Chapter I: Front Matter

MY EXPERIENCES
IN
MANIPUR AND THE NAGA HILLS

By the late
Major-General SIR JAMES JOHNSTONE
K.C.S.I.

With an introductory memoir

Illustrated

London
Sampson Low, Marston and Company
Limited
St. Dunstan's House
Fetter Lane, Fleet Street, E.C.
1896

I DEDICATE

THESE PAGES TO THE MEMORY OF

My Wife,

WHO SHARED IN MANY OF MY LABOURS AND ANXIETIES
IN MANIPUR, AND THE NAGA HILLS,
AND WHOSE SPIRIT INSPIRED ME IN MY LAST ENTERPRISE,
AND WHO, HAD SHE LIVED,
WOULD HAVE WRITTEN A BETTER RECORD OF
OUR EXPERIENCES THAN I HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO DO.

AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

When I first brought my wife out to India in 1873, I was struck by the comments she made on things which had so long been part of my daily life. I had almost ceased to observe them. Every day she noted something new, and her diary was so interesting that I advised her to write a book on her "First Impressions of India," and she meant to do so, but never had time. Had she lived, this would have been a pleasure to her, but it was otherwise ordained. I feel now that I am in some way carrying out her wishes, by attempting a description of our life in India, though I am fully sensible that I cannot hope to achieve the pleasant chatty style in which she excelled.

I have also striven to give a fair record of the events with which I was connected; and perhaps, as they include a description of a state of things that has passed away for ever, they may not be devoid of interest. I am one of those old-fashioned Anglo-Indians who still believe in personal government, a system by which we gained India, solidified our rule, and made ourselves fairly acceptable to the people whom we govern. I believe the machine-like system which we have introduced and are endeavouring to force into every corner of India, till all personal influence is killed out, to be ill-adapted to the requirements of these Oriental races, and blighting in its effects. Not one native chief has adopted it in its integrity, which is in itself a fair argument that it is distasteful to the native mind; and we may be assured that if we evacuated India to-morrow, personal rule would again make itself felt throughout the length and breadth of the land, and grow stronger every day. I have always striven to be a reformer, but a reformer building on the solid foundations that we already find everywhere in India. Wherever you go, if there is a semblance of native rule left, you find a system admirably adapted to the needs of the population, though very often grown over with abuses. Clear away these abuses, and add a little in the way of modern progress, but always building on the foundation you find ready to hand, and you have a system acceptable to all.

We are wonderfully timid in sweeping away real abuses, for fear of hurting the feelings of the people; at the same time we weigh them down with unnecessary, oppressive, and worrying forms, and deluge the country with paper returns, never realising that these cause far more annoyance than would be felt at our making some radical change in a matter which, after all, affects only a minority. Take, for instance, the case of suttee, or widow-burning. It was argued for years that we could not put it down without causing a rebellion. What are the facts? A governor-general, blessed with moral courage in a great degree, determined to abolish the barbarous custom, and his edict was obeyed without a murmur. So it has been in many other cases, and so it will be wherever we have the courage to do the right thing. An unpopular tax would cause more real dissatisfaction than any interference with bad old customs, only adhered to from innate conservatism. The great principle on which to act is to do what is right, and what commends itself to common sense, and to try and carry the people with you. Do not let us have more mystery than is necessary; telling the plain truth is the best course; vacillation is fatal; the strongest officer is generally the most popular, and is remembered by the people long after he is dead and gone.

Personal rule is doomed, and men born to be personal rulers and a blessing to the governed, are now harassed by the authorities till they give up in despair, and swim with the stream.

The machine system did not gain India, and will not keep it for us; we must go back to a better system, or be prepared to relax our grasp, and give up the grandest work any nation ever undertook--the regeneration of an empire!

The House of Commons has to answer for much. No Indian administration is safe from the interference of theorists. To-day it is opium that is attacked by self-righteous individuals, who see in the usual, and in most cases harmless, stimulant of millions, a crying evil; while they view with apparent complacency the expenditure of L120,000,000 per annum on intoxicating liquors in England, and long columns in almost every newspaper recording brutal outrages on helpless women and children as the result.

Then the military administration is attacked, and in pursuance of another chimera, an iniquitous bill is forced on the Government of India calculated to produce results, which will probably sap the efficiency of our army at a critical moment. So it goes on, and it is hardly to be wondered at that the authorities in India give up resistance in sheer disgust, knowing all the while that, as the French say, le deluge must come after them.

It may be said, "What has all this to do with Manipur and the Naga Hills?" Nothing perhaps directly, but indirectly a great deal. The system which I decry carries its evil influence everywhere, and Manipur has suffered from it. I describe the Naga Hills and Manipur as they were in old days. I strove hard for years to hold the floods back from this little State and to preserve it intact, while doing all I could to introduce reforms. Now the floods have overwhelmed it, and if it rises again above them it will not be the Manipur that I knew and loved. May it, in spite of my doubts and fears, be a better Manipur.

CONTENTS

Page

Introduction xix

Chapter I.

Arrival in India--Hospitable friends--The Lieut.-Governor--Journey
to the Naga Hills--Nigriting--Golaghat--A panther reminiscence--Hot
springs--A village dance--Dimapur--My new abode 1

Chapter II.

Samagudting--Unhealthy quarters--A callous widower--Want of
water--Inhabitants of the Naga Hills--Captain Butler--Other
officials--Our life in the wilds--A tiger carries off the
postman--An Indian forest--Encouragement 12

Chapter III.

Historical events connected with Manipur and the Naga
Hills--Different tribes--Their religion--Food and customs 22

Chapter IV.

Value of keeping a promise--Episode of Sallajee--Protection
given to small villages, and the large one defied--"Thorough"
Government of India's views--A plea for Christian education in
the Naga Hills 37

Chapter V.

Visit Dimapur--A terrible storm--Cultivation--Aggression by
Konoma--My ultimatum--Konoma submits--Birth of a son--Forest
flowers--A fever patient--Proposed change of station--Leave
Naga Hills--March through the forest--Depredation by
tigers--Calcutta--Return to England 45

Chapter VI.

Return to India--Attached to Foreign Office--Imperial assemblage at
Delhi--Almorah--Appointed to Manipur--Journey to Shillong--Cherra
Poojee--Colonel McCulloch--Question of ceremony 54

Chapter VII.

Start for Manipur--March over the hills--Lovely scenery--View of
the valley--State reception--The Residency--Visitors 60

Chapter VIII.

Visit the Maharajah--His ministers--Former revolutions--Thangal
Major 69

Chapter IX.

Manipur--Early history--Our connection with it--Ghumbeer
Singh--Burmese war 78

Chapter X.

Ghumbeer Singh and our treatment of him--Nur Singh and
attempt on his life--McCulloch--His wisdom and generosity--My
establishment--Settlement of frontier dispute 88

Chapter XI.

My early days in Manipur--The capital--The inhabitants--Good
qualities of Manipuris--Origin of valley of Manipur--Expedition
to the Naga Hills--Lovely scenery--Attack on Kongal Tannah by
Burmese--Return from Naga Hills--Visit Kongal Tannah 95

Chapter XII.

Discussions as to new Residency--Its completion--Annual
boat-races--Kang-joop-kool--Daily work--Dealings with the
Durbar 104

Chapter XIII.

Violent conduct of Prince Koireng--A rebuke--Service
payment--Advantages of Manipuri system--Customs
duties--Slavery--Releasing slaves--Chowbas' fidelity--Sepoy's
kindness to children--Visit to the Yoma range 112

Chapter XIV.

An old acquaintance--Monetary crisis--A cure for breaking
crockery--Rumour of human sacrifices--Improved postal
system--Apricots--Mulberries--A snake story--Search after
treasure--Another snake story--Visit to Calcutta--Athletics--Ball
practice--A near shave 122

Chapter XV.

Spring in Manipur--Visit Kombang--Manipuri orderlies--Parade of
the Maharajah's Guards--Birth of a daughter--An evening walk in
the capital--Polo--Visit to Cachar 131

Chapter XVI.

Punishment of female criminals--A man saved from execution--A Kuki
executed--Old customs abolished--Anecdote of Ghumbeer Singh--The
Manipuri army--Effort to re-organise Manipur Levy--System
of rewards--"Nothing for nothing"--An English school--Hindoo
festivals--Rainbows--View from Kang-joop-kool 138

Chapter XVII.

Mr. Damant and the Naga Hills--Rumours on which I act--News
of revolt in Naga Hills and Mr. Damant's murder--Maharajah's
loyalty--March to the relief of Kohima--Relief of Kohima--Incidents
of siege--Heroism of ladies--A noble defence 147

Chapter XVIII.

Restoring order and confidence--Arrival of Major Evans--Arrival
of Major Williamson--Keeping open communication--Attack on
Phesama--Visit to Manipur--General Nation arrives--Join him at
Suchema--Prepare to attack Konoma--Assault of Konoma 161

Chapter XIX.

Konoma evacuated--Journey to Suchema for provisions and ammunition,
and return--We march to Suchema with General--Visit Manipur--Very
ill--Meet Sir Steuart Bayley in Cachar--His visit to Manipur--Grand
reception--Star of India--Chussad attack on Chingsow--March to
Kohima and back--Reflections on Maharajah's services--Naga Hills
campaign overshadowed by Afghan war 175

Chapter XX.

Visit Chingsow to investigate Chussad outrage--Interesting
country--Rhododendrons--Splendid forest--Chingsow and the
murders--Chattik--March back across the hills 182

Chapter XXI.

Saving a criminal from execution--Konoma men visit me--A
terrible earthquake--Destruction wrought in the capital--Illness
of the Maharajah--Question as to the succession--Arrival of
the Queen's warrant--Reception by the Maharajah--The Burmese
question 190

Chapter XXII.

March to Mao and improvement of the road--Lieutenant
Raban--Constant troubles with Burmah--Visit to Mr. Elliott
at Kohima--A tiger hunt made easy--A perilous adventure--Rose
bushes--Brutal conduct of Prince Koireng--We leave Manipur for
England 198

Chapter XXIII.

Return to Manipur--Revolution in my absence--Arrangements for
boundary--Survey and settlement--Start for Kongal--Burmese will
not act--We settle boundary--Report to Government--Return to
England 208

Chapter XXIV.

Return to India--Visit to Shillong--Manipur again--Cordial
reception--Trouble with Thangal Major--New arts introduced 216

Chapter XXV.

A friend in need--Tour round the valley--Meet the Chief
Commissioner--March to Cachar--Tour through the Tankhool
country--Metomi Saramettie--Somrah--Terrace cultivators--A
dislocation--Old quarters at Kongal Tannah--Return to the valley
--A sad parting 223

Chapter XXVI.

More trouble with Thangal Major--Tit-for-tat--Visit to the Kubo
valley--A new Aya Pooiel--Journey to Shillong--War is declared--A
message to Kendat to the Bombay-Burmah Corporation agents--Anxiety
as to their fate--March to Mao 236

Chapter XXVII.

News from Kendat--Mr. Morgan and his people safe--I determine to
march to Moreh Tannah--March to Kendat--Arrive in time to save
the Bombay-Burmah Corporation Agents--Visit of the Woon--Visit
to the Woon 244

Chapter XXVIII.

People fairly friendly--Crucifixion--Carelessness of Manipuris--I
cross the Chindwin--Recross the Chindwin--Collect provisions--Erect
stockades and fortify our position--Revolt at Kendat--We assume the
offensive--Capture boats and small stockades--Revolt put down--Woon
and Ruckstuhl rescued--Steamers arrive and leave 251

Chapter XXIX.

Mischief done by departure of steamers--Determine to establish the
Woon at Tamu--The country quieting down--Recovery of mails--Letter
from the Viceroy--Arrive at Manipur--Bad news--I return to
Tamu--Night march to Pot-tha--An engagement--Wounded--Return to
Manipur--Farewell--Leave for England 260