Dec. 14th.—­Continued through similar jungle along the Deboro; bamboo more frequent.  About 2 P.M. we left the undulating hillocks, and the jungle became more open.  At 4, we reached Muttack, but had still to traverse a considerable distance before we halted at Kolea Panee.  We crossed the Deboro en route; no particular plant was met with.  I shot two large serpents, Pythons; one 8, and the other 10 feet long.  The Kolea Panee is of some width, but is fordable.

Dec. 15th.—­After marching for about seven hours, halted at a small village.  The country passed over was, like most of this part of Muttack, open, consisting of a rather high plain covered with grasses, T. sperata, Saccharum, and Erianthus, with here and there very swampy ravines; the soil is almost entirely sandy, light at the surface; the yellow tint increasing with the depth, which is considerable.  Crossed the Deboro by a rude wooden bridge.  I found no particular plants en route.

Dec. 16th.—­Reached Rangagurrah, after a march of about an hour:  and halted for the day.

Dec. 18th.—­Started to visit Sedgwickia at the wood, where we found it in February last.  Reached the spot, which is at least ten miles from Rangagurrah, in two hours and a half.  The trees had evidently not flowered last year; many of the buds were of some size, and such contained flower buds, each capitula being in addition enveloped in three bracteae densely beset with brown hair.  The natives assured me, it will flower about April, or at the sowing of halee.  When we before found it, the buds were all leaf buds, which at once accounts for the non-appearance of flowers.  Gathered Sabia in the Sedgwickia wood.  The Major {53} arrived before I got back.

Dec. 20th.—­Revisited the tea locality of Tingrei, which we reached after a five hours’ march.  The portion of it formerly cleared is now quite clean:  all the plants, and they are very abundant, have a shrubby shady appearance; the branches being numerous, so that the first aspect is favourable.  But one soon detects an evident coarseness in the leaves, the tint of which is likewise much too yellow; altogether their appearance is totally unlike that of teas growing in their natural shade.  That part, and the more extensive one which we first visited in February last, is now clearing; almost all the large trees have been felled, and all the underwood removed.  The branches, etc. are piled in heaps and set fire to, much to the detriment of the plants:  all the tea trees likewise have been felled.  My conviction is, that the tea will not flourish in open sunshine; at any rate, subjection to this should be gradual.  Further, that cutting the main stem is detrimental, not only inducing long shoots, but most probably weakening the flavour of the leaves.  It appears to me to be highly desirable, that an intelligent superintendent should reside on the spot, and that he should at least be a good practical gardener, with some knowledge of the science also.