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.