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Journals of Travels in Assam, Burma, Bhootan, Afghanistan and The by William Griffith

W >> William Griffith >> Journals of Travels in Assam, Burma, Bhootan, Afghanistan and The




Moflong is a bleak exposed village and the bungalow or residence for
travellers very bad. The number of European forms we found to increase
considerably about this place. The only woods that occur are of fir, but
the trees are of no great size; their frequent occurrence, however,
stamps a peculiar feature on the scenery. We here experienced nearly
three days of continued rain, and, as the place is bleak, we were
miserable enough. We left for Myrung on the 9th, and the greater and all
the first part of the long march was very uninteresting. At Mumbree,
however, there is a decided improvement, and the scenery is very good.
One here notices the occurrence of woods--of oaks, etc., and their form
reminded me somewhat of the woods of Buckinghamshire. No woods of fir
occur; all the trees occurring isolatedly. I should mention that the
country between Molee and Moflong is quite peculiar in geological
structure, abounding in Cyanite, the masses of which are of very
considerable size. I imagine that the vegetation farther on in this
direction would be more rich in European forms than elsewhere, at least
between Churra and Mingklow.

Myrung is certainly far superior in every point to any place that we have
yet seen; and, as the climate is peculiarly fine and the bungalow good,
the degree of enjoyment is as great as can be expected. The features of
the country are similar to those of Mumbree. The groves or woods are
composed chiefly of oaks, intermixed with Magnolias, which attain a very
large size. These forests seem all to have a northern aspect. Orchideae
abound in these woods, and so far as herbaceous forms go, European
vegetation is on the decrease. From the bungalow one has occasionally a
remarkably fine view of the Himalayas, mountains intercepted by large
tracts of very high land, probably Bootan. The coldest weather we have
experienced here was when the thermometer sank to 46 degrees; even in the
middle of the day the sun is not oppressive. It is singular enough, that
the first attempts, so to speak, at a Fauna occur here. The woods abound
with small birds. I shot one squirrel, with a very short tail and
rounded head. Red deer (the Gyee of the Burmese) occur, though rarely.
Two or three solitary snipes may be found during a day's excursion, and
perhaps a brace of quail, which are nearly as large as English
partridges. Pheasants are reported to occur in the woods. I should add,
that both here and at Nunklow snipe of a very large description, and of
the habits of the solitary snipe, are found in small numbers. They are
very brown, as large as a wood-cock, and their cry is that of a common
snipe. Lieutenant Townsend informs me, that these birds are a totally
distinct species. Lieutenant Vetch tells me, that the Khasiyas declare
that they are the females of the wood-cock, in other words, wood-hens,
and that in March wood-cocks abound in the places with these wood-hens.
He likewise informs me, that the only difference he could ascertain to
exist between these birds and wood-cocks, consists in their having very
short and thick legs.

I have seen two of this particular description, but have never shot any.

[View from Nunklow: p8.jpg]

After Myrung one can speak much less in favour of these hills. Nunklow
is a pretty spot, and commands a really magnificent view of the
Himalayas, of the Bootan mountains, and of the plains of Assam.
Altogether this view is the finest which, in my limited experience, I
have ever seen: I did not however like Nunklow, nor do my wishes recur to
it. {9} The route thither is pretty enough, and not fatiguing. I may
mention Nunklow as the station of some fine trees, among which is a
Betula, two AEsculi, oaks, etc. in abundance. The pine is in fine order,
but not large. Much more cultivation is carried on in this portion of
the hills than elsewhere, and paddy is cultivated apparently to some
extent. The temperature is much warmer, and the air by no means so
bracing as that of Myrung. Perhaps at this place the flora resemble that
of lower Himalaya more than other places we have yet seen. The march
from Nunklow to Nowgong is very long, and, as we started late, owing
partly to mismanagement and partly to the want of coolies, we were most
agreeably benighted in the jungle. The descent is very sudden and
commences at Nunklow; the valley, on the brink of which it is situated,
being perhaps 2000 feet deep. It is in this valley or on its walls that
the finest pines we have seen occur, but even here they do not attain a
greater height than 60 feet, and perhaps a diameter of a foot or a foot
and a half. As Mr. Brown of the Sillet Light Infantry informed me most
correctly, many would make fine spars; but Mr. Cracroft's language in one
of the Journals of the Asiatic Society when describing these firs, seems
rather overwrought. During our march I picked up a pretty species of
Sonerila. A small stream runs at the foot of the descent, by what name
it goes I know not. Near the Bustapanee, flowing along a valley about
two hours' walk from the last mentioned water. Wallich discovered
abundance of his favourite and really splendid Polypodium Wallichianum,
which I may accuse with justice of being an additional reason for our
benightment. The stream is really the only respectable river we have
seen, or rather the second one that can be called a torrent, the other
being the Bogapanee. It boils along, and the body of water is great,
even at the season of the year at which we passed it. It has forced
enormous holes, frequently round, in the large masses of rock that form
its bed, and then in and a few yards beyond the bridge of bamboos by
which we crossed, it falls, they say, 70 feet into a fine bason, which
however is only partly visible from above. They who have been on the
edges of this bason say that the fall is really fine; it certainly has
not much of this when viewed from above, neither can it, I think, even in
the rains come up to Mr. Cracroft's description. Moosmai is, _apres_
_tout_ I will venture to say, the king of the falls between Terrya Ghat
and Ranee Godown. On the farther side of this water, small trees of
Cycas first make their appearance, but we had no time now or rather then
to examine any thing. As the shades of evening lengthened we quickened
our paces, and at last when it became dark, came up with the coolies in a
most rugged road, and when it was dark, after stumbling about a good
deal, I made my way to the foot of the descent, and reached a small
stream, where we made preparations for a halt, and where we passed the
night, during which we were treated with a slight shower of rain. As the
season was far advanced we all escaped, scot-free, from fever, and
reached the Bungalow called Nowgong about 10 o'clock next morning, where
we spent the day.

[The village of Nunklow: p11.jpg]

From this time we were, I believe, all anxious to leave the hills, which
had lost all their charms, although the vegetation was still more
gigantic and interesting. But we were now confined to the road, which is
very good, all digressions being prevented by the thickness of the
jungles, and then in some places swarms of wild elephants. These animals
appear most numerous about Onswye, near which there is a marshy place
literally trodden up by them, and their tracks were so fresh that no
traces of Wallich or his coolies could be identified, although they had
preceded us only about half an hour. It was in this particular place
that I gathered a solitary specimen of _Butomus pygmaeus_. Beyond
Nowgong, saul first comes into view, and many trees attain a considerable
size. Some fine ferns and two beautiful Acanthaceae, I may mention, as
collected about that place. We reached Jyrung by an easy march the next
day; every step adding only to a greater renewal of acquaintance with old
faces, or at least old plain plants. Between Jyrung and the foot of the
hills, we fell in with _Henslowia glabra_ in fine flower: Wallich took
many fine specimens, all of which were males. This species is, as well
as the former, liable to deceive one as to the sex of the plant; but all
the seeming ovaries beginning to enlarge are due to insect bites or
punctures. To conclude: at the foot of the hills we were embraced with
_Marlea Begonifolia_, _Bauhinia purpurea_, etc. almost exactly as at
Terrya Ghat. Between the foot of these really delightful hills and Ranee
Godown, I fell in with one plant only, deserving of mention, _Dischedia_
_Rafflesiana_; this is worthy of notice, as our Indian Asclipiferous
species have not hitherto been found, I believe north of Moulmain, nor
otherwhere than that peninsula and the archipelago. From Ranee Godown we
had the pleasure of walking nineteen miles to Gowahatty, which place we
reached on the 23rd November.

All I can say in its favour is, that it is very cold in the mornings,
always at this season cool; that it is very pretty, being situated on the
Burrampooter, and surrounded with hills; that the women are good-looking,
and the whole body of officers among the best. Of its botanical riches I
can only say, that in a short afternoon's excursion we found
_Cardiopterus harnulosa_, or rather saw it, and a species of Apocynea
in fruit, probably the same with one I have from Tenasserim, and which is
remarkable for the very many fleshy alae of its fruit. Gowahatty is
particularly known as the station for _Cycas circinatis_, one fine
specimen of which Captain Jenkins shewed us, and the height of which is
perhaps 20 or 25 feet.

It was dichotomous, but only once. The rings formed by the scars of the
foot stalks, as well as those of the fruit stalks, were most distinct on
the two branches only, and gave them a very rich and less elated
appearance. The examination of this specimen only strengthens me in my
opinion derived chiefly from examination of those in the Botanic Gardens,
that these rings which certainly afford the age of each branch, one being
added of either sort every year, are not to be distinguished in the stem
below its division. So that after all, _Brongniart_ is only half-wrong,
although he is ignorant of the saving clause.

I may add, that we were on the hills about thirty-eight days, of which
seven and a half were rainy, a proportion of 1 in 5.5.

_On the 2nd December_, our party left Gowahatty for Suddiya, on the
morning of the 4th I proceeded in advance in Captain Matthie's express
canoe for Tezpoor, which place I reached on the evening of the 6th, and
at which I met with a most kind reception from Captain Matthie, Principal
Assistant to the Agent to the Governor General, and in Civil charge of
the district of Durrung. Tezpoor possesses many advantages over
Gowahatty, from which place it is about 120 miles distant, that is,
following the river. It is situated on the banks of what was once a
portion of the Burrampooter, but which is now nothing but a nullah,
nearly dry at the present season. It is a completely new place, {12}
Captain Matthie having arrived here about a year since, at which time it
was a complete jungle. Some small hills run along the side of the
nullah, on one of which Captain Matthie's house is situated. The
clearings have already reached to a considerable extent, and there are
two good roads for buggies. The great advantage it has over Gowahatty
consists in its freedom from fogs, which evidently hug the Meekur hills
on the opposite side of the Burrampooter, bearing about E.S.E. from
Tezpoor. It is perhaps owing to the proximity of these hills that
Nowgong until 10 A.M. appears completely enveloped in fog, while all
round Tezpoor it is completely clear.

From this place the view of the Himalayas and of the intervening Bootan
hills is very fine. The chain is of considerable extent, and presents
three grand peaks, of which the most westerly one is the largest. They
do not appear very distant, and are distinctly seen at this season at all
times of the day. They are more soft and picturesque towards evening, at
which time the different shades are better developed. The degrees of
ascent of the Bootan hills are well shewn; the hills forming the lowest
range being of no considerable height. It is at once obvious, that the
ascent into Bootan from this place would occupy several days.

[Captain Mathie's Cutcherry: p12.jpg]

The view to the S. and S.S.W. is barren enough, and is completely flat;
the country presenting nothing whatever but high grass, with an
occasional peep of the river. That to the north is, owing to the
Himalayas, very striking and picturesque.

Cultivation is carried on to a great extent about Tezpoor, and the
district is populous, although few villages are to be seen, as they are
all concealed among trees. Paddy is the principal grain cultivated, and
this is carried on in low places, which appear on a casual examination to
have been originally beds of rivers. Captain Matthie however tells me,
that many of these have abrupt terminations and commencements, such may
have been old jheels. Sursoo, opium, and sugar-cane are likewise
cultivated, especially the former.

The whole land indeed, with the exception of the rice-places and the
evidently old beds of the Burrampooter, are much more elevated than the
land round Gowahatty. Both Tezpoor and Durrung are consequently less
damp, and more healthy than the above-mentioned place. In fact, as a
residence I would infinitely prefer Tezpoor to Gowahatty. With regard to
the shikar, (shooting) both large and small game abound. Tigers are
frequent as well as bears. Buffaloes are to be seen on the _churs_
(islands) in large herds. Pea-fowl and jungle-fowl abound, as well as
water-fowl; floricans and partridges, both black and red, are by no means
unfrequent.

_Upper Assam_, _Jan_. _15th_.--We arrived at Kujoo, a rather large
village of Singfos, and within half a day's journey of which the tea is
found in its native state. This is the first Singfo village I have as
yet seen, and is situated on the skirts of a plain of small extent, and
covered to all appearance by extensive grass jungles, among which trees
are interspersed. The houses are not numerous, but they are of large
size, and are raised in the Burman fashion on piles from the ground.
Within one, many families are accommodated. The people themselves are
fair, much like the Burmese, but still quite distinct. The male dress
resembles the Burmese much; the female is more distinct, consisting
chiefly of a sort of _gown_; and whilst tattooing is confined to the
males in Burma, it here appears to be indulged in chiefly by the ladies;
all the legs I saw during the day, being ornamented with rings of tattoo.
The men are a stout, rather fine race; free, easy, and independent, and
great admirers of _grog_ in every form.

During our journey hither, and indeed en route from Kujoo Ghat, we passed
over a clay soil and through a dense jungle, comparable to which I have
seen but little. Our direction has been nearly south from the above
place. The jungle consisted chiefly of trees, here and there large
patches of bamboo or tobacco occurring: there was but little underwood.
Among the trees the most gigantic was a species of Dipterocarpus,
probably the same with that I have gathered on Pator hill, Mergui. We
picked up likewise very large acorns with a depressed lamellated cap, and
two fruits of Castanea, one probably the same with that from Myrung. But
of all the vegetation, that of ferns is the most luxuriant and most
varied.

_Jan_. _16th_.--This day we gave up to the examination of the tea in its
native place. It occurs in a deep jungle to the south of the village,
and at a distance of about three miles from it. Our route thither lay
through first a rather extensive grass jungle, then through a deep
jungle. We crossed the Deboru once on our route; it is a mean and
insignificant stream.

Nothing particular presents itself in the jungle until you approach the
tea, on which you come very suddenly. This plant is limited to a small
extent, perhaps to 300 yards square, the principal direction being N. and
S. It grows in a part of the jungle where the soil is light and dryish,
and throughout which, _ravinules_ are frequent, due, Mac. tells me, to
the effect of rain dropping from the heavy over-shadowing foliage on a
light soil. In addition to this, small mounds occur about the roots of
the large trees; but chiefly around bamboos, which are by no means
unfrequent. This, however, is of common occurrence in all bamboo
jungles. The underwood consists chiefly of Rubeaceae, a small Leea,
Cyrthandraceae and Filices, _Polypodium arboreum_, _Angiopteris_
_orassipes_, and a large Asplenium are common. Among the arbuscles are a
large leaved Tetranthera, a Myristica, Anonaceae, _Paederioidea_
_faetidissima_, foliis ternatis; stipulis apicee subulata, 3-fidis, etc.
And among the forest trees are a vast Dipterocarpus, the same we met with
en route to Kujoo, _Dillenia speciosa_, etc. Piper and Chloranthus are
likewise not uncommon. There is no peculiar feature connected with the
existence of the tea in such a place, and in such a limited extent. We
were fortunate enough to find it both in flower and fruit, owing to its
site; its growth is tall and slender, and its crown at least that of the
smaller, very small and ill developed. Large trees are rare; in fact,
they have been all cut down by the Singfos, who are like all other
natives excessively improvident. The largest we saw, and which Wallich
felled, was, including the crown, 43 feet in length. Small plants are
very common, although Bruce had already removed 30,000. Mac. thinks they
grow chiefly on the margins of the ravinules or hollows. Their leaves
were all large, of a very dark green, and varying from four to eight
inches in length. The pith of the tree felled was excentric, the greater
development taking place as usual on the southern side; it was two and a
half inches N., three and a half S.; but about 10 feet above the base
this excentricity was nearly doubled. The wood is very compact, and the
tree apparently one of slow growth. The largest that Bruce has seen, and
which he felled last year, was 29 cubits in length. The jungle was so
thick that all general views as to its real extent, and the circumstances
limiting it, must be very superficial. To the East the cessation of the
lightness of the soil and of the hollows is very abrupt, and strongly
influences the tea, only a few small straggles being visible in that
direction. The jungle here was choked with grasses, and the large
viscous Acanthaceae of which we have elsewhere en route seen such
abundance. The tree evidently, even in its large state, owes little
gratitude to the sun, at least for direct rays, none of which I should
think ever reach it. The Singfos however say, that it will only thrive
in the shade. We halted after gathering a crop of leaves under a fine
Dillenia, which was loaded with its fruit. Here the Singfos demonstrated
the mode in which the tea is prepared among them. I must premise,
however, that they use none but young leaves. They roasted or rather
semi-roasted the leaves in a large iron vessel, which must be quite
clean, stirring them up and rolling them in the hands during the
roasting. When duly roasted, they expose them to the sun for three days;
some to the dew alternately with the sun. It is then finally packed into
bamboo chungas, into which it is tightly rammed. The ground on which it
occurs is somewhat raised above the plain adjoining the village, as we
passed over two hillocks on our route to the tea, and the descent did not
evidently counterbalance the ascent.

_Jan_. _17th_.--We arrived at Kujoo-doo this afternoon, having passed
through a great extent of jungle, which I am sorry to say presented the
usual features. We crossed the Deboro once during our march, and several
tributary streams which, as may be supposed, from the size of the
_larger_ recipient river, are excessively insignificant. The soil
throughout, a good part seemed to be of clay. The only plants of
interest we found were two Bambusae in flower, and two species of
Meniscium, and a _Polypodium venulis_ tertiariis simplicibus. A
_Sarcopyramis Sonerilae_ was also found, but rather past flowering, and
an Acrostichum? or Lomaria? We did not observe any ravinules or hollows,
although mounds were by no means uncommon.

_Jan_. _18th_.--We proceeded in a Southerly direction, and after marching
for nearly seven hours arrived at, and encamped on, a largish plain, on
which paddy had been extensively cultivated. The whole route lay through
a vast and deep jungle, the road running partly on the side of an old
bund: part of our road was through very wet ground, part through rather
dry elevated woods, bamboos of two species occurred abundantly. We saw
several vast specimens of Dipterocarpus, one which had been cut down
measured from the base to first branch 110 feet. Ferns still continue in
excess. I gathered another species of _Sarcopyramis_; a _Goodyera_,
_Chrysobaphus Roxburghii_ in flower, but rare; and an Apostasia not in
flower.

_Jan 19th_.--We reached Negrigam early in the forenoon although we did
not leave our ground before 10 A.M. The road to the village was pretty
good. Negrigam is a largish village on the north bank of the Booree
Dihing, which is here a considerable though not deep stream. This bank
is at the site of the village very high. The population seemed to be
considerable. To the south, large ranges of hills were visible, the
first of which were close enough to admit of one's distinguishing them to
be wooded to the top. The inner ranges were lofty. We had some
difficulty in ascertaining where the tea was located, the accounts being
rather contradictory. At length we proceeded up the bed of a small
river, Maumoo, which runs into the Booree Dihing close to the village:
after wading along in the waters for two hours we arrived at a khet where
we encamped. The direction being from Negrigam N.W. along the banks of
this stream. The Pavia I first observed at Silam Mookh, was abundant,
and some of the specimens were very fine, the largest was a handsome,
very shady tree, of perhaps thirty feet high. The only plant of interest
was _Gnetum scandens_. On a high land bank I gathered a species of
Polytrichum, and one of Bartramia.

_January 20th_.--This morning we crossed the small streamlet Maumoo,
ascended its rather high bank, and within a few yards from it came upon
the tea: which as we advanced farther into the jungle increased in
abundance; in fact within a very few yards, several plants might be
observed. The plant was both in flower and ripe fruit, in one instance
the seeds had germinated while attached to the parent shrub. No large
trees were found, the generality being six or seven feet high; all above
this height being straggling, slender, unhandsome shrubs: the leaves upon
the whole were, I think, smaller than those of the Kujoo plants. With
respect to the plants with which it is here associated, I may observe
that they were nearly the same with those of the Kujoo jungle, but here
there was nevertheless one striking difference, that the jungle was by no
means so dark in consequence of the smaller size of the jungle trees. The
underwood consisted chiefly of ferns, among which _Polipodium unitum_
was very common, and a Lycopodium. Bamboos occurred here and there,
although by no means so extensively as at Kujoo.

_Chrysobaphus Roxburghii_, and a new _Dicksonia_, _D_. _Griffithiana_,
Wall. were the plants of the greatest interest. With regard to the
limits of the tea, it is by all accounts of no very great extent; but
this is a point upon which it is difficult to say any thing decisive, in
consequence of the thickness of the jungle. The space on which we found
it may be said to be an elbow of the land, nearly surrounded by the
Manmoo river, on the opposite side of which, where we were encamped, it
is reported not to grow. Within this space the greater part consists of
a gentle elevation or rather large mound. On this it is very abundant,
as likewise along its sides, where the soil is looser, less sandy, and
yellow (McClell.); along the base of this I think it is less common, and
the soil is here more sandy, and much darker (McClell.) We partly
ascertained that it was limited to the west, in which direction we soon
lost sight of it. To the south and eastward of the elbow of land it is
most common, but here it is, as I have said above, stopped by the river.

The greatest diameter of the stem of any plant that I saw in this place,
might be two or three inches, certainly not more.

_Nadowar_, _Feb_. _17th_.--Our route from this village, at which we were
encamped, to the tea locality in the neighbouring forest, lay for the
first time partly over paddy fields, the remainder over high ground
covered with the usual grasses, with here and there a low strip; all was
excessively wet. We next traversed a considerable tract of tree jungle,
perhaps for nearly a mile; this was a drier and higher soil than the rice
ground. On the northern flank of this, and close to the edge of the
jungle we came to the tea, situated on a low strip of ground.

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