1839.] the Naga territories of Assam. 453 



the Angamees, and return, and leave those who had sought protec- 

 tion, and afforded assistance to us, to the vengeance of their cruel 

 neighbours ; they also seemed anxious in regard to their villages, but 

 I assured them we would not go near them, if they could cut a road 

 by which we might avoid them, and that they had not the least cause 

 to fear ; on which they appeared much satisfied, and said many other 

 villages would come in after they had heard of the kind treatment 

 they had received. I gave them presents, and dismissed them, and told 

 them to prepare grain for us, which they promised to do. I found here 

 the following friendly chiefs, besides those above alluded to, viz. Kaptao 

 of Kareabong, Kamtao of Galiga, Katalong of Ohong, whose villages 

 were on our right, in the direction of the Angamee mountains. They 

 also agreed to furnish grain as we passed their respective villages, and 

 each received presents. Immediately on arriving at Semker finding that 

 I could only calculate upon 100 Kookees, who were as bad as Nagas 

 themselves for throwing away their burdens and running off, I appli- 

 ed to the Bura Bundaree, who farmed the Cachar hills, to furnish 300 

 men, which he could easily have done, and which he promised to do. 

 Delay occurred, however, and so I wrote to him again and again in- 

 forming him that if the expedition was kept much longer from ad- 

 vancing, through his dilatoriness, it might prove of serious consequence. 

 I learnt that he was not collecting the men as he wrote to me to say 

 he was doing, but that he had sent a petition to Captain Burns, Super- 

 intendent of Cachar, stating that he found great difficulty in comply- 

 ing with my request. At the same time that I received Captain 

 Burns' letter informing me of the difficulty stated, two Kookee chiefs 

 joined me, and informed me of the injustice the Bura Bundaree ex- 

 ercised towards their tribes, in pressing all the Kookee population and 

 not calling upon Cacharees, on whose account the expedition was un- 

 dertaken. I was told that many of those excellent ryots the Kookees 

 had left the Hills in consequence of bad treatment, and their being 

 employed and worked on every occasion, whilst the Cacharees were 

 never called on for their service. I ordered the Bundaree to furnish an 

 equal number of men from each tribe, but deeming it imprudent (.from 

 the lateness of the season) to remain any longer at Semker, disputing 

 with one who instead of throwing obstacles in the way ought to have 

 been the first to have put his shoulder to the wheel, I resolved not to 

 run the risk of being again put off with his falsehoods, and informed 

 Captain Burns of his misconduct ; then collecting all the Naga and 

 Cacharee men I could, I sent off the Shan detachment and Ram Doss 

 Morhuir to Beren, with instructions to collect as much grain as they 

 could get, no coolies having arrived. Heft Semker with forty Cacharee 



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