My Experiences in Manipur and the Naga HillsJohnstone, James, Sir
History
My Experiences in Manipur and the Naga Hills
Johnstone, James, Sir
Manipur (India) -- Description and travel; Naga Hills (India) -- Description and travel
On February 12th, a very severe march took us to Guachan,
a miserable-looking village full of very dirty people, many of
whom were naked, their bodies being covered with a thick coating
of dirt. We had to halt next day to rest the coolies, and to have
a path cleared ahead. On February 14th, we again started, halting
on the Cherebee river, at a height of 4400 feet. On our way, while
passing along a lovely ridge, covered with rhododendrons in flower,
we had a fine view of Saramettie, with its snow cap.
Next day, we marched over Kachao-phung, 8000 feet high, and encamped
on its slopes at 7600 feet. So perverse are the ways of the hill-men,
that the road, a well-used one, was carried within fifty feet of
the summit, though it would have been easy to cross at a much lower
level. We encamped in a primeval forest of huge trees, the branches
of which, moved by the fierce wind that blew all night, waved to and
fro with such a threatening noise as to preclude sleep for a long time.
On the evening of the 12th, one of our coolies was brought to me,
who had dislocated his shoulder. We had no doctor of any kind with us,
and no one who understood how to reduce it. Dun and I tried our utmost,
and I put the poor fellow under chloroform, to relax the muscles and
spare him pain, but, alas! with no result. I tried to induce him to go
to Manipur, and be treated by my native doctor there; but he objected,
and preferred going to his home; so I gave him a present and let him
go, and very sorry we were to see him relinquish his only chance
of getting right again. Every one ought to be taught practically
to reduce a dislocation; I had often heard the process described,
but never seen it done, and my lack of experience cost the poor Naga
the use of his arm. It is one of the saddest parts of one's life
in the wilds of India to meet cases of sickness and injury without
the power to give relief. Simple complaints I treated extensively,
and with great success, but it was grievous to see such suffering in
more complicated cases, and to be unable to do anything. A skilful and
sympathetic doctor has a fine field for good work in such regions. A
sick savage is the most miserable of mortals.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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