Nov. 14th.—­Proceeded to Premsong’s, which we reached in less than two hours.  Our march was in a westerly direction across a hill of some elevation:  the remainder of it was over kheties and level ground.  The plants evidently increase in interest as we advance in the interior, Compositae and Labiatae being most numerous.  A large tree occurs not uncommonly, which is either a Birch or a Prunus, most probably from the venation of its leaves, the latter; the bark is exactly like that of a Birch.  Close to Premsong’s I gathered a Clematis, Valerian and a fine Botrychium, a Carex and a Cuscuta.  The mountain on the base of which Premsong’s house is situated, is a very high one; it is the one that is so striking from Ghaloom’s old site:  it is named Laimplan-thaya; its summit, which is a high peak, is very rugged, partially clothed with vegetation, in which, as in all the others of the same height autumnal tints are very distinct.  Thai-ka-thaya is a smaller peak to the S.S.W. of Premsong’s house.  One of my Mishmee Dowaniers tells me that the Mishmee (Coptis) teeta Khosha gave me last evening, is cultivated near his native place; its flower buds are just forming and are enclosed in ovate concave squamae.  The leaves are of a lively green, not unlike those of some ferns, but at once to be distinguished by the venation; it is very evident that the Mishmees know nothing about the period of its flowering, as they told me it flowered in the rains, at the same time as the dhak flowers in Assam; the radicles are numerous, tawny yellowish, the rhizomata are rugged tortuous, the bark and pith are of yellow orange colour, the woody system gamboge:  this is the same in the petioles:  it tinges the saliva yellow.  It is a pure intense bitter of some permanence, but without aroma:  it is dried over the fire, the drying being repeated three times.  Judging from it in its fresh state, the test of its being recently and well dried is the permanence of the colors.  The Bee flowers during the rains:  its flower, (on dit) is white and small; they pretend that it is very dangerous to touch, causing great irritation; both Coptis teeta, and Bee, are found on high hills on which there is now snow; one of them, the Ummpanee or Moochee, is accessible from hence in three days.

The Mishmee name for the Teeta, is Yoatzhee; of Bee, Th’wee; Ghe- on is the Mishmee name for the smelling root, which the Assamese call Gertheon.  The smell of this is a compound of Valeriana and Pastinaca; it is decidedly aromatic, and not at all disagreeable, it is white inside and abounds in pith, but has scarcely any taste.