to the fire. The ore is run into lumps as large as two
fists, with a rugged surface : these lumps are afterwards
cleft nearly in two to show their purity.
BELLOWS.
The scenery about Nonkreem village is extremely
picturesque, and we procured many good plants on the
rocks. The country is everywhere intersected with
trenches for iron-washing, dnd some large marshes
were dammed up for the same purpose: in these we
found a diminutive water-lily, the flower of which is no
larger than a half-crown; it proves to be the Nymphaa
pygmcea of China and Siberia—a remarkable fact in
the geographical distribution of plants.
From Nonkreem we proceeded easterly to Pomrang,
where we took up our quarters in an excellent bungalow,
built by Mr. Stainforth (Judge of Silhet). I t
occupied the eastern extremity of a lofty spur that
overhangs the deep fir-clad valley of the Oongkot,
dividing Khasia from Jyntea.
A beautiful view extends eastwards to the low Jyntea
hills, backed by the blue mountains of Cachar, over
the deep valley in fro n t; to the northward, a few peaks
of the Himalaya are seen, and westward is Chillong.
We staid here till the 23rd September, and then proceeded
south-eastwards to Mooshye. The path descends
into the valley of the Oongkot, passing the village of
Pomrang, and then through woods of pine and oak, the
latter closely resembling the English, and infested with
galls. The slopes are extensively cultivated with
black awnless unirrigated rice, and poor crops of Coix,
protected from the birds by scarecrows of lines
stretched across the fields, bearing tassels and tufts of
fern, shaken by boys.
We crossed the river twice, proceeding south-west to
Mooshye, a village placed on an isolated, flat-topped,
and very steep-sided hill, 4,863 feet above the sea. A
very steep path led up to the top, where there is a
stockaded guard-house, once occupied by British