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unsafe bridge at Baimho; complaint about theft of mithan; confiscation of a cloth |
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To Baimho. The road from Sagami to Yezami is bad - very narrow in places and generally ill cared for. The present muhurrir apologized for it, as he has only been employed for six weeks or so. Hekhyekhe is principally to blame. The temporary wooden bridge between Baimho and Yezami, not that over the main stream but over the tributary on the Baimho side, is not safe, I think. I heard the sticks supporting the footway crack unpleasantly as I rode over. There is an abutment built for an iron bridge and girders are lying about. I should like to know what is being done about it. |
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At Yezami I was met by Khushekhu of Shothumi, that notorious blackguard, who appeared at the head of a sort of body guard of bandits armed with spears. I told him that I had a great deal to say to him but that it could wait till Baimho. |
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Muromi came in about a case which Nihusha had unwisely taken up when sent out for another case in which a revenue paying village was involved. I had returned the fine previously and I told them that all the proceedings were cancelled. Later Yezashimi turned up to complain against Hovokhu of Tsukohomi. They say he took a mithan of theirs secretly and ate it. Mr. Cantlie twice sent dobashis to settle the case once Hoito and once Lhokevi but they failed to do so, Hovokhu merely replying that he had not taken the mithan and therefore would not pay anything. Yezashimi, however, asserted that he did and say they heard it from someone in Hovokhu's village who had refused a share of the meat. It is probably true but excessively hard to prove and if Hovokhu denies having done so it is difficult to do anything to him. It would have been better not to have interfered, I think, from the first, and as Hovokhu said he did not do it and I refused to do anything more in the matter. Yezashimi swear they will have a mithan of Hovokhu in return, and of course it may lead to kata-kati, but it is impossible to take up cases on which one cannot pass orders one is prepared to enforce. |
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I talked to Khuzhokhu of Shothumi and confiscated his cloth with as much publicity as possible and ordered him to come in to Kohima with me. He said he would obey any order given him and I fancy he will not run away. In any case I could not put him under arrest as he came in of his own accord. I have told him I should probably put him in gaol when I got to Kohima, and he eats out of my hand. |
