Vegetable Products.—Fine timber trees occur here and there. Oaks, Magnolias and Chesnuts occur not uncommonly, the Magnolias being of these in this range the most characteristic of elevation. The horse chesnut of Assam, (Osculus Asamicus mihi) occurs on both sides of the range, but does not ascend further than 3,000 feet. No Fir trees exist on the route, nor is it probable that they exist on the range in this direction. One of the most interesting plants is a new species of tea, which I believe to be a genuine Thea; it is called Bun Fullup, or jungle tea, by the Assamese, in contra-distinction to the true tea plant, which is called Fullup. This species makes its appearance at an elevation of about 1,000 feet, and is met with as high up as 4,000 feet. It attains the size of a tree of 30 feet in height; it is used only as a medicine. No real tea exists on this route; several plants were pointed out to me as tea, but all were spurious instances. The higher portions of the ranges have a flora approaching in many instances to that of northern latitudes. As examples of this, it will be sufficient to allude, in addition to the trees mentioned above, to the existence of two species of Daphne, one of Barberry, several species of a genus nearly allied to the Whortle Berries, a Violet, and several species of Smilacineæ, to which order the Lily of the Valley belongs.
In concluding this part of my report, I may perhaps be permitted to advert to the question of the possibility of transporting a body of armed men into the Burmese dominions by this route. Although there is nothing in the nature of this portion of the boundary which would render this operation very difficult, yet considering the state of the adjoining parts of Upper Assam, and that of Hookhoom, it becomes almost impracticable. I allude to the extreme difficulty of procuring grain in Upper Assam, in which, at least around Sadiya, annual scarcities are by no means uncommon, and to the utter impossibility of drawing any supplies from Hookhoom in its present miserable state. All the necessary supplies would require to be drawn from Lower Assam, and for the transport of these the scanty population of this extremity of the valley would by no means be sufficient. Bearing on this point it must be remembered, that from the 1st of April to the 1st November, these hills cannot be traversed except by their native inhabitants, without incurring great risk from the usual severe form of jungle fever.
III. FROM NAMTUSSEEK TO WULLABOOM.
COUNTRY TRAVERSED SUBJECT TO BURMESE AUTHORITY, FORMING GREATER PORTION OF THE VALLEY OF HOOKHOONG, OR THE PAEENDWENG.
March 1. From Namtusseek to Nhempean.—Direction E. Distance 18 miles, crossed the Namtusseek, then passed through heavy tree jungle, and subsequently over extensive grassy plains.
2. From Nhempean to Nidding.—Direction SSE. Distance 4½ miles, course along the Namtoroan, thence up the Saxsaikha.
3. From Nidding to Kulleyang.—Direction SSE. Distance 13 miles, country covered either with tree or high grass jungle. Passed a deserted village, Thilling Khet.
4. From Kulleyang to Isilone.—Direction SW. Distance 10 miles, country rather more open. Puthars are of common occurrence; passed a small village, Damoon.
5. From Tsilone to Meinkhoong.—Distance 17 miles, course at first along the Namtunai, [{124a}] country open, consisting of grassy plains; several nullahs occur.
6. From Meinkhoon to Wullabhoom.—Direction SE. Distance 13 miles. Course over plains intersected by tree jungle, subsequently up the bed of the Nempyo-kha.