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Butler sends official reply to Dr Brown after further discussions with him; to Merheemah; much grain and many cattle; attempt by Manipori officials to stop them going further |
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inaccurate spelling in the original text |
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28th February, Monday. I had a long conversation with Dr. Brown last night on the boundary question and finding we still disagreed on the subject I replied to him officially (in my letter No. 8-M., dated 28th February 1870) and sincerely hope he will reconsider the matter for it appears so clear to me I can scarcely imagine the possibility of their being two opinions about it. |
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We marched to day to Merheemah (or Muram as its called by the Munieepoores) along a capital road, distance about l2 miles or perhaps a little more Merhamah is one of the largest and certainly one of the most properous looking by far of all the Naga villages I have yet seen. The houses are much larger and every house I entered contained large quantities of grains stored up in huge baskets 10 or l2 feet high by 6 or 8 feet in diameter this of course I need scarcely add is the common Naga custom all over these hills and it is only to the amount of grain so much greater than is usual that I am now drawing attention). |
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I also noticed numerous large herds of cattle feeding in the neighbourhood and on my pointing out these signs of wealth to a Tengeemah of Jatsomah who was accompanying me with the remark that I considered the Nagas of Merheemah were far richer than any of his boasted Angami villages I was rather struck by his shrewd reply - "Merheemah has been conquered by Munipoor and is protected by Manipor and the spear them where is almost forgotten but who protects us, the Angamee is always at war and has scarcely lived either to sow or to reap how can he be rich? Let the Sahib stop our fighting and then see". |
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[l2] Thongal Major and the other Muneepooree officials accompanying Dr. Brown have been trying very hard for the last two or three days to deter us from proceeding any further giving us fearful accounts of the road and declaring we shall get neither coolies not 'russud' but finding we were still determined to proceed have declared today that they intend themselves returning to Munipore and I am not at all sorry to hear it. |
