| caption: |
halt while Austin and Ogle complete work; Thongal Major discusses frontier; investigation into case of wounded Naga |
| note: |
inaccurate spelling in the original text |
| text: |
8th April. As Austin and Ogle were unable to complete their work yesterday we were compelled to halt again today. |
| text: |
In the afternoon my dak (the first I have received since the 17th ultimo) which had followed me down to Manipur turned up but with the exception of a large bundle of private letters and papers there was little or nothing of public importance. |
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Austin and Ogle both returned about 4 p.m. and I was very glad indeed to hear from them that they have now completed everything on this side and all that now remains to be done is to take some bearing at Khunho and Tellizo which done, we return as fast as we can to Samaguting. |
| text: |
Thongal Major and his posse commutatus paid me a visit in the afternoon and we had a long talk on frontier matters regarding which he informed me he wished to take my advice. I only hope he will follow it. |
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We enquired into the matter of the Naga wounded at Ithami and it seems that he was shot by his own father who had taken up the gun and was playing with the lock when it went off. The Manipuries however tried to make out that he had been wilfully shot by one of our men, a charge which was absurd in the face of it considering that the accident had occurred some 7 or 8 days ago, and yet we had only just heard of it. I may add that there were only two men altogether and only one gun between them and if they had really fired their single barrell off wilfully the Nagas would certainly never have allowed them to get off scot free, besides which after the gun went of they actually stopped behind to complete the work they were putting up, which mark is still standing. The incident having occurred in Manipuri jurisdiction I thought it best to tell Thomson that I thought the official enquiry should be made by him and the statements of the witnesses recorded. However as he said he had no power to enquire into it (an opinion in which I could not concur and told him so) and besides was perfectly satisfied that it was a pure accident. I deemed it needless to enter further into the matter. |
