The Nagas

Hill Peoples of Northeast India

Project Introduction The Naga Database

printed - tour diary of the Deputy Commissioner of the Naga Hills for the year 1870-1872 (John Butler) volume two

caption: to Dihomah; country about looks like England and Butler's brother considers it suitable for horses, sheep or cattle; alarm in the night; description of Dihomah
medium: tours
person: Thevoma clan/ DihomahThepvonama clan/ Dihomah
location: Dihomah
date: 9.3.1872
production:
person: Butler/ John
date: 22.11.1870-17.2.1873
note: inaccurate spelling in the original text
text: 9th March, Saturday. Moved camp into Dihomah - distance about 7 miles along a capital path the whole way. The country all round here has all the appearance of English towns and I may add my brother says it reminds him of parts of New England. He also declares he considers these hills to be as well adapted for either horses, sheep or cattle as many portions of Australia, in which he has seen these animals flourish.
text: We had a rather disagreeable though as it turned out afterwards groundless alarm last night, for we were suddenly awake about 2 a.m. by hearing two shots fired in rapid succession. My brother and I rushed out of our tents immediately, revolvers in hand, fully expected a regular "hooroosh". When we got outside we found it raining hard and so dark it was impossible to see a yard before one. However we managed to creep our way to the constables tents and got the men under arms sharp, and I then got a lantern and went round the sentries and was very glad indeed to discover there was no further grounds to apprehend the attack which up to that moment we were all fully expecting, for it turned out that the disturbance was due to some solitary Naga having come skulking round the camp (probably bent on stealing whatever he could lay hands on) and not answering the sentry's challenge, he had been fired upon, after which he was not long in making himself scarce. We were all precious glad to do the same by turning into bed again. Dihomah contains 89 houses divided as follows:-
_____________________________________________Houses
__________Thevoma__...___...___...___..._______46
__________Thepvonama..___...___...___..._______43
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_____________________________________Total_____89
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