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Tulloch collects rice from Wokha; reconnoitering; Hinde is attacked |
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16. On the 21st January, Colonel Tulloch went in to Wokha to inspect his guard there before starting for the interior, and a hundred coolies went with him to bring out from the godown rice sufficient to enable us to leave Rechim with five days' supplies at least. They all returned on the 22nd. In the afternoon, a deputation from Chingagi, a large village east of Wokha, came in, bringing rice, fowls, etc., and professing friendship. The Rechim men still refused to make any advances of a peaceful nature, and continued to threaten and chase our dak-walas and friendly Nagas who came to visit us; therefore, in order to ensure uninterrupted communications between Golaghat and Wokha, and to secure the safety of the coolies at work on the new road between those places, it was necessary to come to an understanding with Rechim before we left; and on the 23rd three parties were organised under Messrs. Hinde, Ogle, and myself, respectively, to scour the jungles below Rechim to the east. We took three parallel courses, and came across several encampments, and much grain and other property, which we destroyed. Mr. Hinde had a narrow escape of being speared: a large body of Nagas, whom he had driven out of their camp, made a stand in a ravine, and a Naga concealed behind a rock attempted to spear Mr. Hinde as he was passing. Most fortunately, he saw the spear in time to catch it with his left hand and turn it away, at the cost of a few bad cuts on his hand and one slight one across the breast. The man was shot, and the rest suffered considerable loss. In the afternoon, some Changse men came in to make peace. I told them we should pass through their villages on the morrow and would speak to them there. |
