4.14(a) Kollong

4.14(a)

Kollong

In 1844, Henry Yule mentioned that about 30 miles from Shillong[119] to the west stood a very remarkable rock called by the natives 'Kalung.' This formed a most imposing feature in the landscape from various points in the hills.
An immense isolated mass of granite it stood amongst the gently undulating hillocks which surround it, overtopping them all by 500 feet, whilst it’s western face rose, naked and almost perpendicular, above 700 feet from its base to its rounded top. Its eastern base rested in rich wood which climbed half way up this less abrupt side, and here it was accessible by a steep and very slippery ascent.

From the top, there was a fine view over a well timbered, park-like country to the westward, whilst on all sides it commanded a prospect similar to, though less extensive than that from Shillong Peak.

In 1850, Joseph Hooker twice visited this remarkable hill. He described Kollong as a dome of granite 5,400 feet high, 10-12 miles south-west of Myrung, and conspicuous from all directions. The path to it turned off from the road to Nunklow, and struck westerly along the shallow valley of Monai, in which there was a village with rice and other cultivation. Near this place, there was a large square stockade, formed of tall bamboos placed close together, very like a New Zealand ‘Pa’. The whole country around Myrung reminded Joseph Hooker of the grassy clay hills, marshy valleys, and bushy ridges of the Bay of Islands.

Again as in Myrung, the hills on either side were sometimes dotted with pine-woods, sometimes conical and bare, with small clumps of pines on the summit only. While in other places, there were broad tracts containing nothing but young trees resembling plantations, however, these were not planted. On the other hand, however, Henry Yule stated, that the Khasias did plant fir-trees, especially near the iron forges, which gave employment to all the people of Monai.

All the streams rose in flat marshy depressions amongst the hills with which the whole country was covered. Wild apple and birch were common trees, but there was little jungle, except in the hollows, and on the north slopes of the higher hills. Coarse long grasses with bushes were the prevalent feature.

Joseph Hooker described the Kollong rock as a steep dome of red granite accessible from the north and east, but almost perpendicular to the southward, where the slope is 80° for 600 feet[120]. The elevation is 400 feet above the mean level of the surrounding ridges, and 700 feet above the bottom of the valleys. The south or steepest side is encumbered with enormous detached blocks, while the north is clothed with a dense forest, containing red tree-rhododendrons and oaks. On its skirts grew a white bushy rhododendron, which was unique. The hard granite of the top was covered with matted mosses, lichens, and ferns amongst which were many curious and beautiful air-plants. A wild onion was most abundant all over the top of the hill. He evidently grew very emotional about the place:

“The view from the top is very extensive to the northward, but not elsewhere: it commands the Assam valley and the Himalaya, and the billowy range of undulating grassy Khasia mountains. Few houses were visible, but the curling smoke from the valleys betrayed their lurking-places, whilst the tinkling sound of the hammers from the distant forges on all sides was singularly musical and pleasing; they fell on the ear like "bells upon the wind," each ring being exquisitely melodious, and chiming harmoniously with the others.

The solitude and beauty of the scenery, and the emotions excited by the music of chimes, tended to tranquilize our minds, wearied by the fatigues of travel, and the excitement of pursuits that required unremitting attention; and we rested for some time, our imaginations wandering to far-distant scenes, brought vividly to our minds by these familiar sounds”.

The snowy Himalaya was not visible during his first stay at Myrung (from 5-10 July 1850), but on three subsequent occasions (vis. 27-28 July, 13-17 October, and 22-25 October), Hooker saw these magnificent mountains. He noted that the range, as seen from the Khasia, did not form a continuous line of snowy mountains. He observed that the loftiest eminence was conspicuously grouped into masses, whose position was probably between the great rivers which rose far beyond them and flowed through Bhotan.

The most conspicuous group of snows seen from the Khasia bore North-North-East from Myrung, and consisted of three beautiful mountains with wide-spreading snowy shoulders about 170 miles from Myrung. From Nunklow (940 feet lower than Myrung) they appeared higher, the western peak rising 14' 35" above the horizon, while from Moflong (32 miles further south, and elevation 6,062 feet) the same was sunk 2 feet below the horizon. Joseph Hooker’s computations made this western mountain higher than 24,000 feet.

In 1854, Thomas Oldham also recorded that about 10-12 miles south-west of Myrung, and conspicuous from all directions, there was a very remarkable hill, known as the Kollong. It rose as a dome of red granite to an elevation of 400 feet above the mean level of the surrounding ridges, and 700 feet above the bottom of the valleys[121]. The South or steepest side was encumbered with enormous detached blocks, while the north was clothed with a dense forest containing oaks and rhododendrons.

In 1865, James Thornton also noted that a few miles to the south-west of Myrung was an enormous mass of red granite called the Kollong Rock, which rose in the form of a dome 500-60O feet above the level of the surrounding hills, and apparently must have been forced up by volcanic action through the sandstone of which they were composed[122]. During the march from Myrung to Nunklow more trees were seen, the country gradually declined towards the north, and the streams ran in that direction, indicating the northern slopes of the range.