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Relations with Tributary States and Frontier Affairs |
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Relations with frontier tribes; trial in Kohima; information from Rev. Clarke of the American Mission |
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36. No complaints of raids by outside tribes on villages in British territory were received during the year, nor was there a single case of murder of a British subject, either within or without British territory, to record. On the other hand, there were several raids within the area of political control by tribes living inside, as well as by those living outside, that area. This territory falls naturally into three divisions, viz. the Ao or Hatiguria country north-east of Wokha; the Sema country occupying the eastern half of the Doyang Valley, east and south-east of Wokha; and the Eastern Angami country lying east and south-east of Kohima. |
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In the first division occurred shortly before the close of the previous year, the attack by the village of Noagaon, or Merangkhang, on the neighbouring village of Deka Haimong, the circumstances attending which and the measure taken to punish it, which fell within the year 1886-87, were detailed in Report of last year. It was then stated that, in consequence of the village of Noagaon having been burnt, and a guard of 40 Frontier Police quartered on its site, seven of the culprits were surrendered to the Deputy-Commissioner of Sibsagar for trial. Subsequently, three out of the seven were proved to have been concerned in a murder near Amguri, a tea-garden on the borders of the Sibsagar district, and were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment under Section 304, Indian Penal Code. The remaining four, alleged to have taken part in the attack on Deka Haimong, were sent to Kohima for trial. They were mere lads, and the evidence against them being weak, it was concluded that they had been surrendered as scapegoats, and they were accordingly released. But the village was fined Rs.200 and the guard was not withdrawn till the whole amount was paid. The villagers have remained quiet during the year, but Mr. Clarke of the American Mission who has lived for many years in the neighbourhood of Deka Haimong, reports that they are again laying claim to certain fishing rights in the Jhanzi river, which Mr. Greer had decided to belong to the opponent village. Mr. Clarke also reports the murder of an Akoia chief by men from a village called Tambu, which lies east of Naogaon, and is 14 days' march from Kohima and 2 days' march from Sibsagar. The Deputy-Commissioner intends to make an enquiry into the matter when he next visits this tract in the cold weather. His recent promenade in April last did not take him into the Ao country, with the exception of a visit to the village of Nankum which he paid in connection with his proceedings for putting a stop to the feud between it and the Sema village of Lopphemi. This promenade will be noticed in next year's report. |
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The Eastern Angamis gave no trouble. The Deputy-Commissioner states that they might be included in the revenue-paying tract without any opposition. It is, however, premature to consider this suggestion at present until more has been done to consolidate our hold on the rest of the district. But though the Angamis were themselves peaceable, they were several times raided on last year by a Mezami chief, named Sakhai, dwelling to the east of them. The expedition despatched to punish him only left Kohima on the 27th March, and the story of its conduct and successful issue will be included in the Report for the current year. |
