| caption: |
burning of Rechim and Changse |
| text: |
14. On the 19th January, we marched early, advancing cautiously to Yekam, searching the grass jungle on either side, where practicable. About a mile and half from the Doiang, we saw evidences of an intended ambuscade: little spaces had been cleared in the grass to allow of a man crouching in each of them, and each was provided with a small heap of stones. In some, the oracle had been consulted in the usual manner, by cutting little chips from a piece of wood and noticing how they fall. Apparently, the oracles were not favourable to hostilities, for we reached Yekam, a perfectly friendly village, without molestation. Rechim being distant from Yekam only about two miles, we left all the coolies at the latter village with a small guard, and marched on Rechim, which we entered without opposition, the Nagas retreating in all directions. We burned the village, from which nearly every article of value had been removed to the jungles, thus confirming our suspicions of their guilt, and encamped in a commanding spot close to a good water-supply. The next day we proceeded against the two villages of Changse, which were also burned without opposition. |
