INTRODUCTION. O . 



communications on the subject and all that could be made out was 

 that the shock had been a serious one, and that much damage had 

 resulted. 



I had myself only returned a day or two before from the very extreme 

 end of the Indian empire to the north-west, or in the opposite direction, 

 whither I had proceeded at the request of the Government of India to 

 examine and report on the feasibility of enlarging into a tunnel roadway 

 the small drift which had been carried under the bed of the Indus at 

 Attoek : and finding some arrears of work which had accumulated 

 during my absence, I was not very desirous of leaving office again 

 immediately. Very shortly afterwards, however, Mr., now Sir, Wil- 

 liam Grey, then Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, asked me if I could 

 make it possible to visit the principal places where the damage done was 

 most severe, and note what had occurred on the spot. To this I at once 

 acceded. 



I was unfortunate enough to arrive at Silchar just as the military 

 expedition against the tribes to the south, who had committed various 

 depredations in British territory, was about to start, and every one in the 

 place was fully occupied with the numerous and varied preparations 

 necessary for such an attack. Mr. Edgar, the Deputy Commissioner, 

 very kindly came round part of the station with me, and pointed out 

 several places where the injury done had been serious ; but it would have 

 been most unreasonable to have expected that he could do more than 

 this, in the midst of such pressing occupations. 



I remained a few days at Silchar busily occupied in measuring and 

 noting what was observable there. I was very desirous to get on to 

 Munipur to see what had occurred there ; but although the Deputy 

 Commissioner said he could procure me the few coolies which would 

 have been necessary for transport of baggage, &c, still, as it was 

 obvious that this would have to some extent interfered with their more 

 urgent occupation elsewhere, and as he stated that it would be essential 

 also, in the then state of the country, that I should have a small escort, not 

 from any actual fear of disturbance, but to guard against the chance of 



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