At the point where this view opens, a bleak stony region commences, bearing numberless plants of a temperate flora and of European genera, at a comparatively low elevation; features which continue to the top of the flat on which the station is built, 4000 feet above the sea. Illustration--DEWAN'S EAR-RING. CHAPTER XXVIII. Churra, English station of -- Khasia people -- Garrow people -- Houses -- Habits -- Dress -- Arms -- Dialects -- Marriages -- Food -- Funerals -- Superstitions -- Flat of Churra -- Scenery -- Lime and coal -- Mamloo -- Cliffs -- Cascades -- _Chamaerops_ palm -- Jasper-rocks -- Flora of Churra -- Orchids -- Rhododendrons -- Pine -- Climate -- Extraordinary rain-fall -- Its effects -- Gardens of Lieuts. Raban and Cave -- Leave Churra to cross the mountain range -- Coal, shale, and underclay -- Kala-panee river -- Lailangkot -- _Luculia Pinceana_ -- Conglomerate Surureem wood -- Boga-panee river -- View of Himalaya -- Green-stone -- Age of Pine-cones -- Moflong plants -- _Coix_ -- Chillong mountain -- Extensive view -- Road to Syong -- Broad valleys -- Geology -- Plants -- Myrung -- Granite blocks -- Kollong rock -- Pine-woods -- Features of country -- Orchids -- Iron forges. Churra Poonji is said to be so called from the number of streams in the neighbourhood, and poonji, "a village" (Khas.): it was selected for a European station, partly from the elevation and consequent healthiness of the spot, and partly from its being on the high road from Silhet to Gowahatty, on the Burrampooter, the capital of Assam, which is otherwise only accessible by ascending that river, against both its current and the perennial east wind. A rapid postal communication is hereby secured: but the extreme unhealthiness of the northern foot of the mountains effectually precludes all other intercourse for nine months in the year. On the first opening up of the country, the Europeans were brought into sanguinary collision with the Khasias, who fought bravely with bows and arrows, displaying a most blood-thirsty and cruel disposition. This is indeed natural to them; and murders continued very frequent as preludes to the most trifling robberies, until the extreme penalty of our law was put in force. Even now, some of the tributary Rajahs are far from quiet under our rule, and various parts of the country are not safe to travel in. The Garrows, who occupy the western extremity of this range, at the bend of the Burrampooter, are still in a savage state. Human sacrifices and polyandry are said to be frequent amongst them, and their orgies are detestable. Happily we are hardly ever brought into collision with them, except by their occasional depredations on the Assam and Khasia frontier: their country is very unhealthy, and is said to contain abundance of coal, iron, and lime.