Journals of Travels in Assam, Burma, Bhootan, Afghanistan and the Neighbouring Countries Part 41

What can be the cause of this tropical elevation at such alt.i.tudes? Buxa is hot enough for any tropical plants, as jacks, mangoes, Cactus, etc.

are found in fine order. It is not attributable to a gradual rise, as the ascent from this to 5,500 feet, is excessively steep. It must be owing to local causes modifying the climate: at 5,000 feet on the Dgin route, there are many elevational plants, indeed more than of subtropical.

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 pa.s.s, 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 malvaefolia, Menisperma tropaeolifolia.

Bergerae 2 species, Ixora, Brucea same as of the plains, Atriplex, Tournefortia of plains, Maesa 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 pa.s.s or entrance between the mountains of Bootan and the plains of Bengal.

The descent from Buxa is gradual at first and not unpicturesque: after pa.s.sing a small chokey about half a mile from Buxa, sandstone of a coa.r.s.e 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 gra.s.s.

On reaching the plains, the usual a.s.samese features presented themselves, viz. vast expanses of gra.s.s, 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 pa.s.sed two or three halting places.

The vegetation throughout was subtropical. At the same elevation as Buxa, noticed Ca.s.sia 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, Koempfera terminal, Antidesma, Antheric.u.m, Echites arborea, Careya, Mimosa scandens, Pavetta, Rubiacea alia, Lepidostachys, Lagerstroemia grandiflora, Leea crispa, Costus, Thunbergia grandiflora, Gordonia, Commelina, Phyllanthus, Briedlia, Dioscorea, Ca.s.sia 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 gra.s.ses forming the underwood of the Toorai and the gra.s.sy ma.s.ses 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, l.a.b.i.ata Sudyensis, Mussaenda erecta, humilis, Cinchona, Premna herbacea, Phoenix pumila.

Arrived at Chichacootta, a small village, situated in an open gra.s.sy plain, miserably stockaded; and lodged in a good well elevated house. The following day started and reached Cooch Behar territory, after crossing a considerable but fordable stream. The contrast between the desolate territories of Bootan, and the sheet of cultivation presented by Cooch Behar was striking.

The same contrast continued until we reached the Company's territories, and its less cultivated portions along the bed of the Brahmapootra. The only plant worth notice on the route, was a species of Swertia; the vegetation being almost precisely the same as in Upper a.s.sam.

_Rangamutty_, _Bhooruwa_.

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CHAPTER XIV.

_Journey with the Army of the Indus_. _From Loodianah_ _to Candahar through the Bolan Pa.s.s_.

I reached Loodianah on the 10th December 1838, after a dawk journey of fourteen and a half days. After pa.s.sing the Rajemahal Hills, the country presents an uniform aspect, but becoming more sandy as one proceeds to the northward. The hills alluded to, form a low range, the only one of any height being that called Pursunath. They are well wooded, the under- vegetation being gra.s.sy. Undulating ground bare of trees, but provided with shrubs, is pa.s.sed before coming on the wooded tracts, the vegetation of these present much similarity with that of even 31 degrees N. The _Dhak_, Pommereulla, Zizzyphus, occurring. The _Mahooa_ occurs in abundance on the hills, but does not reach much beyond Cawnpore. The country from the hills upwards, is almost entirely cultivated; very few trees occurring, and those that do, are almost entirely mango. The Bora.s.sus does not extend in abundance much beyond Benares, but the _Khujoor_ is found everywhere in sandy soil.

Loodianah is situated about five miles south of the Sutledge, in the midst of a sandy country, very bare of trees. The fort and Capt. Wade's house are situated on a rising ground, at the base of which runs a nullah, a tributary of the Sutledge. There is much cultivation about the place, chiefly of grain, barley and wheat, bajerow, cotton, the latter bad, but there is much land uncultivated. The surface is often flat and somewhat broken; in such places there is much of a low p.r.i.c.kly _Bheir_, much used for making fences. This and _Dhak_ jungle, which occurs in strips, form two marked features, the _Dhak_ occurs in patches. The gra.s.ses, which occasionally form patches, are Andropogoneous; Anatheric.u.m, Pommereulla, and Eleusine occur.

Sugar-cane occurs; it is cultivated in thick ma.s.ses, it is poor, and always fenced with the _Bheir_.

The most common trees are the mango, Parkinsonia, _Babool_, Acacia altera babooloides, a Leguminous Mimosoid tree, Tamarisk, a middling sized tree and very pretty, Ficus.

The hedges about the cantonments, etc. are formed by p.r.i.c.kly pear; much Ricinus occurs in waste places, and it appears to me to be different from that to the south.

The most varied vegetation occurs along the nullah, but consists entirely of aquatic or sub-aquatic plants; among these the most common are two or three Scirpi, particularly a large rush-like one, a large Sparganium, a very narrow leaved Typha, Hydrocharis! a pointed leaved Villarsia, Potomogetons three or four, one only natant; Chara, Naias, Ceratophyllum, Ulva, Valisneria, Marsilea, Herpestes, Jussieua repens, Fumaria common in fields.

The town is a large bustling place: the houses low and regular, and of a somewhat picturesque style, built of brick, the streets are wide and regular, having been laid out by our officers. There is a good deal of trade, and the place is filled with Cashmereans, who may be seen working their peculiar shawls, and producing very beautiful dyes.

_January 22nd and 23rd_.--Violent south-east winds during the day; abating at night.

_February 4th_.--Arrived at Hurreekee, having halted on the previous day at Mokhoo, a small village, with the usual style of mud fort. The marches were as follows: from Loodianah to Ghosepoora is eight miles; to Boondree, eight miles; Tiraia, ten miles; to Durrumkote, ten miles; to Futtygurh, ten miles; to Hurreekee, ten miles. Thus Hurreekee is at least eighteen miles from Durrumkote, although we had been told it was only five. The country near Loodianah, and, perhaps as far as Durrumkote, is occasionally very sandy, but beyond that it is easily traversed by hackeries. Being much less cultivated and overrun with gra.s.ses, among which Andropogons are the most numerous and conspicuous, these gra.s.ses are either coa.r.s.e and stout or wiry and fine, should afford excellent cover for game, which however, does not seem to be very abundant. Very few trees are visible in any direction, and although neither very much cultivation nor many villages are visible, it would appear from charts that the country is very populous. The most interesting plant was a species of f.a.gonia.

Durrumkote is the largest of the villages we pa.s.sed, and has a respectable looking mud and brick fort. Inside the village is filthy; the houses wretchedly small, and the streets very narrow. It is much the same sort of village as other Seikh ones. In the bazars cocoanuts were noticed. All the Seikhs eat opium, and very often in a particular way by infusing the poppy-heads, from which the seeds have been extracted by a hole in the side; great numbers of these are found in the bazars.

Hurreekee is on Runjeet's side. I crossed the Sutledge, which is between 400 to 500 yards broad with a sufficiently rapid stream, by a bridge of boats built by the Seikhs, under the superintendence of Mr. Roobalee. It contained 65 boats, placed alternately up and down the river; the boats were moored to posts: over them were placed, both lengthwise and across, timbers, then gra.s.s, then soil; many elephants pa.s.sed over, until it gave in, but was quickly repaired, and since many more hundreds of camels, horses, and thousands of people have pa.s.sed. The right bank is thirty feet high, the left low and sandy. The country where uncultivated, is clothed with gra.s.ses, and the only trees visible are perhaps the Pipul; the _Jhow_ occurs but not the Parha.s.s; a few Bukeens are visible, Ricinus, Salvadora, which is occasionally a climber, especially at Tiraia. The river rose suddenly on the night of the 6th and carried away the bridge. The Himalayas had been seen very distinctly throughout the day, so that the rain must have been local: the height of the rise was three feet.

We left Hurreekee on the 8th at 10 A.M., the river up to this time (9th) presents the same monotonous appearance--sandy banks clothed with gra.s.ses, intermixed with _Jhow_ here and there, and occasionally AEschynomene, and Typha. Very few villages have been pa.s.sed, nor does the rare occurrence of topes indicate that there are many near it. The channel has been throughout much subdivided, and flats are of frequent occurrence. Yesterday we pa.s.sed two busy ferries, at which two or three boats were unceasingly employed, and there was an obvious demand for more. Black partridges were heard frequently, black-bellied tern, herons, cormorants, etc. The stream averages three miles an hour.

Parkinsonia was seen near Hurreekee. Reached Ferozepore at 12.5 on the 9th; it is a very busy ghat, more so than that of Hurreekee: two large G.o.downs were pa.s.sed on the Company's side. The river is wider by 100 yards than at Hurreekee.

_10th_.--Reached Mamdot at 9.5 A.M. The fort appears of good size, with high walls: it is about half a mile from the river. The country continues the same. Some wheat cultivation, in which Fumaria, Anagallis, Medicago are abundant; Calotropis Hamiltonii common; some grapes; _doob_ gra.s.s wherever there is or has been cultivation. The only trees I see are Babooloid, but not the true _Babool_, which has very odorous flowers, and is always an arbuscula, a shrubby _Bheir_, spina una erecta, altera recurvo also occurs; among the fields, Lathyrus, Aphaca, and a Compositae which has the leaves of a thistle, are common.

Halted at Buggeekee, which is, I imagine, the Pajarkee of Ta.s.sin's Map.

_11th_.--Continued pa.s.sing down, breakfasting at Attaree: few signs of villages, but a good deal of cultivation. Persian wheels not unfrequently employed in raising water from the river: a short channel having first been cut in the bank, and the banks, when loose, propped up.

Wheat, radishes, etc. Gra.s.ses appear to be much less common, while the _Jhow_ is increasing much. The river is much subdivided, and the actual banks are scarcely discernible owing to the want of trees. The soil and current remain the same: no impediments have been met with by our boats, nor have I yet observed any to tracking, the gra.s.s jungle being easily overcome, and very unlike that of the Brahmapootra, and the _Jhow_ not reaching that height necessary to make it troublesome. The Nawab of Mamdot visited the Envoy today, accompanied by a small party of hors.e.m.e.n.

Only two alligators have been seen thus far: no game even to be heard, and but few living creatures visible.

_12th_.--The river becomes even less interesting than before; the channel is occasionally much narrowed by sands, over one of which we found yesterday evening some difficulty in pa.s.sing; it is much more spread out and subdivided, and from this circ.u.mstance, will occasion difficulty in tracking up. The banks are low and generally within reach of inundation: scarcely a village is to be seen; and _Jhow_ is the most uniform feature.

Yesterday evening saltpetre was visible in abundance on some of the higher banks, and on these _Phulahi_, _Jhow_, a Composita, and Salsola?

or Chenopodium were observed. Since the 10th, the few boats seen are of different structure from those to which we had been accustomed; they are flat, less wide, and much better fastened together, elevated at both ends; they are propelled as well as guided by the rudder, which is curved, so as to bring it within reach of the helmsman, who is on a level with the bottom of the boat. Very little cultivation: Ta.s.sin's Map of but little use, as few of the names are recognised by the boatmen or villagers.

Paukputtea was pa.s.sed to-day; it is the shrine of a _fakeer_, and one in great repute, as pa.s.sing through a particular gate is supposed to authorize one to claim admittance into Paradise. The Moulavee consequently has proceeded there in full faith and extravagant joy: with natives of the east such absurdities are to the full as much believed by the educated as by the uneducated; indeed the former are much the more bigoted of the two. The _fakeer_ alluded to, not only lived for years on a block of wood carved into the likeness of a loaf, but subsequently suspended himself for several years in a well, without even the wooden loaf. He is then said to have disappeared, and is no doubt now enjoying all the pleasures of a Mohammedan paradise. We were detained by strong winds at a small village opposite Paukputtea, which is situated on rather high ground, as far as could be judged from the distance.

_13th_.--The cultivation round this village consists of wheat, radishes, a sort of mustard cultivated for its oily seeds, and the Mehta of Hindoostan. Among the fields I picked up a Melilotus, a Melilotoid, and a genuine Medicago, which is also found at Loodianah, both these last are wild, and their occurrence is as curious as it is interesting; the latter being a decidedly boreal form. In connection with these annuals I have to observe, that most flower about January or February, at which time the mornings and nights are the coldest: also observed Lathyrus cultivated, a Chenopodium was also found, Calotropis, a large Saccharoid, Amaranthaceae, were the most common plants, Gnaphalium, Lippia; _Purwas_, occurs scantily.