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Description of walk from Kohima to Sakhaboma |
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First day of trek - KOHIMA to SAKHABOMA (13 miles). Very unpropitious morning, a thick mist & torrents of rain. The coolies went on fairly early. I started off with Nikrihu, half- an-hour or so before Hutton, on foot at 10.15 a.m., taking the path running below the Naga village on the S. side. General direction easterly. Pelting with rain; the 'path' became a muddy streamlet & my shoes were full of mud & water in the first mile & I was drenched to the skin, though wearing a waterproof coat. The cloud obliterated all views. We passed much cultivated land, both jhum & panikhet. The jhum rice (planted in March) was ripe & in one field was being harvested. The rain held on for the first 7 miles & then stopped, the sun almost coming out. We descended to the ZULLO R., which we reached at 1.15 p.m. Crossed it by a small suspension bridge & climbed up the other side of the valley. About a mile from SAKHABOMA Hutton caught me up on his mare, & I transfered to the mare & rode the last mile, reaching the small I.B. at 2.15 p.m. It had come on to rain again. Luckily one of my three coolies arrived shortly after with one of the joppas (carrying baskets) & I could change into dry things. When Hutton arrived we lunched & then had baths. SAKHABOMA is on a ridge & very prettily placed, looking down into the river valley. Blue orchids (Vanda caerulea) were growing on the trees round the bungalow, which stands amid Kassia pines. There is now no Naga village here and the land around is largely grazing ground for cattle & mithan. |
