. But from an elevation of 1000 feet to that of Yoomsan, a
great change for the better takes place on the northern face, the hills
being covered with clay, and generally not very high grass jungle, among
which trees are scattered. This character is particularly evident along
both sides of the valley drained by the Namtusseek of the northern side.
The Patkaye is wooded to its summit; the jungle on the south side being
much more humid than that on the northern. Indeed on this face of the
range, with the exception of the Puthars on the Nam-maroan, scarcely more
than two open spots exist, and both of these are of small extent. Of
these one exists at an elevation of 5500 feet, and one at Kuttack Bhoom.

The paths although very often steep, are easy enough for coolies, except
during wet weather, when they become very slippery. With some degree of
preparation the worst places might be made passable for lightly loaded
elephants, and this would be facilitated by the soft nature of most of
the rocks. The most difficult marches are those which lie along the beds
of the streams, and these, it has been seen, are far the most numerous;
they are particularly difficult for elephants, the boulders affording a
very precarious footing to these weighty animals. The difficulty is much
increased by rain, when even coolies find considerable difficulty in
making any progress. Several elephants accompanied Major White as far as
the Darap Panee, and a small suwaree elephant, loaded with a light tent,
succeeded in reaching Yoomsan. The southern side of the range is
decidedly of a more difficult nature than the northern, and it is in
addition of greater extent: the highest point traversed is 5600 feet
above the level of the sea. The range might be traversed by a lightly
loaded active native in six days.

_Streams_.--These all partake of the usual nature of mountain torrents;
they are all fordable during the cold weather, the principal ones being
crossed at the heads of the rapids. The boundary nullah is a mere
streamlet: it runs between two ridges of the Patkaye: its course being
about ESE. and WNW. Owing to the frequency of the streams and their
mountainous nature, I should imagine that this route is impracticable
during the rains.

_Villages_.--Not a single village or house exists directly on the route.
One small Naga village is visible from the Namtusseek below Yoomsan, and
a detached hut is visible here and there on a high mountai