruit has loculicidal dehiscence. In habit it is like that of the tea, but the buds are covered with imbricate scales. At the summit of the hill, it attained a height of 30 or 40 feet. Begoniacea, Urticaceæ, Acanthaceæ, Filices, are the most common.
Feb. 23rd.—Halted to enable the elephants to come up; they arrived about 10 A.M. Temperature of the air 75°, water boiled at 210°, altitude 1029 feet. The Darap is a considerable stream, but is fordable at the heads of the rapids. Fish abound, especially Bookhar, a kind of Barbel, [{61c}] which reaches a good size. Clay slate appears to be here the most common rock, and forms in many places the very precipitous banks of the river. Alsophila ferruginea, Areca, Calami, Fici., Pentaptera, Laurineæ, Myristiceæ continue. Kaulfussia assamica, is common along the lower base of the hills.
Feb. 23rd.—Started at 7, and after a march of five hours, reached the halting place on the Kamtee-chick, some distance above the place at which we descended to its bed. Distance 12 miles, direction S.S.E.; crossed one hill of considerable elevation, certainly 1000 feet above the halting place, which we find by the temperature of boiling water to be 1413 feet above the sea. The tops of these hills continue comparatively open, and have a very pretty appearance. The trees, however, have not assumed a northern character; their trunks are covered with epiphytes. The Kamtee-chick is a small stream fordable at the rapids, the extreme banks are not more than 30 or 40 yards. No peculiarity of vegetation as yet occurs; the fruit of a Quercus continues common, as well as that of Castanea ferox. I met with that of a Magnolia; Tree ferns, Calami, Musa, Areca, and the usual sub-tropical trees continue; Acanthaceæ are most common, Gordonea plentiful on the open places on the hills, Sauraufa two species, Byttneria, etc. etc. Altogether, I am disappointed in the vegetation, which, although rich, is not varied. Wallichia continues common. A Begonia with pointed leaves, and a Smilacineous plant are the most interesting, and a large Quercoid Polypodium, the lacineæ of which are deciduous; and these I found in abundance on the Mishmee hills, although I did not succeed in getting an entire frond.
Feb. 24th.—Marched about ten miles all the way up the bed of the Kamtee-chick, now a complete mountain stream, the general direction being S.S.E. Traversed in places heavy jungle, but for the most part we ascended the bed of the river. The only very interesting plant was Podostemon, apparently Griffithianum, which covers the rocks on the bed of the river. The usual plants continue, viz. Scitamineæ, Phrynium capitatum, Tradescantia, Pæderia and Isophylla, Pothos 2 or 3 species, Ixora 2, Leea, which occasionally becomes arborescent. Cissus 3 or 4, Panax ditto, Pierardia sapida, Elæocarpus, Smilax, Areca, Calami 2 or 3, Asplenium nidus, Fici several, Pentaptera, Cupuliferæ, the latter rare; Bauheniæ 2, Acanthaceæ, one of which attains the size of a large shrub, Guttiferæ 2, Phlebochiton, Rottlera, Millingtonia simplicifolia, Inga, Wallichia, Pentaptera, Malvacea, and Acanthacea convallariæ flore. I observed Pandanus to be common, (one Sterculia was yesterday observed). Equisetæ 2, the larger being the plant of the plains. Erythrina, Lagerstræmia grandiflora. Chondospermum, Polypodium, Acrostichoides ferrugineum, and the fruit of Cedrela Toona, Megala. Choranthus was not seen.