Chapter I: Front Matter

MY THREE YEARS IN MANIPUR

AND

Escape from the Recent Mutiny

THIRD EDITION

FROM A PHOTOGRAPH BY VANDYK.

LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY & SON, 1891]

MY
THREE YEARS IN MANIPUR
AND
Escape from the Recent Mutiny

BY
ETHEL ST. CLAIR GRIMWOOD

_WITH ILLUSTRATIONS AND PLAN_

LONDON
RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON
Publishers in Ordinary to Her Majesty the Queen
1891

[_All rights reserved_]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PORTRAIT OF MRS. GRIMWOOD _frontispiece_

BEAR FROM NAGA HILLS _title-page_

DRAGON IN FRONT OF THE PALACE _to face page_ 1

VIEW OF THE RESIDENCY AT MANIPUR ” 30

TRIBESMEN OF MANIPUR ” 68

THE GARDENS OF THE RESIDENCY AT MANIPUR ” 118

NATIVES OF THE MANIPUR HILLS ” 186

SKETCH MAP OF MANIPUR ” 204

PORTRAIT OF MR. FRANK GRIMWOOD ” 217

CONTENTS

PAGE

CHAPTER I.

My husband offered the post of Political Agent at
Manipur—Arrival there and first impressions—Adventures on the
journey—Coolies—Arrive at Cachar 1-10

CHAPTER II.

Cachar or Silchar—We are fêted there—The hill tribes: Kukis,
Tongkhuls, etc.—Their dress and habits—Rest-houses, and
difficulties therein—Manipuri Sepoys: camp on the Makru
River—Logtak Lake—Colonel Samoo Singh—The Senaputti 11-28

CHAPTER III.

Favourable impressions of our new home, the Residency—The
Maharajah—His brother the Jubraj—Polo with the Princes—The
Senaputti a fine sportsman—Visits us on Sunday
afternoons—Shell-firing—Prince Zillah Singh—We try to learn the
Manipuri language 29-43

CHAPTER IV.

Collect various animals around us—Habits of our pets—Our
beautiful grounds—The Nagas—Amusing incident—The liquor
Zu—Roast dog—Villages allotted to us for food, labour,
etc.—Women do the work—Children of the Maharajah—A
water-party—Every child dances in Manipur—The Manipuri women
not shut up 44-59

CHAPTER V.

Trips to the Logtak Lake—Beautiful scene on the lake—Tent
pitched on an island in it—The Pucca Senna accompanies
us—Crowds collect to see us—Old women dance—Natives laugh at my
riding-habit—Moombi—Steep ascent—Chief of the village threatens
us—Unpleasant quarters—Wet condition and hostile reception—My
husband teaches the Prince English 60-74

CHAPTER VI.

Society at Manipur—Band of the Ghoorkas—The bandmaster—His
peculiar attire—The regiment ordered away, to our
regret—Worse news—We are ordered to leave—Parting views—Mr.
Heath appointed—Son of the Tongal general—His good and bad
qualities—Magnificent scenery—The Ungamis—Their quarrelsome
character 75-92

CHAPTER VII.

Short stay at Jorehat—My husband appointed to Gauhati—Value
of the bearer in India—His notions and mine not always
in harmony—Arrive at Gauhati—Illness and death of Mr.
Heath—Presentiments—My husband returns to Manipur—I remain at
Shillong—Delicious climate 93-103

CHAPTER VIII.

A terrible experience—A Thoppa and a journey in one—Its
difficulties and dangers—The Lushais—Arrive at Sylhet—Find the
coolies have levanted—A pony journey ends disastrously—A night
walk—Accident to Mr. A⸺.—Arrive at a teahouse—Not a shadowy
dinner 104-117

CHAPTER IX.

Return to Manipur—Mr. Heath’s grave—Old Moonia—A quarrel and
fight between Moonia and the Chupprassie’s wife—Dignity of the
Chupprassies—The Senaputti gets up sports—Manipuri greetings
and sports 118-129

CHAPTER X.

Bad relations between the Pucca Senna and the Senaputti—Rival
lovers—Quarrels in the Royal Family—Prince Angao Senna—Pigeon
contests—The Manipuris’ fondness for gambling—Departure of the
Ghoorkas—Too much alone 130-138

CHAPTER XI.

The Princes quarrel—Attack on the Maharajah—His retreat—His
cowardice and accusations—The Pucca Senna departs also—Conduct
of the Jubraj 139-148

CHAPTER XII.

Vigour of the new reign—A magic-lantern performance—Conduct
of the bandmaster—First mention of Mr. Quinton—Visit
to Burmah—Beauty of the scenery—House ourselves in a
Pagoda—Burmese love of flowers, and of smoking—Visit
Tummu—Burmese love of chess—First meeting with Grant—He
helps us to make a cake—Search after orchids—Arrival of
visitors—Important telegram from Chief Commissioner—Coming
events commence to cast shadows 149-169

CHAPTER XIII.

Preparations for the Chief Commissioner’s visit—Despair
over the commissariat—Uncertainty of Mr. Quinton’s
intentions—Uneasiness of the Manipuris—They crowd into their
citadel—Decision of the Government of India and their policy
against the Jubraj—Death of our dinner and our goat—Arrival
of Mr. Quinton and Colonel Skene—Mr. Grimwood ordered to
arrest the Jubraj—The Regent and his brother appear at the
Residency—The Manipuris suspect hostility—The old Tongal—Last
evening of peace 170-187

CHAPTER XIV.

Up early on the eventful morning—The Jubraj does not attend
the Durbar—Visit of Mr. Grimwood to the Jubraj—Finds him in
high fever—Matters assume a serious aspect—Thoroughfares
deserted—Terrific thunderstorm—Our servants take French
leave—My ayah deserts—Melancholy thoughts—Lovely moonlight
night—A Manipuri arrives to spy out our doings—The night before
the outbreak—Attack on the Residency—Capture of the Jubraj’s
house—Anxiety about Lieutenant Brackenbury—Stray bullets find
their billet in the Residency—Attack gets hot, and big guns
play on the Residency—We have to take to the cellars—The Regent
invites Mr. Quinton to an interview 188-217

CHAPTER XV.

Mr. Brackenbury—Scenes in the little cellar—Destruction of our
home—Another moonlight night with a difference—Reopening of the
attack on the Residency—Death of Mr. Brackenbury—Preparations
to escape 218-230

CHAPTER XVI.

Escape of the servants—Mr. Gurdon comes for me—Away from
shelter, and one’s life in one’s hands—Over the hedge and
across the river—Lie in the ditch for shelter from shot—Fired
on at Burri Bazaar 231-238

CHAPTER XVII.

Burning of the Residency and of all our effects—Difficulties of
retreat—No food, wet clothes, burning sun—Pursued—Exhaustive
march—Kindness of a Naga boy—Fired on—Sleep after a march
of twenty miles—Have to march again—Capture a Manipuri
with rice—Enemy lurks around us—Come upon a stockade—Are
attacked—Goorkhas in sight 239-261

CHAPTER XVIII.

Saved—Captain Cowley pursues the enemy, and we fall on our
feet—Have to wear Sepoys’ boots—Halt at Leimatak—Transitions
of climate—Manipuris attack—Tables turned on them—Shortness
of food—The Nagas—Cross the Jhiri and regain the British
frontier 262-274

CHAPTER XIX.

Our ignorance as to Mr. Quinton’s proceedings—News at last
reach India and England—Take off my clothes for the first
time for ten days—March to Lahkipur—The ladies of Cachar send
clothes to me—Write home—Great kindness shown to me—My fears
for my husband—The telegram arrives with fatal news—Major
Grant’s narrative 275-315

CHAPTER XX.

Her Majesty gives me the Red Cross—I go to Windsor and see
her Majesty—The Princess of Wales expresses a wish to see
me—Conclusion 316-321

NOTE.

_The two letters written by Major Grant, and quoted on pp. 289 and 309, appeared originally in the columns of the ‘Times’ newspaper._

THREE YEARS IN MANIPUR