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Difficult cases at Thachumi including murder of Bikiya at Chimi; Semas at war with Thachumi; illegal taking of 'revenue' from Karami by Thachumi |
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To THACHUMI. After finding an excellent site for a camp above the main village, we had to give it up and go back to the new village below, as there was hardly any water in the main village, and what there was a long way off. They said that Colonel Woods did just the same when he came here in 1911. |
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There were a number of little matters for settlement with THACHUMI. First there was the murder of Nikiya at CHIMI. A THACHUMI Gaonbura was with him and nothing was done to this man, who says that Nikiya was killed by one SINONCHU of CHIMI who coveted Nikiya's ivory armlet, and also that Telengchu, another Gaonbura (of THACHUNASAMI) ate a fine from CHIMI for the killing of NIKIYA. Further, THACHUMI told Nikiya's brother that they would not allow him to pass their village to raid CHIMI. It is not surprising that the Semas regard THACHUMI as accessory to Nikiya's murder, and I am inclined to do so myself. Anyway the Semas are now at war with THACHUMI and have taken 3 heads and lost one, which we saw hanging up over the THACHUMI Morung full of arrows. I tried to settle the affair, but as THACHUMI decline to let the Semas through their village to go to CHIMI, I do not see how the Semas can be blamed for going for THACHUMI instead nor how the matter can be settled till CHIMI can be visited and SINONCHU, or his village, punished. |
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The next question was the murder of a man of PHOTSIMI in THACHUMI last autumn. He was apparently killed by one Litsachu of Lakomi or Sirichu, whom THACHUMI said they could not get hold of, and as their account was corroborated by independent evidence, I accepted it and arranged for HOROMI to call in Litsachu, failing which I said I would go to fetch him, or at any rate to look for him. |
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The third matter was the collection of "revenue" from Karami by THACHUMI two months ago. It only amounted to a pig, apparently, but THACHUMI know quite well that Karami is regarded as "Sarkari" now and that they have no business to demand blackmail from them. They did in fact disown the action, and pretended that the man responsible was dead. One man is dead but it is not certain that he is the man in question and anyway I told the head men that I must hold the village responsible and that if they did not return to Karami a decent sized pig before morning, I should loot three pigs before I went. |
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The other cases were of a civil nature but both went against THACHUMI, who will probably be made to pay up with difficulty and after long delays. I promised a cloth to Selechu of Lumakami who was very useful. |
