NAGA CAMPAIGN, 1879-80. 
267 
across the line of fire, evidently having been used as cover to lie behind. 
One of the rockets from the Mozema Hill, at an early stage of the 
engagement, set the lower part of the village on fire; but, as a rule, 
they acted very irregularly, which may be attributed to the severe 
shaking they received en route , as they were Mark III, and, at a previous 
trial on the river, acted well. 
On the 26th, the guns accompanied a column of 250 men against the 
the enemy at Jotsoma, but they made no stand; after which they 
were not concerned in any operations until the 1st of January, 1880, 
when a move was made against the village of Cheswedjuma, in the 
eastern Angami country. 
Kachar coolies were provided for the guns, and Nagas for the 
ammunition : the former are weakly men, and utterly unsuited for the 
hills, whilst the latter, though strong and athletic, will not carry from 
the shoulder; and, when firing takes place, invariably throw down their 
loads and take to the jungle; the collection of the ammunition boxes 
after such an occurrence is rather an unpleasant duty. Fortunately, 
Nagas, though perfect skirmishers, do not care about coming to close 
quarters unless behind walls, for if such were not the case, I do not 
see how it would be possible to prevent the loss both of guns and 
ammunition in such extremely difficult country where, in many places, 
the track runs through narrow defiles, with sides inaccessible to 
anything but a Naga or a monkey. 
Although four coolies per gun, and six per carriage, were detailed, 
the three marches to Cheswedjuma were much delayed from the 
inability oE the coolies to carry their loads with moderate celerity up 
the precipitous slopes and through the difficult country traversed. A 
Naga road, as a rule, running straight up and down the hills, which, 
being mostly clothed with the densest jungle, renders flanking parties 
impossible. 
Cheswedjuma was occupied without opposition; four rockets were 
fired into neighbouring valleys to clear them of the enemy. When 
the work of destroying the village was nearly complete, the enemy 
came through the burning village, and with rifles began to annoy our 
troops, but a couple of shrapnel burst in front of them made them fly 
to the jungles. Only two men were slightly hit, although, from a 
flanking party being withdrawn too soon, some shots were fired from 
behind cover at the guns from a distance of only 50 yds. Fortunately, 
they were Enfield bullets, and not handfuls of slugs, which it is a 
Naga’s delight to discharge from an old brown bess. 
No further artillery operations took place, and the march back 
through the villages of Tenedjuma, Kekrima, Kedima, Ksinema, 
Jakoma, and Phesema, was through a most wild and picturesque 
country, which there was plenty of time to admire, as the gun coolies 
could make only about eight miles in 12 hours. 
The defenders of Khonoma had in the meantime occupied an almost 
inaccessible position at the back of Khonoma, consisting of a series of 
conical peaks ending at the northern extremity in a hill, AB (see 
rough sketch), with a narrow-topped ridge, the beginning of the 
southern slope of which was about 1600 yds. from our stockade at 
Khonoma. This ridge was about 1500 ft. above it. Their defences 
