The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-05-06

i HoSc WlSIllHS " HdFe tHe paper icil az
their place of business or residence regu-
larly, each evening, can leave their adj
dress at the same place.
AN INTERESTING VIsIToR.-Among
the noticeable visits paid to our city during
the past week, we might mention that Of
Walter Warren, Esq, of the firm of War
rem Bros, Doom-Dooma Factory (tea
plantation), in Debroo-ghur, Upper Assam,
India. This gentleman, who has been a
resident of Assam for the last ten years,
and connected with one of the largest tea
factories in the Upper province, is now
visiting some of his English friends in this
State, and has been the guest for the last
few days of Thomas p. Jackson, Esq, of
this city. He left here for Lynchburg this
morning, and will visit the Natural Bridge,
and from there return through the Valley
to Alexandria and Washington. Mr..
Warren, though ON visit of pleasure to
America, is also on tour of observation,
and will report his memoranda and notes
on Virginia for the benefit and information
of some of his friends in England, who are
looking to the United States with view
to future settlement and residence.
The Doom-Dooma Factory is on the
Brahmapootra river, in Upper Assam, one
of the provinces Of India, about thousand
miles from Calcutta, and is reached by
steamer from that city in fifteen or
twenty days. trip, the Brahmapootra be-
ing navigable by river steamers to point
near the eastern spur of the Himalaya
mountains, where the Birmese Empire
touches on Thibet. In this part of India,
the tea plant is cultivated to a large extent,
but principally by English companies who
work their plantations with native labor.
The Warren Bros work some four or five
hundred hands, and turn out, of course,
large amount of manufactured tea
annually. Upper Assam and adjoining
provinces yielded upwards of 100000
pounds of tea last year, which was almost
entirely shipped to London. The Assam
teas have not come into the American
market as yet, except as they may be used
in England to grade up Gn strength and
quality the weaker Chinese teas; but they
are of very superior quality, as the tea
plant is indigenous to that part of India,
and thrives far better there than in most
parts of China where it is generally sup
posed to be an exotic.
From the account which Mr.. Warren
gives of Upper Assam, it must be a delight
ful place to live in in more,respects than one.
The lowest temperature ever reached by
the thermometer is about As degrees, and
many of the tropical fruits are grown
there with small cultivation. The follow
ing are the prices of some of the chief ne
cessaries of life:
Beef, S annas seer, or about Cd per ib.
Bengal sheep, 4 rupees, or IS each. ILL
Eggs, 4 annas, or about Cd per dozen.
Chickens, 2 annas, or Sd piece.
Fowls or Cd F.
Ducks - Z"
Bread, (2ib loafs) 4 annas, or Cd.
Cows, 10 to l5 rupees, or from Gl to el. 10.
Pine apples, 2 annas, or Sd each.
Rice, rupee 'maund," or 2s, sd per 80
pounds.
Vans and other native vegetables at almost
any price.
The laborers on the Assam tea planta-
lions are mostly Bengalese, and are em-
ployed at 5 rupees, or l0s., a month !;
females, at one rupee less; and boys and
girls engaged in picking the tea leaves) at
considerably less. The expense of living
is so small that these Bengalese laborers,
if careful, manage to lay up two rupees a
month, after supporting themselves out of
these inconsiderable wages. They are
mostly employed under three-year con-
tracts in writing, and generally live up to
their part of the agreement with great
faithfulness. Each province is under the
rule of Lieutenant-G Governor, with COM
missieners appointed under him, and these
appoint force of native police, who look
after the interests of the laborers as well
as the general good order and peace of
society. The government, though some
what despotic in form, is simple and pater-
nally operative as a general rule.
1t is a great country to hunt in, since
game is numerous and of highly exciting
character to pursue. The elephant, tiger,
buffalo, leopard, wild boar, black bear,
iackal, boa constructor, are abundant in.th
forests and jungles of Assam, while wild
pea-fowls, duck, poultry, (of all sizes from
the Shanghai to the Bantam,) pheasants,
| (plumed and unplumed,) and variety ol
other game birds. Mr.. Warren states that,
with single hunting companion, and as
sisted by the natives, he bagged Gn stock.
ade) eleven elephants in one day, and "ii
was moi" he said "a remarkably good day
for elephants either" Hunting the tiger is
rather the most exciting sport, in which
case the sportsmen go out on the largest
elephants they can get, and ensconce them
selves in "houdah," or strong pavilion
like car attached to the back of the ele
phant. The sport he describes as being al
very fine so long as you continue to hum
the tiger, but when large and powerful
tiger takes it into his head to HINT you, the
"sport" is at an end.
We were much interested in our inter
view with Mr.. Warren, especially in hi'
description of the manners and customs 0
the Assamese, and the process of cultiyat
ing and curing teas. On Saturday Mr.
Warren called on General Imboden, Gen
eral Richardson, and some other gentlemen
interested in the subject of English immi
grafton to our State, visiting the Mayo to
bacco factory, some of the heavier iroi
works, and other points of interest in tn
city. He expressed himself as great,
pleased with Richmond, and will no doub