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journey back to Mokokchung |
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This morning we crossed the boundary between the Kohima and Mokokchung subdivisions and Bill is now back in his own jurisdiction. We have left the Angami country and are once again amongst the Semas. |
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It was an exhausting march ending with two zigzaging miles uphill. The sun beat down as the path wound between fields of tall dead maize with brittle papery leaves. Their biscuit coloured silhouettes against an innocent blue sky looked like the Paul Nash painting 'The End of Summer.' Higher (76) up we passed between Job's Tears, drooping their black-seeded tassels. The leeches were bad the whole way and all of us ended with ankles streaming blood. Bill even found some in the palm of his hand; they had undulated up his walking stick. |
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For elevenses we had a snack of rice and wild boar washed down with rice beer. Villagers were waiting with it by the road-side. The porters also ate their food here and after finishing I saw them hang their satchels and belongings on a tree. They were leaving them to be retrieved on the way back with an easy confidence that they would still be there when they returned. |
