838 Tour over that part of the Naga Hills [No. 167. 



in force, it is nearly certain that the party would have been intercepted. 

 The Sonaree Chiefs denied all knowledge of the matter ; but I may men- 

 tion that they were generally in a state of intoxication, and that it was 

 not easy therefore to deal with them. Conformably with the views 

 expressed by His Honor the President in Council, in para. 4th, of Mr. 

 Assistant Secretary P. Melville's letter, No. 36, of the 1st February last 

 year, I requested the Chiefs to give me their aid in obtaining an inter- 

 view with the Abor tribes, which they promised to do, but it has not 

 been accomplished as yet. 



An occurrence, however, that has lately taken place in this direction, 

 which is reported in a letter from Mr. Wood, the Sub -Assistant, sta- 

 tioned at Golaghat, No. 64 of the 4th ultimo, copy of which is annexed, 

 will render a further communication with these Chiefs necessary in the 

 ensuing cold season. It appears that six elephant hunters, while out 

 hunting under the hills, were attacked by about thirty Nagas, who 

 plundered whatever they could lay hold of, and wounded some of the 

 hunters. Two of these escaped with their lives, and some are missing, 

 and supposed to have been murdered. When applied to by Mr. Wood, 

 the Lotah Chiefs objected to coming down to the plains in consequence 

 of the lateness of the season, and I consider this objection reasonable 

 enough. It is probable that they will come down when the rains are 

 over, and give the explanation required of them, and until they refuse 

 this, it seems unnecessary to take any measures of coercion. It is doubt- 

 ful in my mind what tribe are the offenders, but from some of the 

 depositions taken by Mr. Wood, and from the nature of the case, as 

 detailed by him, I am inclined to think, that the affrays may have arisen 

 from the Nagas supposing that they alone have the privilege of hunting 

 wild elephants in the place where it occurred. It happened within the 

 jurisdiction of the principal assistant at Nowgong, and I should wish to 

 be furnished with instructions, as to whether the enquiry shall be made 

 by him or by myself. 



On the 26th we moved down to the plains ; passing close under 

 Sonareegaon, we turned off to the right to Nowgong, and reached it 

 in about two hours, another hour brought us to the Dyang. The first 

 part of the road between Sonareegaon and Nowgong is wide and 

 open ; in a short time, however, we entered narrow and difficult passes 

 cut through the hill : these led to a small stream, up the bed of which 



