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
We marched through dense forest on the 8th to Borsali, my wife
riding and carrying the baby in her arms, there being no other mode
of progression along such a bad road. On the 9th after seven hours'
actual marching, we reached Mohung Deejood, a place prettily situated
on the banks of the Jumoona river with the last speck of the Rengma
Hills standing out in high relief behind the village, but at some
distance from it. Next day we again had a tiring march of eleven hours,
including a halt for breakfast at a place called "Silbheta" where
there are splendid waterfalls, and did not reach our halting place,
Bokuleea, till 6 P.M. The last two marches had been through a country
devastated by tigers which had literally eaten up the population; each
day we passed deserted village sites. At Bokuleea we made rafts and
floated down the river to Doboka, which we reached on November 13th.
Doboka is situated close to the hill of the same name and was
a prominent object from Samagudting. There we took boats, and
travelled in them down the Kullung river. We reached the junction
with the Burrhampooter at daybreak on November 17th, and Gowhatty
at midday. I was most thankful to see my wife and child safe in the
Dak Bungalow after what was for delicate people a perilous journey,
though an interesting and enjoyable one, through a country hardly ever
traversed by European officials, and never by women and children. After
a few days at Gowhatty to rest ourselves, we departed by steamer for
Goalundo, arriving there early on November 29th, and immediately left
for Calcutta, which we reached the same evening and went to stay with
our kind friends the Rivers Thompsons, with whom we had travelled
out to India in 1873. Glad as we were to be in civilised quarters
once more after all our wanderings, we could not help regretting the
kindly genial people we had left, and the beautiful scenery of the
forest and mountain land, where we had lived so long and so happily.
On arrival in Calcutta, I went before the Medical Board, but not liking
to go to England again so soon, I applied for three months' leave
to visit the North-West Provinces for change of air, and we visited
Benares, Lucknow, Cawnpore, and other towns. I do not attempt to
describe them, as it has been often done by abler pens than mine. The
after symptoms of malaria increased, and it was vain to prolong my stay
in India in the hope of a cure. The Medical Board said my appearance
was sufficient without examination, so we left Calcutta by the next
steamer, going by "long sea" to avoid the fatiguing journey across
India to Bombay. After unusually rough weather in the Mediterranean
and off the coast of Spain, we landed at Southampton, on March 9th,
at 9 P.M., and went on to London next morning.
CHAPTER VI.
Return to India--Attached to Foreign Office--Imperial assemblage at
Delhi--Almorah--Appointed to Manipur--Journey to Shillong--Cherra
Poojee--Colonel McCulloch--Question of ceremony.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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