| caption: |
camp at Heelee; coolies bolt; lose path |
| note: |
inaccurate spelling in the original text |
| text: |
16th January, Sunday. Moved camp to the village of Heelee about 7 miles by a very bad road having recrossed the Longlokso and then crossed the Khremree en route. This village contains only 14 houses and the water is a long distance off. |
| text: |
17 January, Monday. This has been a day of misadventures for first we discovered all our coolies had bolted during the night and after that we managed to lose our way and had to encamp in the jungles. |
| text: |
Having succeeded in getting 6 coolies from Hembe and having sent off for others from the villages of Chebatte and Daokhya I started myself en route for Tengupah leaving my guard behind with instructions to come on with the rest of the baggage as soon as the other coolies arrived. After crossing the Kolahphanee and having proceeded along its left bank for some 2 miles we crossed the Boopoongjan and then proceeding on for some 2 miles further we came upon the Torrapoongjan but here the road suddenly came to a stop and although we searched for a full hour on the other bank both up and down stream we were unable to discover the slightest trace of any path and not a soul with me could give me any idea as to where we were so there was no help for it but to retrace our steps and we just managed to regain the Borpoongjan, where we encamped by sunset my guard and baggage which I had left behind also came into my great delight between 11 and 12 at night which fortunately for them was clear moonlight and addly [sic] enough whilst waiting for their arrival we witnessed an eclipse of the moon which the Rengma coolies appeared to consider a very bad omen. |
