The Image of War Service on the Chin Hills ^lirellll' IS ; ; m ■ r.. - KPPP lii sSKiiflSLfK^ in ssaSiSwv Kff| mm WgjmjMr lliill Sillli rM H ■■ iMi Spi 1 |§K i ^^^^ if 'tjjj !$&*$&, .'•: L £§§& v9\ ^SS&laSB^ \f$gR&3!ffi *tffli S^gwBjIS •)Mnf i : i!!^»?f ■ijifw ^%&s§i§ Wm fr/t/. ^yfftrKt^' <^/e/iA&77ui ukivt/e.r.ntor *J fya/tformei' tM THE IMAGE OF WAR OR SERVICE ON THE CHIN HILLS. BY surgeon-Captain a. g. e. newland, /.M.S., 2nd Burma Battalion. With an INTRODUCTORY HISTORICAL NOTE by J. D. MACNABB, Esq., Political Officer, S. Chin Hills. M W&Lm /LLUSTRATED W/TH igi PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE AUTHOR. CALCUTTA : Thacker, Spink and Co i 894 "OS 4-g£ C5-5N4 PRINTED BY THE LONDON STEREOSCOPIC AND PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPANY, LIMITED, 54, CHEAPSIDE, E.C., AND NEW SOUTHGATE, LONDON. HENRY MORSE STEPHENS*' 0£ LIST OF FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS. 8th Bengal Mountain Battery on the March Mountain Stream in Chinland. Government Steamer landing Troops at Kalewa ... Minywa, on Chin Frontier, starting point of the Boungshay Expedition Officers of the Tashon Expedition Camp at Minywa and Myettha River Expedition marching into the Hills ... * ... Column crossing the Boinu River Gurkha Coolie Camp : Mounting the Sanitary Guard After the Day's Work Waiting for inspiration ! Writing up the day's diary Camp Toilet: getting ready for Dinner Arrival of the Mail Bag in Camp The 4th Madras Pioneers at work ... In Camp : the Provost Marshal at Work ... The Coolies' Camp Fire A Halt : Gurhwallis and Coolies How to climb a mountain Getting Dhoolie up a stiff bit of mountain ... ... Political Officer interviewing Chins ... ... ... ... Descending a bad bit of mountain path : the Dawn Mountain... Head Quarters Camp at Munlipi (Klung-Klung) ... ... Meeting of the two Columns at Tao : sending off the news by Heliograph We visit a Chin Chief: our reception No. 2 Stockade at Foot of Chin Hills ... ... The Wuntoo Chief's House (Klung-Klung). The largest and best house in the whole of the Chin Hills The Political Officer obtaining information ... Political Officer arranging about Coolies Lao Var : a military post in the Klung-Klung Country ... Falam The occupation of Falam: the Column entering the Capital ... Officers' quarters, Haka ... ... Examining captured Arms Officers bargaining with Chins Fort White • The C. O. and his Staff-Officer interviewing a Chin Chief, "Old Tetapata " A consultation : Mr. Carey, Mr. Macnabb, Major Howlett, and Capt. Evatt... ... Meeting of the Chiefs : the C. O.'s and the Political Officers of the Tashon and Nwengal Columns arranging their plan of compaign 154 Smaller Illustrations inserted in the Text. ... Frontispiece. To face page 1 • • 2 >> M 4 >> » 6 1) n 9 )> n IO it „ 12 )> „ 14 i) „ 16 n „ 18 >> ,, 20 1) „ 22 >) „ 24 )> „ 26 » H 30 » 11 32 » ,, 34 n „ 36 i) „ 38 n m 44 n „ 46 19 „ 48 n „ 5° „ n 54 n H 56 „ ., 58 n „ 60 M „ 62 H n °3 )) „ 70 !) r. 74 1) n 76 >] „ 80 )) „ 82 )> „ 86 „ 88 510637 Mountain Stream in Chinland. Thacker, Spink & Co., Calcutta. ' ->\n- ^J^OTE ON THE 4{IST0RY OF THE gjHN 4{lL-L-S, BY J. D. MACNABB, Esq., B.S.C., Political Officer, Chin Hills. The great mountain ranges of Thibet and Central Asia send down, west and south of the supposed sources of the mighty Brahmaputra, a great offshoot or spur which, bounded by the plains of B< and, farth Bay of Ben- west, and by of the Chin- the Irra- the east, ever- narrow- the south, ^r) Negrais, out on OFFICERS OF THE KLUNG KLUNG EXPEDITION. the valley of Assam and on the north-west, south, by the gal on the the valleys dwin and f waddy on stretches in ing ranges to until as Cape its last peak, it looks the Indian Ocean. These mountains are inhabited by various tribes, which, known under many different names, are alike at least in their barbarous instincts and raiding proclivities. In Bengal since 1844, and in Chittagong and Lower Burma since 1847, they have been a constant source of trouble and anxiety. The history of our dealings with these tribes is one long tale of forbearance Introduction. on our part, and unprovoked aggression on theirs, marked at but too frequent intervals by the murder of our most devoted frontier officers and the subsequent punitive expeditions. The conversion of Upper Burma into a British province changed our relations with these tribes, which thus had become surrounded by British territory, and could therefore no longer be treated as mere frontier tribes, with whom the less we had to do the better. The tribes in these hills bordering on Burma are usually known as Chins, and those bordering on Bengal and Assam as Lushais. The frequent raids committed on the plain villages by LUSHAI FRONTIER POLICE. these tribes called loudly for decisive action; and in 1888 matters were brought to a climax by the murder of Lieut. Stewart by the Lushais whilst surveying. A punitive column was sent out to avenge this outrage in the open season of 1888-89, an d the same year a force from Burma, under command of General Faunce, C.B., with Major Raikes, CLE., as Political Officer, was sent into the country of the Siyin tribe, who, refusing to submit or surrender their Burmese captives, had all their villages destroyed, and the post of Fort White was established. u: 1 f 2 H 3 Introduction. In the open season of 1889-90 another expedition was organised, which was placed under command of Brigadier-General Symons, C.B., who was also given chief political powers, with Mr. Ross, Assistant Commissioner, and Mr. Carey, Assistant Commissioner, to assist him. This expedition, marching up from Pakoko to Kan, entered the hills much further south than the expedition of the preceding season, and, with but little resistance, occupied and established a post at Haka, the chief village of the Haka tribe, and visited Falam and the country round Haka. Another expedi under the command of General Tre- from Lungleh, and both parties track, they met at Haka, and thus through cation Burma and these ex- found the worse ene- Chins and the troops suf- fever. tion from the Bengal side, ear, C.B., advanced making a mule established I communi- ( between I India. Both I p e d i t i o n s I malaria a I my than the Lushais, and fered severely from OFFICERS OF THE BOUNGSHAY EXPEDITION. During the open season of 1890-91, no arrangements were made for any expeditions on a large scale, but the murder of the Assistant Political Officer, Mr. Wetherell, by the Thettas necessitated the punishment of this village ; and the first party not proving strong enough, a column of 250 rifles and two mountain guns, under Colonel Mainwaring, was sent up, via Gungaw, to Thetta, meeting another party from Haka. These two parties, combining, made an expedition into the Boungshay country to the south, going as far as Shurkwa. Although the Boungshay Chins had made great preparations for resistance and built numerous stockades, they lost heart at the last and offered but little resistance to the troops. Introduction. The season closed by a rising of the Klung Klung tribe, who attacked a partv of troops accompanying the Political Officer on a peaceful errand to meet the Political Officer of South Lushai at Tao, in April, but the Manipur disaster tied our hands and prevented immediate punishment being inflicted on this tribe. In the northern Chin Hills much had been done to bring the Kanhows under control, and a new post had been established at Tiddim. This season did not effect much improvement in our position in the hills, except to make it evident that it was not sufficient to occupy isolated posts in OFFICERS OF THE BURMA AND BENGAL COLUMNS AT TAO VILLAGE. the hills to stop the raiding in the plains, but that it was incumbent on us to bring all the Chin tribes under control. To effect this in the open season of 1891-92 the following columns were organized :— * First — The Boungshay Column, commanded by Major Gunning, K.R.R., and consisting of 250 rifles and two mountain guns, was directed to explore and bring under our control the Boungshay tribes south of Haka. ft ° < 3 Introduction. Second — The Klung Klung Column, of the same strength, and commanded by Major Browne, D.S.O., 39th GharWal Rifles, was directed to punish the Klung Klung tribe for their attack on our troops in April, 1890. Third — The Tashon and the Nwengal Columns, consisting of 300 rifles and two mountain guns each, and commanded respectively by Major Howlett, 2nd Burma Battalion, and Captain Hugh Rose, were directed to occupy and establish a post at Falam and bring the Tashon tribe and their tributaries under our control. Fourth — The Kanhow Captain Stevens, 4th of 250 rifles tain guns, ^ re c ted theKa- a n d .',jf north IfflL them, >V(jft open ™ commu- • with Mani- All these successful, and ac- work without fighting. SifiSfrSSsfeJ Column, under command of M.P., and consisting and two moun- £&k. was di- j •~-:?5^9& u p nication umns were complished their Towards the end of the season, however, small officers and sekjeants of the king's royal outbreaks occurred at RIFLES who took part in the expeditions. . . - 1 • i Shurkwa and Botoung, both of which were suppressed without trouble, the Chins suffering heavy loss at Shurkwa. Troubles had, however, been gathering in Lushailand, and the end of the season saw a general rising both in North and South Lushai, which was suppressed with some difficulty, as strong reinforcements had to be sent to Forts Aijal and Lungleh, and a column had to march across from Fort White to relieve the Superintendent of South Lushai in the face of great difficulties, upon which the rising collapsed. INTRODUCTION. Such is an outline of the history of the Chin-Lushai Hills. It is a land that produces nothing but the savages who inhabit it. A thorn in the sides of all who have to do with it, it has no future, and appears capable of no development. I have never met an officer who has been in them whose dearest wish W^ it has not been to get out of them ! For troops it is a most trying country to campaign in. Approached through malarious valleys and terai which decimate the troops with sickness before they reach the inhabited heights, TOUNGTHAS WOMEN O." "HE CHIN FRONTIER. >• r .-*u*V(i.\/>i5^ *« , OLD FALAM : WHERE PERMANENT TOST WAS BUILT. they are then rewarded by constant inarching over a succession of razor-backed B ! Introduction, mountains and over paths so bad that sometimes it is only with infinite difficulty that five miles a day are accomplished. Except it be to rush a stockade, seen, and fighting consists of march- precipitous path in Indian file picked off by enemy. What immediate Chin Hills it to foretell, hoped that will in due I down into law - abiding Her Majesty the Queen-Empress. TROOPS MARCHING UP THE FRONTIER. no enemies are ever ing along a and being an invisible may be the future of the is impossible but it is to be the Chins time settle peaceful and subjects of J. D. M. Haka, Chin Hills, June, i8q2. ',■ ^y H 5 :*.* %_ ** 3 -2 I H THE IMAGE OF WAR; OR, SERVICE ON THE CHIN HILLS. A CAMP IN THE HILLS — KLUNG-KLUNG COUNTRY. E WILL not weary the reader by detailed descriptions of the expeditions. To give a minute account of the various expeditions into these hills would not only be foreign to our purpose, but would be monotonous and uninteresting. Our object is not to weary the reader, but rather to entertain him by the few rambling notes we shall jot down, which will, we hope, help him to understand the pictures and to gather an idea of what service on these hills is like. IO The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. Oup Experiences are Common. Mr. Macnabb has various expeditions and the work they ed. The streams through, the ed, the khuds down, the food sickness that the odorous everywhere, the drenching rain ; sweltering heat in clothed valleys; all these told us briefly of the into these hills, have accomplish- w e waded hills we climb- w e slipped we ate, the laid us low, Chins we met freezing cold, the afterwards the the deep jungle- varied scenes of camp- TROOPS CROSSING A RIVER ON THE FRONTIER. SHELLING A HOSTILE VILLAGE — "LOADING. life, though wanting in the excitements of actual warfare but with all its discomforts, were common experiences of all the expeditions. The ex- perience of one is, therefore, the experience of all. " But," in the slightly altered words of a well-known writer, " let it not be imagined for a mo- ment that these inhospitable hills or the hard life had in the least suppressed the spirit of making the best of things, which is common to the Anglo-Saxon blood wherever found." z 5 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. ii Oup TfanspoPt. Owing to the moun try, the transport o mainly of Indian mented, as occa- by Chins. The can be obtained, beast of burden, home in these hills, of running up the pounds or more slung on their own food, thus sariat no trouble on that score SHELLING A HOSTILE VILLAGE — " FIRE ! : tainous nature of the coun- the columns consisted hill coolies, supple- sion required, Chin, when he is an excellent He is quite at and thinks nothing: ^^ steepest with eighty his back. They also carry giving the commis- In some of the expeditions, where mule-tracks had been previously made, mule transport to a limited ex- tent was employed in addition to the coolies. These coolie corps were enlisted in Darjeeling, and brought across specially for these operations. Each corps was in charge of a British officer. A surgeon was also attached to each. i-:» "■'■ SHELLING A HOSTILE VILLAGE — "JAMMED.' R Chat about the Coolies. These Gurkha and Bhcetia coolies were a cheery lot of little fellows. At first, coming through the terai, many were knocked over by illness, and about a hundred 12 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. CHIN COOLIES : RESTING AND FEEDING ON THE MARCH. were more or less hors de combat. But those who kept their health worked very well indeed, and, once we were well in the hills, the sickness among them greatly diminished. They were nailers at ferreting or pigs in deserted villages. They ah discovered the yam and sweet potato fields sooner than anyone else, with the exception of the Chin friendlies, whom they ran very close. On the march, too, they were always dis- covering edible roots of all kinds, which they dug up and munched as they went along. On arrival in camp, they deposited their loads, and then there was a rush to the site told off for them to secure the best spots. Then they raced off to the jungle, and with their handy kukries they cut down trees and branches, and in a very short time they had built themselves "lean-tos" and had commenced their culinary operations. They always appeared to be in the best of spirits. They seemed to look down upon the Chin, and thought I he had no right in the *©kly country at all. When | they first came into these 1 hills, they were provided ] by Government with a I complete outfit, from | boots to great-coats. On | the first few marches you * saw them lost in a heap of clothing and struggling along in loose ill-fitting boots. But gradually the things disappeared one by one. The boots were the first to go ; and by the end of the operations they did not turn out in a superabundance of clothing. ■■1 ■ GURKHA COOLIES : HOW THEY CARRY THEIR LOADS. o * 5; a s s The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 13 In camp they were very handy too. They brought in fire-wood or built us shelters or helped in constructing defences. Many of the Bhoetias attached themselves as cooks to the soldiers' messes on the chance of picking up scraps. They helped in slaughtering mythun and goats also on the chance of getting the remains. It was a curious sight to watch the long line of pigmies tramping up a hill with their loads. From time to time they halted in groups, resting their loads on sticks, or on conven- ient banks or rocks, to ease their backs ; and every time they did this, each man emitted a long shrill whistle of relief, by which you could tell in the densest forest when the coolies were in the neighbourhood. GURKHA COOI.IE CAMP : TELLING OFF COOLIES FOR DAY'S WORK. At first there was considerable difficulty in your coolie or your kit in camp. But subsequent- when they got to know the various sahibs and their regiments, and fell into the daily routine, there was no more trouble in this respect. Some- times, however, your coolie went sick on the march, and, perhaps, a relief had to be sent back from camp. This would delay your kit, and on one or two occasions some of us were kept without our bedding in this way till nearly midnight. There were always a number of spare coolies with GURKHA COOLIE CAMP : MEDICINE TIME. 14 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. the rear-guard to bring on the loads of men, who, from sickness or other causes, were unable to do so themselves. However, we had nothing to complain of on this head as, after the first few marches, our kits were usually first into camp. They had a certain amount of esprit de corps, too, in a small way, and when a comrade went sick on the march and could not get along, though they did not appeal to his patriotic feelings to induce him to make one final effort to reach camp — like the soldier who, to encourage his sick and weary comrade who had lain down on the road-side and refused to march any farther, entreated him to " make a heffort, Bill ! Old England knows what you're a-doin' of!" — yet they did their best to help the man along, often carrying him and his load too, in addition to their own, when no spare coolies were available, so that there might be no complaints against their corps. Oup Servants make us Senear I COOLIES CARRYING BAGGAGE OF COLUMN ACROSS A RIVER. Our servants, as a rule Although they had no carry up the hills, yet to arrive in camp the they came, there cup of hot tea or sion erected. It violent language, but R ehat about our No tents were the columns, except were they necessary, ence the men soon ON THE MARCH : COOLIES RESTING. gave us the most trouble, thing but themselves to they usually managed last of all ! And till was no getting a having your man- often made us use who could blame us ? tents and things. taken with any of for the hospital ; nor After a little experi- learned to run up very snug shelters of leaves covered with their waterproof sheets. Immediately on The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 15 arrival in camp the men set to work, and within an hour everyone was comfortably settled down in his own shelter. In work of this kind, and in clearing the jungle, &c, the men armed with ktikries had a great pull over were not so armed, vested in these knives, prices from the Every officer too self with one. It cellent thing if, description, all and Native, were kukries. their comrades in arms who ^ Many of the ?nen in- JBl buying them at high Gurkha coolies, had provided him- would be an ex- on service of this troops, British furnished with OFFICERS GIVING A HELPING HAND. Most of the officers had brought out miniature tents of many varieties. They were just high enough to crawl under, and they kept off the dew at night. They were very light, and came within the total of 40 lbs. of bag- gage allowed to had no tents waterproof pole and slept and a water- decent size excellent tent, the dew and is all that is work of this ARRIVAL OF COOLIES IN CAMI' WITH RATIONS. officer. Those who stretched their sheets over a under them — proof sheet of makes a very It keeps off rain, and that necessary in kind. Out* tents sometimes give trouble. Sometimes, however, a strong breeze would spring up at night and our miniature tents, if not securely pegged down, would topple over, and the muffled volley of language that escaped from below the folds of cloth was " quite i6 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. GARHWALLIS BUILDING SHELTERS. frightful to Jiear," as Truthful James would have remarked. Then crawling out into the cold, dark, shivery night, the irate ones would have to re-erect their fallen tents as best they might. For, as usually happens, to lay your hands on your match-box when you wanted it, would be about thing to occur ; and, when you did find it, to ^ a light in a gale of wind would be possible ; and to find your ser- Ja vant in the dark would be £>: equally hopeless — though you ;§ wished much to give him a rude awakening for his care- lessness in not securing your tent firmly. If you attempted to go in search of him you would either upset someone's tent or shelter, or fall over the khiid yourself, which would be far worse ; and you cannot shout lest you rouse and alarm the whole camp ; and so, fumbling j^^ in the dark and with much vexation of spirit, you at last succeed in re-erecting your abode, into which ^~*~^a*^ you once again crawl and turn into your blankets ; or, perchance, if your patience and temper are not up to W the strain, you drag your blankets out of vour tent WyF and lie on vour tent, vowing vengeance on your scoundrelly bov ! GUKKHA COOLIES BUILDING SHELTERS. We dilate on the Weathei*. During the months of November, December, and January the cold is intense on these hills, the temperature falling below freezing-point at night. The water WAITING FOR INSPIRATION ! WRITING UP THE DAY'S DIARY. Thacker, Spink & Co., Calcutta. The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 17 freezes in our basins, and the ground in the morning is found covered with hoar frost. Marching can be done the whole day. A strong wind usually prevails, and this makes the cold more keen and cutting. Breasting the stiff hills, one gets warmed up to a red heat ; but, when you reach the acclivities, the cold wind goes through you like a knife and makes you shiver to your bones. To keep oneself warm at night, there is nothing like having one's blankets sewn up into a bag. In March and April rain falls, and in the low-lying valleys the heat is very considerable about this time, and marching after 8 or 9 o'clock a.m. a terrible grind. The regular rains set in about May or June, and no operations are then possible. Out* Camp Furniture. Our baggage being on such a limited scale, such luxuries as chairs and tables did not encumber us. After the day's work is done, clad in our great- coats, we sit on the ground round the roaring camp-fire smoking our pipes and chatting till dinner is announced. DinneP«Time in Camp. The grunts and shouts of satisfaction with which this announcement is received testifies that everyone is fortified with that greatest of all blessings — a keen appetite. The meal is a frugal one, consisting mainly of bulli-beef and the omnipresent murgfit, done in various ways, chiefly stewed, boiled or curried — the limits of our chef 's repertoire. Sometimes these are supplemented with a few odds-and-ends we may have been able to bring up with us. Eggs, too, we usually have in abundance. Your own or your servant's bedding, rolled up into a bundle and deposited between your legs, provides the table on which you dine ; or if the commissariat can give you some empty deal cases, in which beef or biscuit tins are packed, they make excellent tables. The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. Oup Servants again. Our servants are a motley crew. There are representatives from the north, south, east and west of India, as well as from Burma, and even be- yond. They apparently do OUR SERVANTS. not give their ^ masters com- plete satisfac- tion, if one is to — judge by the language one hears on all sides, not only at dinner time, but also the last thing at night and the first thing in the morning : — " Are you not going to give me something to eat, you villain ? " " Why mayn't I have something to drink ? " " Blue blazes ! the cook has made this curry too hot ! " shouts someone, as he mops his perspiration-bedewed brow, and his eyes water and twinkle from the warmth of the curry. " No ! it's an excellent curry ! " shout others in derision ; " it's not a bit hot." " What have you done with the cold fowl and eggs, you rogue ? " " Done giving to dogs, master ! " " You incarnation of a liar ! " " You'll all have your pay cut. De'il a sou will any of you get this month." "You have drunk the rum, you scoundrel. I'll thrash you ! Get out of my sight ! " " I speak true word, master ; I no drink. Rum fall out on way." The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 19 Interrogations and exclamations of this sort vary the monotony of the dinner hour. The fusilade, however, falls harmlessly on our nowkers, who go on pretty much as usual, and know that master soon forgets his terrible threats of vengeance, and that the heavy fines so freely inflicted are never cut at the end of the month. One servant must have made his master very angry indeed one day, for we have a vivid recollection one freezing morning of seeing an apparition in pyjamas rush out of his tiny tent with bare feet, regardless of the cold, and, seizing with both hands the first thing he got hold of, which happened to be a large log, he bela- boured his nowker, and then, panting and out of breath, he dived back into his tent to recover his second wind. Post«pi*andial Enjoyments. Dinner is washed down with rum or whisky, if there is any, or with a hot cup of tea or cocoa. Then, with our pipes and nightcaps of something comforting in our mugs, we sit or lie round the blazing fire talking over the events of the day or relating our mutual experiences, our raconteurs shining on such occasions. Some of the circle sometimes burst into melody ; but this was, I confess, not often — we appeared to be an unmusical lot ; or we often arranged the outline of the annual Chin dinner we decided to institute in London, in which roast pork and bulli-beef would largely figure, and the chief drink would be "Yu" the details being left for future consideration ; and so, Alnaschar-like, we built many castles in the air, which the last post-bugle usually shattered, as it told us it was time for bed. Many were the stories, veracious and otherwise, that enlivened our camp-fires. We learnt how the Chin ladies helped in making gunpowder ; how a gallant officer, mistaking the hooting of monkeys for the war-cry of the Chins, rapidly got his guns into action ; and how, many years ago, an Englishman who had been captured from Burma, had been walked through Chin-land, with certain duties to perforin. These and many others we heard, but they will not bear repeating here. Our post-prandial gathering round the camp-fire was always an enjoyable time. The wine, it is true, did not flow, because we had none, and the rum and whisky were limited ; but we hoped for better things, and for the time were 20 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. content : and we know that a contented mind is a continual feast — or at least they tell us so. The Junior does Stoke**. To the junior officer stoking the fire. Some- fire, as deriving the most upon to do this in this you are nearest the fire going out — lots of wood!" tantly got up and stoked, ing oneself after a time One constantly heard lots of whisky — lots of " Bov ! lots of fowls j very hungry — lots of IN CAMP : A DOG FIGHT. sent usually fell the duty of times the one nearest the benefit from it, was called fashion : — " Sawbones, — very cold night — fire Then Sawbones reluc- This method of express- became quite popular, orders like this: — "Boy! mugs — we are very dry ! ' ' — lots of eggs — we are stew — lots of omelettes!" R fiightmape. On one occasion we had been discussing the possiblity of a night-attack. This, with some ^^^fl felted heavy pastry our cook had inveigled us eating, had so affected one young officer that, in the middle of the night, he gave us all a start by jumping out of his bed and with quivering frame and out- stretched arms shouting out : — " The Chins are upon us ! Here they are at last!! Look out!!!" B^ It was only a nightmare. IN CAMP : OFFICERS PATCHING DAMAGED CLOTHING^ X f. The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills Jioca cue had a night^seare. We were not often troubled by night-alarms. A Chin hates going about in the dark, he is too afraid of his Nats ; so they have never made attacks by night. On one occasion only was there a nigh scare ; but we found over-indul- gence in " Yu " or Chin beer was the cause of it all. The Political Officer, who, with an escort was sleeping in the village near which camped, sent camp at mid- the people of his friend lies state of excite- momentarily to be ^ neigbouring hostile and bitterly cold night, but had to jump out of his and warn EAKFAST BEFORE THE START. of sepoys and his friendlies, Chief's house in a the troops were down to the night to say that the village and were in a great ment, expecting attacked by a village. It was a dark the hard-worked Staff Officer blankets, rush up the hills, all the guards and pickets to be on the alert. SADDLING-UP FOR THE MARCH. night, however, passed away quietly enough and nothing happened ; and it transpired in the morning, much to the disgust of our worthy Staif Officer, that the whole village had been having a big drink, and the scare had been evolved out of their Fw-besotted imaginations ! GETTING READY FOR THE MARCH. 22 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. servants MHfck Undressing foip Bed. It was very unpleasant tearing ourselves away from the genial glow of the fire. Most of us dreaded changing into our night things in our cold tents, so our brought the things to the fire and warmed them. When it was time for bed, we changed into them, and then made a rush for our tents and tumbled into our blankets, where we often shivered through the night, if our tents let in the cold • blast — as they often did, if one had not taken the precaution of piling up leaves and grass all *' * ,; " > ..- round them or throwing up a THE 8TH BENGAL MOUNTAIN BATTERY HALTED ABOVE FALAM. 11 i 1 ^11 small embankment or earthwork, as one officer was very expert in doing. Shocus hocu some People eannot Sleep. A hard day's work, as a rule, produces a good night's sleep ; but there are some funny people who cannot sleep after a certain hour in the morning. One such always shout- ed for his servant at an early hour, the moment he awoke. This call, regularly piercing KINGS ROYAL RIFLES READY FOR THE MARCH. w r z 8 o ^ 5 1 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 23 the morning air, was as good as the bugler's "rouse." Most of us found it so, and thought the bugle-call later on quite superfluous. Another sleepless warrior we had too. He usually awoke with the lark, or earlier, and in the intervals of shouting and swearing at his boy for being late with his early tea and " chupatties" he treated us to snatches of melody in various keys. LUe have a Pestilenee of Dogs. Dogs we abundance, between our legs and when you tent at night, found a few of dogs snugly en- your blankets. houk them out a moment ; but be put off in that night you would them in your perhaps they and, as soon as they would again on you ; and all would dream like another carrying the some part of A HALT : OFFICERS HAVING BREAKFAST. had with us in They usually got on the march ; reached your you usually your friends' sconced within To swear at and was the work of they were not to way, for next be sure to find tent again, or would growbold, you fell asleep, crawl in and lie night long you that somehow, Atlas, you were Chin Hills on your body, though you could not tell which ; and in the morning you would wake up to find that you had not been troubled with a nightmare, as you thought, from indulging too freely in those thick slices of frozen bulli-beef and rum, but that it was those 2 4 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. infernal dogs of your friends. Sometimes they fought and barked at night, as is their wont, and caused general irritation, but it was too _w , fc cold for anvone to rush after them with j sticks. We could only throw boots or other handy missiles at them, but they kept well out of reach as a rule. ON THE MARCH : FIVE MINCTES HALT AT A STREAM TO DRINK. The Dog Snores. One officer had a huge dog, which shared his tent with him. At night loud sounds, like strong, healthy human snoring, always proceeded from that tent ; but the occupant always would have it that it was the dog that made the noise. But "we had our doubts," as the Chin Chiefs remarked, when we told them that we had come into their country solely for their own good. R noetut»nal JVIule gives trouble. Sometimes a mule loose from his tethering come strolling around, knocking up against our tents, or, perhaps, up- setting a few, and causing great excitement among our canine friends. And till that rampaging beast was captured and tethered again there was no peace for us ; for you never knew when he might FIVE MINUTES HALT AFTER A STIFF CLIMB. ''s^'^HHH If >.«J • 5=< w V •# -^ j^ w" ' 1 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 25 not come charging up against your tent and putting his gentle foot down on some tender part of your body. Ouf Servants become noisy. ervants are a most garrulous lot, especially the old ones. They would sit up around the after their masters had retired, and suck and away at their hubble-bubbles, and talk and talk between whiles, till some irate sahib, who could stand it no longer, would shout and swear at them ; and then, with a pious exclamation regarding the irritability of the sahib, they would roll themselves in their blankets and tumble off to sleep. ADVANCE GUARD HALTED TO LET REST OF COLUMN CLOSE-UP BEFORE ENTERING VILLAGE. The Dhoolie-beafef begins to eough. When these, at last, became silent, the dhoolie-bearers would begin wheezing and coughing — and / . they beat anyone at this. They appeared always to wait quiet, and began. If a very bad a long wheeze, it sure to a kahar. to lay him- prolonged and he cess by till everything had become perfectly then they you heard whine, and drawn - out was pretty come from He seems self out for a good fit when he begins, helps on the pro- sucking deeply of A HALT : KING S ROYAL RIFLES AND FRIENDLIES. 26 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. THE BHISTI ON HIS ROUNDS. his hubble-bubble. It is a fine art with these people ; a cough and a wheeze that rise in intensity gradually, and, when the climax of enjoyment is reached, the paroxysm ends with a long-drawn sigh of u Ram ! Ram/" So we always kept people of such peculiar long way off, if possible. But often, on ac of the limited space, we were all crowded gether, and then the wheezy followers' enjoyment would be cut short at intervals by the stentorian " chuprao ! you sir-r ! " from the sahibs neighbouring tents. The Coolies are JVIusieal. The Gurkha coolies woke about one or two o'clock in the morning, and began cooking their food at that early hour. They could not sleep for the cold, and no doubt preferred sitting round the fire. Some would often break out into song, accompanied by a monotonous drubbing on a drum which they always carried about with them. But these early concerts were appar- ently not appreciated by the sahibs, for a shout would presently come from one tent for the u budmashes to chuprao!" The coolies would wait a minute or two, and resume their music when they thought the sahibs king's royal rifles cooking their dinners. had £TOne off to sleeD again. But again would come the "chuprao! you b s!" from several tents, The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 27 and the poor musically-inclined coolies would have to desist, wondering why the sahibs should be so irritable and unappreciative of early morning song. Oar Servants get Tipsy Our servants, sometimes from too free gence in their masters' rum or whisky bottles, became tipsy ; and though it was annoying enough to the man whose spirits had disappeared, it very often afforded us much amusement. One servant argued that he did not drink his master's rum, but some other sahib 's, and he therefore thought his own master ought not to grumble in return for this considerate con- duct of his ! indul- SEPOVS COOKING. Our servants were also particular in the company they kept. They had their own sets, and when one set succeeded in stealing or eating or drinking more than another set, there was a row, in which we were often called upon to interfere. We Renounce Shaving. Shaving on the inarch being too much of a grind, especially as you could never hot water when you wanted it and your razor refused to keep sharp, it was not generally practised. Most of us, however, in our scrubby beards, looked terrible guys ; some were positively awful ! One ener- getic officer, however, was not to be denied his morning shave. There you saw him regularly sitting before his tent, with a rug wrapped round him, shivering in the freezing cold and scraping away at his chin with the greatest IN CAMP: SEPOYS AND COOLIES BATHING. 28 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. enjoyment. It must have been a blunt razor too, for the grating it produced could be heard in all our tents. IXXz Clip out* Jiaitf. Hair-brushing, too, was a superfluous luxury, so most of us had our heads down to the skin with mule shears. It did improve our appearance, but, on the con- trary, we looked remarkably like a batch of released convicts. How- ever, it was comfortable, though decidedly cold at night. One officer revelled in the delights of a nightcap, and he did not mind ; but the rest of us, who had come unpre- pared for this contingency, had to sleep in our forage-caps. If clippers were not available, the company-barber (either European or native) performed IN CAMP : WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO EAT. streams, had on us with equal success. We abandon Tubbing — Shoeking I Our bathing arrangements were primitive, and generally done in our basin or pony-buckets. At first we tried bathing in the but this was always followed by fever, and we to give it up. With the intense cold and other drawbacks, no one rose to regular tubbing. It could not be done at any price ; and u when you cannot do what you will, you must do what you can;" that is, we did without it, like our friends the Chins, except IN CAMP : POLITICAL OFFICER HAVING FRIENDLY CHAT WITH HIS FRIENDLIES. The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 29 when we halted at a place for a day or two and were able to rig up a bathing- place. Ouf I^it becomes ragged. With our 40 lbs. of kit, it was not much in the way of clothing one could carrv about. Hard wear kit to a ragged con usual, after the day's we lay about under J someone e n - ing his tattered manner that done credit to establishment, was a halt, our general washing STAFF OFFICER PAYING CHIN COOI soon reduced our scanty tion. It was not un- work was done and the trees, to see gaged in patch- garments in a would have any tailoring When there servants had a up, which usually ged belongings reduced our rag- to a further state of raggedness. Oup Soots. With the hard marching, our boots soon came to grief— much sooner than we had bargained for shoe - leather f e r r e d clothed Many of us were reduced to investing in from followers who pre- climbing hills with un- feet. A collection of our boots, at the end of the operations, would have been a curious sight. Ouf " tout ensemble." And so, clothed in torn, toil-stained garments, with unkempt scrubby beards and convict-cropped heads, with your pedal extremities in shreds of boots, and [ET CHAT BEFORE DINNEI 3Q The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. your manly legs enveloped in frayed putties, even your most familiar friends would have failed to recognise vou. O J Our JVIai*ehes. Owing to the dark, damp, misty mornings the day's march rarely began before 7 or 8 o'clock. Everything ^^^^ ^^^ was packed and ready for the start a quarter of an hour one had partaken of a sub- march began ; but the owing to the many ranges climbed and the bad frequent halts to enable the paths practicable for mules. In many places zig-zagged all the way fallen trees had to be entailed much hard and evervone. Even to 1N CAMP: discussing the political situation. or so previously, and every - stantial meal. Then the progress was slow, of hills that had to be paths. There were the Pioneers to make the transport or the gun- a new path had to be up a steep hill, or huge cleared away. All this continuous work on those who had nothing to do on such occasions, the long halts, cramped up as everyone was on narrow ere very wearying and fatigu- The mules fall docun the " khuds." In spite of every pre- caution many mules, especially the battery animals, fell over the khudSy and some were } killed outright or were so badly damaged that they had to be shot. Many had wonderful escapes. INTELLIGENCE officers at work. Z $ < & -1 ° ►J « is 5 « The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 3i When we got into the bad hilly country, these accidents were constantly happening — that is, falling down the khuds. Some obstinate mules, like Old Father William, "did it again and again." But by constant practice some had become so expert, that they managed to pick themselves up in some very hairy places in a most astonishing manner, without sustaining the least damage. One animal we saw drop down 40 feet on to a mass of rocks. We thought he was killed ; but presently he got up and shook himself, and, when he was brought up to the path again, he was found to have been hurt in no way. CQule Stofies. Talking of mules, our artillery officer often told us curious stories about them — all quite true, of course. "Once," he said, "we were out for a the mules suddenly fast in a bit of a pulled and tug- devil an inch moved. At on ropes and battery on to an hour's hard suddenly shot with a loud ole- smack ; and on place to ascer- WAITING FOR THE ORDERS OK THE DAY. route-march. One of got stuck hard and morass. We ged at him, but could he be last we lashed put the whole him, and after work the mule out of the mud aginous sort of examining the tain how the beast had become stuck so firmly, a leech was found at the bottom of the mud, and he had been holding on to the mule all the time ! " " On another occasion the mules were out grazing, and one suddenly disappeared in a deep swampy pool. To give the alarm and obtain assistance to pull the animal out occupied an hour or so. When the rescue party arrived, they could see the animal several feet below the water, at the bottom of the pool, fast in the mud up to his chest. They thought he must be dead ; but no, he was not ! Not to waste his time, however, he was quietly nibbling away at the weeds and things that grew around him 32 The Image of War; or, .Service on the Chin Hills. at the bottom of the pool. When he heard the footfalls of his rescuers, he simply raised his head and moved his ears backwards and forwards, but showed no other emotion, and so he waited quietly till his deliverers were able to haul him out. This story beautifully illustrates the patient spirit of the mule under adversity!" Every one scription in he munched along or ate the many curred. If, long halt had been made, twenty min- an-hour was lowed be- 12 o'clock. Refreshments on the fiflareh. carried cooked food of some kind or de- ; . his haversack. This as he went tm ^ during some of halts that oc- however, no previously one for utes or half- usual ly al- tween 1 1 and A CAMI' PICKET. The Best LUay to Climb a fiill. Most of the officers had ponies, and it is certainly much nicer getting up a hill on a pony's back, if it can be done, than on one's own pins. However, there were many places where this could not be done. The next best thing was to hang on to your pony's tail. It might not have been a dignified way of climbing a hill, but it helped you to keep your wind, and, when you reached the top of the hill, you could talk, while the others around you gasped for breath and, for the life of them, could not utter a word. flffival in Camp. The camp was usually reached in the afternoon. All of us were then very busy with our various duties ; some telling off sites, others looking after their men, or posting the usual sentries and pickets, or issuing the orders for the day. O <5 s s ■^■■■■la^ni^H iMm^ui s 1 2 to The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 33 These and many other details of camp life keep us all engaged for some time. The Political Officer is busy receiving deputations of Chins ; and then, the safety and cleanliness of the camp gradually settle down trooping in an hour up by the rear- wood is gather- camp-fires are presently our us hot cups of which, under the indeed grateful and being duly provided for, we The coolies come or so later, brought guard. The ed and the lighted, and servants bring tea or cocoa, circumstances, are comforting. ON THE MARCH : SICK OFFICER RESTING. The *^eaF«guai*dhas a Bad Time of it. On a few occasions when the marches were long and the paths very bad, and there were many weary hills to climb and water was scarce, the rear-guard and coolies did not reach camp till long past midnight. Some of the dhoolie-bearers would fall down the kluid in the dark, or some of the coolies would get lost and would be brought in days after by friendly Chins, or a few sepoys would miss the way in the darkness and fall asleep in the jungle. Relief parties with light- ed pine -wood torches would have to be sent out to light the belated ones into camp. On such occasions the offi- cer commanding the rear-guard had a very unpleasant time of it. Indeed, after the first THE FIELD HOSPITAL : THE MEDICAL OFFICER S VISIT. 34 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. experience, he always provided himself with candles, food, blankets, and a flask full of whisky or rum, to be prepared for all contingencies. Experiences such as these, however, were happily not the rule. The rear-guard usually arrived in camp in good time. The "dhoolies" and "Kahafs." When first advancing into the hills we had, cessity, to camp in the deadly valleys at the foot of the hills, and here the troops and followers con- tracted much sickness. Men were constantly fall- ing out on the march and had to be carried in the latter were heavy cumbrous as a matter of much difficulty carrying : **P them up the steep hills with narrow paths that took sharp *w.wflaL. bends round precipices and slippery spurs. This BRINGING SICK ACROSS A RIVER. made the progress very slow. The bearers, themselves a feeble lot, went sick in large numbers, and added to the difficulties. When there is any hard work to be done the kahar always breaks down. His favourite expression, when request him to " chulo " and not delay the column, is, "I am dying!" Whenever you meet a party of kahars, they whine this dirge at you — "We are all dying." But it becomes monotonous, and not only fails to rouse the pity in your bosom it is in- tended to excite, but it CAMP OF THE DHOOI.IE-HEAREKS. &&*!*. i o H o The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 35 absolutely makes one very angry after a time. On arrival in camp the dying ones are as noisy as jackdaws, and snarl and wrangle over their ghee and lotas, and other equally important matters. Out* Jungle Camp. Sometimes we had to camp in damp, dark, dense jungles, where the air was stagnant and heavy, and where we had to cut down the trees to let in the light and air. Some of the camps were very bad ; but there was no help for it. We could not go to the top of the mountain, away from the water, neither could we camp up the hill-side — usually as steep as a church-steeple ; so we had to keep to the streams below. Once well into the hills, the camps were on good sites — chiefly on the hill-slopes, near villages. The Boungshay Country. In the Boungshay country the valleys are very narrow, and covered for the most part with dense jungle. The mountains rise to great heights. One range the troops went over was above 9,000 feet. Pine forests are not plentiful. The summits of the higher ranges are a mountain camp— boungshay countrv. covered with dense oak- VIEW IN THE BOUNGSHAY COUNTRY. 3& The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. '44 I CAMP NEAR SHUKKWA. forests, from whose sombre branches hang in plenty long trailing lichen, and orchids are seen in great profusion. Generally above 4,000 feet red rhododendrons cover the hill sides. The villages are few and far- between. The paths are chiefly goat-tracks, jj and go straight up or I down the hills. There I is, no doubt, abun- I dance of game in the | country. The Chiefs are all mighty hunters, and we found their houses museums of shikar trophies. The Chiefs have large herds of mythun, which are usually allowed to roam the jungles. We also came across numbers ^f water-buffalo. They also have the ordinary cattle ; >ut this is the result of their raids into Burma. .In many of these southern villages there were large numbers of white hill-goats. Occasion- ally the Chins paid goats and mythun as tribute. This provided us with fresh meat for many days. Fowls and eggs were also plentiful, and paid in as tribute. The nominal tribute they had to pay was one rupee for each Jiouse. In most of the villages we were able to get oranges and plaintains. Vegetables were scarce — the only vegetable universally grown seems to be a variety of bean. In some laces yams and sweet potatoes and pump- kins were also grown. Millet and Indian a camp in the boungshay country. corn is the staple diet of the Chin. Pigs The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 37 and pariah dogs abounded. Chins do not eat their dogs, as was at one time erroneously supposed ; but the pig is a tit-bit reserved for all festive and state occasions. l^luncj-I^lung Country. TASHON COLUMN ENCAMPED AT FALAM. In the Klung-Klung country the valleys are broader and the hills not so high, but there is little undergrowth jungle, and the whole country abounds in beautiful pine forest, the air one breathes everywhere being delightfully fragrant and fresh. Tashon Country. Towards the north, in the Tashon country, the hills are very densely populated, and nearly the whole of the hill-sides have been cleared for cul- i^tew tivation. One meets with very little ^ fefc jungle anywhere, and so it is farther north. There are mighty hunters in the Klung-Klung country too, but owing to the clearing of the jungles and the densely populated valleys in the Tashon country, it is devoid of game, and the people are not great shikaris but great agriculturists. The Country is Difficult. the htite vak valley, up which the Sometimes the country to be visited was BOUNGSHAY COLUMN ADVANCED. J 3« The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. so difficult, that the guns and all animals had to be left behind at the base, and only the troops made the ex climbing occasions rible ; of- a case of on b v lids," as gant ex- goes. One back the Dawn in the Klung try will never be those who had to about the worse THE GREAT SOUTHERN BEND OF THE " BOINU " (CHIEFTAIN'S BRIDE) ROUND THE " BOIPA " MOUNTAIN (THE CHIEFTAIN). with coolies pedition.The on such was ter- ten it was " holding your eye- the de- pression razor- ridge on Mountain Klung coun- forgotten by climb it. It is bit of mountain- path in the whole of the Chin Hills, and that is saying a good deal. On each side of this steep craggy ridge is a precipice of 3,000 or 4,000 feet, to look down which made one feel fe^ quite dizzy. The Chins call this break- \ neck spot, "The place where the ^k dog fell down." It is the sort of place Rider Haggard might have conceived, and up which some of his bloodthirsty heroes might have had to climb in search of hidden treasure r on some other bold adven- ■..fin. ture. OUR FIRST VIEW OF THE BOINU RIVER BELOW SHURKWA VILLAGE. We I^eeeive LUaflike l^epofts. The reports at first ,9*tf .■• z i The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 39 received were always of a more or less warlike nature, and were generally to the tune that the more distant villages would strenuously resist the advance of troops into their country. But event ually peaceful councils prevailed everywhere and the troops were received in all directions in a friendly spirit. On one occasion only did we find that they had pan/'gie-d. or spiked a place with THE highest i>oint reached by the boungshav column, over 9,000 feet. sharp bamboos. We were, however, warned of this, and the only creature that suffered was an obstinate old mule who persisted in wandering off the path, and one of his feet was run through by a panjgie for his trouble. When a good Samaritan of a Tom- my did the animal a good turn by pulling I out the spike, the ungrateful beast re- paid his kindness by kicking him in the stomach. But, to be sure, there are others besides mules who I ! I display this virtue. There was, for in- stance, the Chin whom I we treated with rum entrance to southern boungshav village. and other delicacies, 40 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. and who, before leaving camp, quietly walked off with one of our kukries. There too was the sahib, who, having no matches himself, borrowed a box from his syce on the march, and then swore at the man because the matches would not light. UUe at»e met by the Chiefs. The Chiefs and g principal men of ENTKANVI ISHON VILLAGE. the village the troops were marching for, always came out several miles with presents of fowls, eggs, oranges, and gourds full of Yu, to meet the column. Having given in their submission, they conducted the troops to their vil- lage, near which the camp would be pit- ched. Later on the Chiefs would come in and pay their tribute, and discuss matters with the Politicaia£)fficer. ENTRANCE TO A YAHOW VILLAGE. The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 4i Chiefs come in to submit. If we halted a of surrounding had not been from vari- would come strings of carrying the sents and submission : they would ! and inspect mH| seen in the The Chin j consider ] time f o r some camps strings tions kept coining long, and some- Often they turned hours of the morn- round the Political would shout, which being inter- Father! O Father!" keep on shouting gave them an au- use swearing at not understand that, you the louder. If Chin, and he want- the Political Offi- A' CHIN GRAVEYARD. day or two, the Chiefs villages that we able to visit ous causes, in with their f ol lowers usual pre- give in their and then go round I the wonders to be I strangers' camp. I evidently does not that " there is a everything." In of these deputa- and going all day times at night, up in the small ing, and sitting Officer's tent, they "Kapa! KapaT preted means, " O And they would till the "Father" dience. It was no them. They did and only "Kapa-&" an idea struck a ed to impart it to cer, he came to A CLUMP OF BAMBOOS AT AN ALTITUDE OF 6,000 FT. AT ENTRANCE TO A CHIN VILLAGE. 4 2 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. him at once, no matter what the hour might be : midnight suited him just as well as dawn or mid-day. On one occasion we verandah of a Chin the wind out waterproof the front of dah. About we were all startled by " Kapa ! in long drawn- tural tones. We sat R midnight Visit. were all asleep in the house. To keep we had tied a sheet across the veran- midnight suddenly the familiar K a p a / ' l^out gut- up in our peering over the beds, and there lunnoo, the southernmost village visited by the BOUNGSHAY COLUMN. waterproof sheet at us were a number of hideous Chin faces, with dishevelled hair, lit up by flaming pine-torches. They grinned at us and seemed to enjoy the situation. They were a deputation from a neighbouring village that had come in to submit. Owing to these little peculiarities of the Chin, we had to erect our tents well away from the Political Offi- cer's ; otherwise we were never certain of our night's repose. Holu me drank Yu at a Chief's house. Perhaps a Chief would invite us to drink a friendly cup of Yu kAWYWA, THE MOST WESTERLY CHIN VILLAGE VISITED. ^ h[s fo^ Wq remember One occasion of this kind. When the camp-fires were burning merrily all round and The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 43 throwing a cheerful glow on the groups round each, the Chief of the village came and invited us to his mansion. It was a cold night and some preferred the warmth of the fire «fc^ %. and their post-prandial pipes and mugs of rum. A few of the hardier ones, however, went. The Chins formed a circle round a huge Yu jar, and the liquor had to be sucked out of the jar through a reed in the orthodox Chin fashion, the quantity each guest had to drink being marked by a piece of stick. Each guest had to suck away till the liquid reached a certain level. To the Chin " this was nothing new," as the mule said GOATS BROUGHT IN AS Tl HEAD-QUARTER CAMP AT MUNLIPI (KLUNG-KLUNG). when it fell down the khud for the twentieth time. But it was a strain on the 44 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. " Boipas" (Chin for sahibs), and some felt the effects of that mild debauch next day and the day after that. A MVTHUN l'AIP IN AS TRIBUTE. m&M Yu and its virtues. This Yu, or Chin beer, varies in quality immensely. No two brews are alike. The iquor first drawn off is naturally much stronger than the subsequent liquid ; for, as the beer sinks in the jar as it is drawn [ off through the reed, more and more water is added. This beer, when good, is not unlike inferior cider ; at any rate it is refreshing and acceptable when you have nothing better to drink, . especially after a long, weary, dusty march over many hills. After a time all of us took kindly to Yu, and, whenever a Chin deputation came in, the Yu A STIFF CLIMB. The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 45 gourds were always in great request. It is intoxicating stuff too, if you imbibe too much of it, as some of us know from experience ; and it is capable of giving you a head that you will remember ^# for many a day. This is complaint not unknown even among the most veteran Chin topers. They fre- quently came to our camp for medicine to cure their heads — but they put it down to fever ! Strange how we all — savage and civilized alike- try to find plausible excuses for our little failings. VILLAGE OF KLUNG-KLUNG — CAPITAL OF THE TK11SE OF THE SAME NAME. l^ainy cueathei* experiences. When the weather was threatening or rainy, we usually occupied a portion M of the - '' ilwhouses in a village, the owners doubling up with the ^k ^£>*, others. The houses, however, required a )d deal of cleaning up before they were habitable. A Chin house is usually chock-full of rubbish of all kinds, chiefly huge wicker-baskets. Then a plank or two have to be taken out of the sides to let in the light and air : for there are no windows in a Chin house, which is per- fectly dark inside. The VILLAGE OF MUNLIP1 (KLUNG-KU'NG). roQ f anc J W ^\\ S are black 46 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. with cobwebs and to the general inside of a is not a place, is lively for it swarm s min of all pigs and my the house. The the fowls and dogs with the humans. smoke and add gloom. The Chin house c h e erful though it enough, usually with ver- *W sorts. The ^ thun live under little piggies and share the house THE TAO GAP; OK THE PASS BETWEEN CHIN AND LUSHAIEAND THROUGH WHICH THE ROAD PASSES. The Baby cfies. The verandah is the best part of the house and we usually slept in it, leaving THE TAO MOUNTAIN. the family undisturbed in the rest of the house. But they had not the same consideration for us ; for about two or three o'clock in the morning the baby The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 47 would begin to cry, babies, and the would try to ing what was Chin lullaby, what sound- a dismal certainly put sleep, what- might have had as is the wont of Chin mamma quiet it by sing- meant for a no doubt, but ed to us like croaking and an end to our ever effect it on the baby. in his house. We visit a Chief The Political Offi- mH cer usually visits every Chief in his house, '^^^^m^^^^ accompanied by one or two officers, with a A ■> HOOM - OR CHIN CIEAK!NG FOK cultivation. sma u escort of sepoys and a party of friendlies. Let me picture such a scene. On entering the house the party is followed by a crowd of odor- ous Chins, who troop in from the neighbouring houses, some smoking strong smelling rank to- bacco in long bam- boo pipes. A Chin house usually con- tains three large rooms. The first is sort of sitting-room, open in front, where guests are received. The walls of this room are usually decorated with trophies THE BLUE MOUNTAIN. 48 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. of the hunt and of raids, which A CHIN HKIDGE drink Yu. The ground the pigs and cattle are thick black mire, and often not much bet- a this the Chins are In the front yard the raid-trophies erects when he cessful foray. A looked upon as a in war. They the V.C.'s of our trophies consist board which is fix- driven into the boos are attached to drooping ends of the rudely shaped emblems The second is the sleeping-room, in one corner of there is a large fire-place round which inmates sleep : and the third is apartment where all the cooking &i is done, and where the family *4 generally lives. These rooms open into one another by round holes with a kind of sliding-door to close each. To enter the front room you have to ascend a raised platform which occupies the whole of one side of the enclosed yard in front of every house. On this raised platform or balcony the family sit during the day to talk, work, sleep, or beneath the house, where kept, is churned into the yard in front is ter. In spite of all a very healthy race. you will observe { that every Chin has made a suc- raid trophy is badge of prowess correspond to army. These of a rudely carved ed to some uprights ground. Long bam- the posts, and from the bamboos are suspended of birds and reptiles and ,&. m U$r- fer ss WITH THE ADVANCE-GUARD: " DHSHMEN HAI, SAHIB ! " z o h p- w D - « I o ° 6 i The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 49 other strange things. When the wind sweeps up the mountain-side, the bamboos sway about and these wooden devices strike against one another, and at night they sound like the rattling of d as if they were coming to life again to cry out for vengeance against their murderers. But we have wandered from our visit to the Chief. Let us go back to the house. In the front or recep- tion-room is a raised sort of dais in every big house, run- ning across the whole breadtl of the house. On this the guests '*>Vi usually sit and talk. We enter and sit down on this. Mats or mythun skins are spread for our feet. The Chief and other headmen of the village squat round mm* A STIFF DESCENT. us, and the rest of the they his jtSk crowd deposit themselves wherever it can find room. The Chief or wife, the latter smoking the usual pipe, now comes | forward with a gourd of || Yu and a drinking vessel of lacquer, and the liquor is poured out and handed to the "Boipas" or sahibs, who, to show that there is no ill-feeling, must drink the proffered cup. Even if you dislike the stuff, you must drink it, and look pleased, and say, " Atah !" which means "excellent." A Chin thinks you a poor creature indeed, if you can't appreciate the qualities of his Yu. Then the usual CHIN DEPUTATION WAITING TO RECEIVE COLUMN. 5° The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. presents of fowls, eggs, plantains and cane are produced. Having drunk and eaten a plantain or two, the talking begins. This is accom- panied by much gesticulation and shouting. They are a very excitable lot and GALLERY OF CHIN BEA suck in the liquor through the reed, each pint or so. The liquor is very gradually and deliberately swallowed. It is rol- #M led about in the mouth and then allowed to trickle 4P*8P^ down the throat, so as to §^^S% give the drinker the full ^^ r< ON THE MARCH: RECEIVING THE SUBMISSION OF A VILLAGE. cannot speak without jactitation, The Yu cups circulate freely among the crowd, who to save time suck in the liquor from the gourds. If a Yu jar is on tap, which is usually the case, the Chins take it by turns to sit by it and drinking a benefit and bouquet of the is usually It- liquor. Yu prepared from fermented Indian corn and millet or other grain. RECEIVING A CHIN DEPUTATION ON THE MARCH. HP VJ i, \ » iR35aa ** < 3B ls^ ' I • sK , •■■'w 1 3 I 8 H The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 5i A Chin takes the keenest interest in every instrument of war. The edges of our swords are examined to see if they are sharp. He gives a little sniff of POLITICAL OFFICER RECEIVING SUBMISSION OF TASHON CHIEFS ON THE MARCH. contempt, if he finds they are not as keen as razors. Their own dahs and daggers are always kept beautifully sharp. Fire-arms are what always fetch the Chins. Their eager admiring looks, are produced, indicate , a good deal to be the themselves. Taking or shooting out the / as a play to a Chin exclamations of tonishment are ness. The wo- from behind the chinks in the doubt, believe *\m' A* LITTLE CHIN GIRLS WATCHING ARRIVAL OF TROOPS when our revolvers that they would give W possessors of such weapons a shot-gun or revolver to pieces, cartridges, is as good audience. Their wonder and as- amusing to wit- men - folk peep door or through boards, and, no that the white ■v »^ strangers are performing some fearful feats of magic. The men are always keen to see some shots fired. We give them an exhibition, but not always with success. 52 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. However, to smash an egg with a shot-gun at fifty feet is a performance which raises you tremendously in the estimation of a Chin ! Our field-glasses of their admiration, the magnifying / through the op- duces ludicrous and causing fire glasses is also a astonishment, have to exhibit to the besieging crowd talking then goes on, house produces a flask THE BELLE OF THE VILLAGE. come in for a share Looking through end and then posite end pro- bewilderment ; by magnifying source of endless " These wonders we each one in turn till is satisfied. More and the lady of the of choice tobacco- juice, decanted from her own pipe-bowl, which she politely offers us. Our interpreter tells her we smok drink the juice, although tered at the compliment us in offer- elixir. This pared by the household in Every wo- smokes a lower end of chamber con- into which and liquid bowl percol- A FRIENDLY CHAT WITH CHINS. but never highly flat- she has paid ing us the liquid is pre- women of the their pipes, man and girl pipe, at the which is a taining water, the nicotine from the pipe ate. When the solution is of sufficient strength, it is decanted into little gourds. This liquid is largely consumed by Chins. They are always taking nips from these flasks, The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 53 nearly every Chin carrying a supply of the nauseous-looking stuff. Why they are not poisoned by it marches and on all these tobacco- jA just as much tion as the The Chin therefore, boonest of pan ions, as great virtues, the capacity for con much liquor and is a mystery. On long festive occasions, bottles are in requisi- Yu jars. ought, to be the boon com- those two namely, suming THE POLITICAL OFFICER RECEIVING A DEPUTATION OF CHINS IN CAMP. 1T1 11 C h tobacco, he possesses in the highest degree ! When we have declined the proffered honour, the tobacco-juice is passed round to the elders in the crowd ; everyone takes a sip, and the bottle is handed back to the lady. By this time the Political Officer has managed to make the Chief understand what he wants done. Our business end- ed, we rise up and, cautiously picking our way over the creaking and rickety boards of the balcony, we leave the house and return to rHE POLITICAL OFFICER camp, and so ends our visit. 54 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. Captives refuse to be released. In releasing Burmese among the difficulties this curious one — fused to be re- were chiefly who had been from Burma young. They grown up as knew no Ian- Chin, and had upon the Chins people. Such cap- and scratched and also swore, when the Poli OBTAINING INFORMATION. captives from the Chins, that cropped up was the captives re- t leased ! These girls and boys, carried away when very had thus Chins and guage but come to look as their own tives kicked and bit cried, and no doubt tical Officer attempted to to their fond parents. Such release them and give them is human nature ! Sometimes the Chiefs had to be put in the Quarter-Guard and kept there, till the villagers produced the cap- ^m £&£«- ,Jk tives demanded. R funeral party dis- turbed. In one of the columns a funeral-party was per- forming the last rites for a dead comrade, when the Chins, objecting to • of their fields being burial-ground, hurled of stones at the burial-party. They were, however, soon put to flight, and the interment completed without further interference. The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 55 l^euus spread rapidly. It is wonderful how quickly news get about in these hills. On one occasion we heard th capture was in All plans were and the village rounded by daybreak, whole place The missing ever, was but the vill- elders were at that hour ing still sit- carousing Yu jars, lportant I ■■■■ :hildken. Chief we wanted to ertain village. carefully made, was sur- troops at and the EE searched. Pi*w man, how- aSS* not found, age chiefs and discovered *&6i of the morn- ||3£ ting up and '<5$$e over their and they pretended to know nothing of the fugitive. We could only exclaim, " Better luck next time! as a dashing and gallant young offi cer sadly remarked when he captured what he believed to be a large party of hostile Chins, but discovered to his disgust, on bring- ing them into camp, \ that they were only friendly Chin cool ies who were coming A CHIN HOUSE. 56 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. in to carry rations for the column, and with the discovery all the visions of D.S.O's and other honours faded from his sight ! Chins and rupees and baftef . found the Chins would <&s to the rupee with I&. head< The E v e r y w h e we ^^tfflfl have nothing to sa} the Queen's A only coin / w peared to £ genuine Empress- though why they of this idea to say. Pro coins they handled the Empress superscrip- silver coins too were THE fai.am war-chief's house. times Chins brought in Queen-rupees which they offered to exchange for Empress I. as an inducement, they threw in a few dozen eggs bunch of plantains with each coin — offers which men were not slow to accept. Others offer- ed four four-anna pieces or two eight- anna bits, with a | ■ they a p - - \ consider was the i£i- rupee : • [/' how or i y got hold ( f . . f f it is difficult ,^ bably the first were rupees with tion on them. Small at a discount. Some- HOWING 1'I.ATKOKMS AND I'AI.ISADES. I handful of copper coin thrown in, in exchange for Empress rupees. The Chin idea of the value of money is very vague. He will no doubt soon learn bet- ter. A thanka or rupee is his The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 57 standard for everything he has to sell, whether it be a chicken, or a basket of ^IjfC Jtejy beans, or a bunch of plantains, or a few eggs. I The Chin likes a gamey egg. On one occasion the Chins sold us some eggs, and on breaking a few we found them addled. These were thrown away ; but the Chins carefully picked them up and put them into their bags, reserving them, no doubt, as bonnes bouches for future use ! RAID-TROPHIES AT TUNZAN, PUT UP IN HONOUR OF THE MURDER OF LIEUT. STEWART. pletely. All eggs they brought in were dropped into a basin of water to test them. So in the usual manner one day the servant bought a batch of eggs after testing them in the water. But imagine his disgust when he afterwards found that the Chin had boiled the eggs — which were all bad — and so they had sunk in the water and deceived him ! The Chin is not a fool. The Chin is not such a fool as he looks. He has been known to sell to Burmans and others on the frontier solid slabs of beeswax, which the purchasers afterwards discovered to be straw or mud covered over with a layer of wax ! Sometimes they have received a Another time the guile- less Chin took us in com- A CHIN CHIEF AND HIS WIFE IN GALA COSTUME. 5» The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. Roland for an Oliver in the shape of silvered copper coin. But on such occasions K they have gone to the Civil Officer with the false coin and he has usually replaced it with good coin, and so they at all events have never suffered. The Chin When we these hills, j many re- garding clothing the Chin We have nearly pene- corner of but we have across the Chin got nodings on." The who only wore a piece TH mythical. On the contrary, the Chin reference to the pictures will dirty and ugly race as a women were the only who went about with covered. The Boang« The whole of Tashons and Yahows Lunnoos and oth classed as Boung-*> Burmese term ap who wear their hair YU JARS. ladies CHINS DRINKING YU. Liadies. ^ first came up into there were ports re- the scanty worn by women, now pretty W trated every %< these hills, never come ladies " vot hadn't story about the females of board is quite dress very decently indeed, as a how. They are, however, a hole. The Tashon ones we came across their bosoms un- shays. the Chins, from the in the North to the the south, may be shays. This is a plied to the Chins dressed in a knot in < I O 3 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 59 the front of their heads, the knot being rolled round with a strip of cloth. This form ^g^ fc^^ of head-dress is affected by all the great tribes men- tioned above. The Siyins and Kan- hows farther north wear their hair made up into a knot at the back of the head like a small chignon. The Siyins in ad- dition ornament their heads with two small plaits worn above each temple. This man- ner of head-dress gives these two tribes a much less manly appearance than the hill-men of the south. MAKING FRIENDS WITH TI Jlocu thfee old uuitehes put out a fife. On one occasion we were quartered in a village. We had had round which we had spent the evening, and at the turned into our beds in a Chin house, some time when all sounds had died A out, three old hags, to whom the A house we were occupying evi- JH dently belonged, cautiously crept flB out of the darkness and sat down ^H round the smouldering fire. Their wraj idea, apparently, was to put out the I fire, lest a wind should spring up at jjgjJJ| night and blow the sparks about ^ftS and set the village in flames. Each ancient dame had a vessel of water with her. But apprehensive, no doubt, that if they threw the whole of the water suddenly on the fire, it would produce a noise and disturb the boipas, and they AMUSING THE CHINS. 6o The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. would thus incur their dames took mouthfuls squirted it on to the The jets of water great precision, and ceeded in putting the least noise, of satisfaction thev into the darkness, the show from our comical the whole The Chins and From long continued expert in aiming with his of constantly chewing or salivary secretions are always very profuse. They have no spittoons, but the cracks in the floors of their houses answer just as well. The unerring way they aim is quite wonderful to ^ ^ " :%> ■ -^.^. v .. watch. When a Chin sits down to talk to you, he .^J always selects a spot near which there is ^ S . Mi 1 i-JA . ;■•■• - :>l , \ lift * V'& v& ft Kl ^fROT L ^ ,,u lili' »fr T ' ' li ^ & ffit&ft M The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 63 R Chat about the The Political a party of friendly or sons of chiefs, them from other strip of red cloth From this cir- were known in lalpuggri - wal- also known un- designations of "P. O.'s body- lars," " friendlies," They accompanied all often rendered very service. They were a fine and sturdy, and one or handsome. They were in the matter of drink they were a match generally took the deputations, that to submit, under their wing and introduced them to the j£ Political Officer — and consumed most of the „~ Yu. Pork they had ga lore, for every deputation brought in several J&m\$ pigs, sometimes aliv and squeaking, and sometimes roasted whole and skewered on a A BOUNGSHAY CHIEF IN COMPLETE WAR-PAINT. Chin Friendlies. Officer had with him Chins, mostly chiefs I To distinguish Chins they wore a round their hair, cumstance they the columns as las. They were der the various " Chin police," guard," " irregu- and " Chin militia." 3 the expeditions, and useful and important lot of men, well set-up two were remarkably excellent foragers ; and for any man in these hills. They came in THE WUNTOO CHIEFS AND THEIR HOUSEHOLD — THESE CHIEFS ARE GREAT NIMRODS. bamboo. Their method of killing 64 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. a pig was as follows. The struggling, squealing while a third takes the sharp bamboo skewer he wears in his hair and delib- erately introduces it into the animal's chest, feeling his way, as it were, as he penetrates deeper. Having gone far enough, he proceeds to work the skewer about till he pierces the heart. In the meantime the wretched pig has been making animal is held down by two men, CHINS IN MONSOON COSTUME. HEAD-QUARTER CAMP AT FALAM (TASHON). the place re-echo with his death- screams. As the skewer does its work, the noise becomes fainter and yet more faint, and at last, after a quarter of an hour's j suffering, piggy bids a long farewell to the little joys his | kind can know in this world. The ■"^^bSeS great object of the Chin is not to lose a drop of the The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 65 1' \ ^y''^V blood. The entrails are then removed, and the animal is roasted whole on a big fire in his skin. He is then cut up and distri- buted ; and the relish with which the Chins fall to on the roast flesh reminds one of the [ delightful story of Elia's Chinese swine-herd and the roast pig. Iiots of drink. IN THE CAMP OF THE FRIENDLIES : The Chin militia had a high old t j* time of it all through. The Yu was unlimited, and at almost every village they had a drinking-bout. Rollicking by nature, they delighted in a lark so long as it was not at their own expense. We were often much amused by the pranks they played on their fellow-tribesmen. Sometimes they came and sat with us round 01 and with a few nods grunts and motions the hands we were able to carry on quite an interest- ing conversation. They picked up most of our names and i rattled them I off. If a Chin wishes to express his pleasure, he embraces you or strokes you gently. We had sometimes to submit THREE GENERATIONS OF CHINS. KEPARING THEIR FOOD. 66 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. to this ordeal. The embracing is embarrassing, especially if the gentleman who is so demonstrative is a bit high, as they invariably are ! When you visit a Chin A YAHOW HOUSE. house, the old ladies too, but not the young ones unfortunately, stroke you to show their admiration for the white men. Their* funny names. Their gunpouuder, ballets, and guns. Some of these Chiefs had very funny-sounding names. The reader would call them indecent, if they were written down here. They were all excellent | ^"■'iad$£i shots. A Chin never | failed to bring down a mythun at the first shot, while our men took many shots, and even then the animal sometimes escaped. All these Chins are armed with old Tower flint-locks. They make their own gunpowder. Wei I.ONGI.EK CHINS (KLt'NG-KLT'NG.) The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 6 7 frequently passed the sulphur-factories of villages : these consisted of wooden troughs or wicker-baskets chock-full of a large variety of bean, sunk in the streams ; and from the decomposition of these beans they get their sulphur. We could HAKA CHIEFS. ■ always tell when we were approaching these places, by the smells that assailed us. The Chins are not particular what they use as bullets : pieces of telegraph- wire, pebbles, or bits of iron beaten into squares answer their purposes just as well. The barrels of their guns are what they value most. Most of the 68 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. other parts they make themselves. The Chiefs' guns are usually very beautifully lacquered. They are big feeders. These " friendlies " were great feeders ; and so, indeed, are all Chins. They were always eating. They put away a large quantity of food three times a day regularly. On the march, when we halted, 4 we would often see them spread out a huge cloth, on which they would pile up a mountain of boiled millet and a mass of boiled eggs, with great junks of boiled or roast pork. Round . this pile thev would sit, and I soon demolish it. Then a I copious draught of water, and they were ready for anything. ■■■■■■■■■■ GROUP OF SIYIN CHINS. The Tashons at»e the most eivilized. Of all the Chins, the Tashons are the most civil- ized. In the houses of their Chiefs we found oil-lamps made of earthenware — things we had never come across in any other village. The Chins, I as a rule, sit round their fires, '£ and that is the only illumina- tion they have in their soot- begrimed houses. Round these fires, too, they hold their drinking orgies. CAI'T. KCNDAI.L INTERVIEWING KANHOW CHIEFS. The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 6 9 Theif midnight opgies. These nocturnal for many things, near involving sepoys in a but for the action of ical Offi- was r e - to a post small escort and his body- lies. He arrived where he had to pass occupied the Chief's course, was made the THE FOLITICAL OFFICER AND HIS " FRIENDLIES, OR CHIN MILITIA. orgies were accountable and once they came an escort of battle royal, prompt the Polit- cer. He turning with a Wof ten sepoys guard of friend- ^r at a large village, the night. As usual, he house. The event, of occasion for a big drink. The Chief and his people and the friendlies drank deeply and freely, sitting round the fire. At first they were a most convivial party, and everything went on smoothlv ; but, as the stuff rose to their heads, thev began to discuss and argue about many matters, and len words rose high and finally they fell to blows. The villagers were becoming very excited, and very little more would have induced them to rush for their arms and make an attack on the I Officer and his sepoy escort. ■ The former, who was asleep, I or had been trying to sleep, I in an adjoining room, rushed out on hearing the noise and, GROUP OF TASHON AND YAHOW CHIEFS. 7o The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. grasping the situation, promptly collared the malcontents and placed them under guard for the an unpleasant situa- kept the Chiefs well night, and they were for the good behaviour lage, till the little morning. The night's had resulted in not a R "friendly" into his Oneofthefriend- against the Chief of a appeared that a long to the offending vil- goats. But the Chief money and guns, and w> ymFTw^ TUNNELLED ENTRANCE TO A BOUNGSHAY VILLAGE. rest of the night. It was 2* tion. However, he Bb under his eye all retained as hostages of the rest of the vil- party left early next escapade, however, few broken heads. takes the laui ooun hands. lies had a grievance certain village. It time ago he had gone lage to purchase some had eased him of his shown him the way back to his own village — but without the goats. When the column reached this village, the his respects, believed his come to have As soon as the into camp, sprang on seized and hand and caused the sternation Chief's fol- bounded up as usual came to the camp to pay The aggrieved friendly opportunity had now vengeance. Chief came the friendly him and bound him foot. This greatest con- am o n g the >wers, who the hill like CHIN BREAST-WORK ON A MOUNTAIN FATH. < * The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 7J so many antelopes. They thought it was some a deep-laid plot to compass their destruction When we learned what all the excitement was about, the Political Officer had the utmost difficulty by dint of much shouting and yelling in calming the fears of the runaways, and inducing them to trust themselves to the camp again. Their Chief was at once set OUR ARTIST SHOWING A SKETCH TO CHINS, WHICH THEY PROMPTLY RUBBED OUT ! free. The friendly who had taken the law into his own hands in this way, and who no doubt thought he had a perfect right to do so, was promptly put into durance vile, and, being a high and mighty Chief in his own right, and a trusty policeman by the grace of the Political Officer, this was great ignominy. However, a cold night under the stern eye of the British Ife sentry no doubt brought home to his mind the ■^ fact that, if he had any disputes, he must take IN CAMP : BARGAINING WITH CHINS. them to the white Chief for settlement, as that was in future to be the new order of things in the land. Subsequently the dispute was arranged to the satis- faction of both parties. They object to being sketched. The Chins are very superstitious and^ believe in the evil eye. They strongly objected to being sketched. Our artist A ROW IN CAMP. 72 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. DYNAMITING FISH : LIGHTING THE FUSE. once made a very beautiful sketch of two fine-looking Chins and handed his book to the men, imagining that they would admire their own portraits. They looked at it for a while, turning it round in all directions, and finally, when they grasped what it meant, one of the men quietly mois- tened his finger with the tip of his tongue and smear- ed the sketch out, before the disgusted artist could stop him. Then with a smile that was child-like and bland he handed back the book and simply said, u Ata/i/o" which means "bad." The Camera alarms them. Neither did they like being photo graphed. j When they were told what it meant, DYNAMITING FISH ! THE EXPLOSION. The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 73 they scampered away in great fright like an alarmed flock of sheep. The only way was to take them unawares. Once, in a distant village, we had erected the camera and arranged everything nicely, but, when the shut- ter was snapped, the Chins fled in all directions, be- lieving it to be some kind of diabolical machine ; and no- thing WOuld induce DYNAMITING FISH : COLLECTING THE FISH. them to approach the camera again. In other places, however, where the people were not so wild, the image on the ground glass was a source of great wonder and admir- ation to them. Stockades and Tunnels. In the Boung- I shay country all £ the villages have m stockades and tun- nelled entrances. The villages are DYNAMITING FISH : EVERYONE HELPS TO GATHER THE FISH. 74 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. usually on the slopes of hills, rarely at a lower altitude than three or four thousand feet, and their water-supply is brought down from the springs above by wooden aqueducts. The Klung-Klungs usually have their villages perched on the summit of ridges, and trust to their inaccessible position for their defence. They therefore have to go down for their water. Except Falam, none of the Tashon or Yahow villages have defences of any kind. The houses of the great tribes are all very substantially built of fir and pine-wood. As you approach the Lushai border, however, the houses are of a more temporary nature, and are mainly built of bamboo and grass. The most Years and the most power ruled the passed, and pocuefful Tribes. years ago the Kanhows were X ful of all the tribes, and '^vNS*-- roost: then their day became su- but, when into the the supre- the Hakas and the had come front. And he Hakas preme ; we came country, macy of had faded, Tashons to the THE LAST BOTTLE OF WHISKY ! — THERE IS ONLY ONE PEG ! WHO'S TO HAVE IT ? ft [§ Said that, had we not come, the Tashons in turn would have given place to the Yahows, who at the time were carrying everything before them. Now let us hope the hatchet will be buried, and peace and good order will reign over all the land. They at»e Suspieious. The Chins are very suspicious. Often, when they came to sit by our fire, we offered them food. They would take the morsel in the tips of their fingers and smell it very cautiously. Then they would turn it round and smell it again, much as a monkey would do. Then they would break it and smell it again. After that it was very cautiously applied to the tip of the tongue, and, if it did not suit 5 8 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 75 their refined palates, they screwed up their faces, spat on the ground, and handed the stuff back with the intimation that it was " Atahlo " — bad! Sugar, gour, salt, and rum were what they mainly appreciated. t^oekets. Sometimes we had to send up signal-rockets to communicate with other columns. These made a profound impression on the savages. The roar of astonishment that burst from them as they watched the rockets hissing up into the heavens, was like the sound of many waters. They believed we accomplished all this by the agency of Nats. Dynamit- Dynamiting fetched them someth ing water ; lows a lit- and behold! come up numbers, If they £ that, how save them ! AFTERNOON' TEA IN CAMP. ing pish. fish also greatly "You throw into the then fol- tle splash, the f i sh dead in How simple ! could only do much trouble it would Here were these strangers who secured all the best fish in a few minutes without the least trouble, while they took days and days to catch a few fish in spite of all their traps and snares." So thought our friends the Chins. The fiat and the Godfather. The Chins are demon — or Nat-worshippers. Each household has got its own special Nat. On one occasion a woman who did not exactly know who the father of her child was, and was consequently uncertain under the protection of whose Nat her brat would come, thought she would settle the matter satisfactorily by 76 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. asking the Political Officer to become the Nat-father of her child ! From a Chin point of view, we were told, this was considered a great compliment. The Chin Character. The Chin appears to be affectionate and domesticated enough, when occasion requires. We have often come across a fond Chin father nursing the baby ; and they have frequently come into camp with babies tied on their backs. Mr. Macnabb thinks " they are a queer and singular race, combining many of the BURMESE CAPTIVES RELEASED FROM THE CHINS. more attractive qualities of the Burman with the deceit and vindictiveness of the Pathan. On the whole, however, they are a manly race and an independent one, and, as such, command respect." The population of the country is very con- siderable. Indeed, the number of inhabitants in these hills quite astonished us. The Chin as a Bargainer. Bargaining with a Chin required a good deal of diplomacy. It was often a source of great fun to us. They were very unconfiding, and would on no account part with anything till the thanka or rupee was placed in their hands. With one hand the Chin would hold the article he had for sale concealed in his basket, or The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 77 under his dirty rags. This he would partly disclose and let you look at from a distance, but not handle. The other hand he held out to the intending purchaser ; and, when the latter deposited the coin therein, then he would hand over the article to you and not before. If the amount one offered did not satisfy him, he simply gave a little sneeze of contempt and politely turned his back on you. The children of the hills, however, always set a very high value on their own goods. They considered a fowl or a few eggs good enough to give in exchange for any- thing you had. What, however, had the greatest value in their eyes were our brass uniform-buttons, which they were ', tM&AmM^^y^Y keen on pos- sessing. These they made into neck- ^^jjl |^laces for them- selves or ^^| ^k their wives. With a ton ^r^0 t lor so of brass but- 1 ! tons one could get I «g on very comfort- I I ably on these hills. J At first empty bul-l li-beef and biscuit-tins I I had a cer- tain value I I i n t h e i r eyes and VILLAGE OF SHURKWA, AFTERWARDS BURNT. they gave yams in But the beans or | exchange. 'cute savages soon found out they could get these things for nothing by waiting. For if they did not buy them, the troops had to throw them away, as they could not carry empty tins about. As soon as the column marched out of camp, the Chins, who hung about the outskirts, would rush in and gather up all the rubbish ; and eventually they would set the camp on fire. Somebody suggested they did this for sanitary reasons ! But we suspect it was done to get rid of all traces of the hated strangers from the neighbourhood of their villages. The piuendlies and the Plantains. The Chin militia gave one of these hard bargainers a good lesson once. A The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. Chin had prowled round the camp with a basket of plantains for sale. But, as his prices were high, he had found no purchasers ; so he strolled into the camp of the friendlies, hoping to do business with his own countrymen, no doubt. These strapping, sturdy, young fellows were a devil-may-care set of semi-savages, and always ready for a lark. Before the Chin with his basket of plantains could say Jack Robinson, or whatever the equivalent is in Chin, the friendlies sprang on him and emptied his basket in no time. Then they tossed the bewildered man about from one to the other, and soon nothing was left of the few rags in which he had been clothed and, tapping the fixed him with child of the I know the of your fel- men. If they they take it, means if they it by fair ! It ish of you here to sell tains. Don't by foul can't get was fool- to come your plan- do it again ! But show me the man who took your plantains, and I'll see if I can restore them to you." He said this with a scowl at the shivering man, while with one eye he winked round on the grinning friendlies as much as to say, " Doesn't he wish he may get them ! " The Chin, however, thought he had had enough of this game and so waited to hear no more, but, gathering up the shreds of his rags, slunk off into the jungle. Some of us were spectators of this scene from a distance, and it was fully as good as a bit from a Christmas pantomime. The Chins Despateh their Enemies Promptly. We never heard any stories showing that the Chins treated their enemies The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 79 cruelly. Their method of treating an enemy was at all events expeditious. They waited for him behind a tree and shot him, or, if he was captured, his throat was cut. But they have never resorted to torture and cruelty. village The Blood-peud. The blood-feud is the Chin's universal method of avenging murder. The opposing factions go on shooting one another, whenever they get the chance, and thus the feuds become interminable. When a Chin slays his enemy, the event, as usual, is celebrated with feasting and drinking, and a raid-trophy is erected. It is a proud and happy moment for a Chin when he kills an hereditary foe ; he boasts of the events, and is considered quite a hero in his own following inci- trates this, column was through avil- Political noticed a rai d-t rophy who had put it up. body replied that so was the hero. And * %!-. UCRN1NG OF TI'NZAN, WHERE STEWART'S HEAD WAS FOIMi The dent i 1 1 u s- While the passing lage, the Officer brand new and asked §F£b Every- W& and so the hero himself, a relative of the Chief's, came forward and proudly declared that he had had the honour of putting up the trophy, and that he was the fortunate individual who had been privileged to wipe the blood-stain from off his house and family. Then he related how the man he had slain had been an hereditary enemy of his, and how he had gone down to his village, waylaid, and shot him, and so his conscience was now free ; and he looked round triumphantly, believing his recital had produced a deep impression on the crowd. The villages of both factions were now under our control, and the authorities were desirous that these blood- feuds should be put an end to. A beginning had to be made some time or other, although it might appear hard on the first few cases. The man was, therefore, 8o The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. arrested, and, much to his astonishment, was informed that such actions could no longer be tolerated ; that we considered it murder, and would punish the culprits accordingly. However, to stamp out effectually the blood-feud, which has been a law unto the Chins ever since they can remember, will be a matter of time. This man was subsequently tried and condemned to a period of imprisonment in Burma. Theitf Graves. The Chins bury own yards. At Fa- graves in the yards little thatched C h i e f s' houses stone - and - cement ed like vaults, in Chiefs slept their other village had such tombs. Peo- deaths are buried In such places they posts, surmounted mals, and with slabs These are usually villages and near ^ they also serve a^ tVip travpllpr ran Qit ^*-* LliC LiavcilCl ^CUJ. OIL JAHOOTA, THE PRESENT KLUNG-KLUNG CHIEF, AND HIS RELATIVES. and rest. When you posts, you can always tell a village is in the neighbourhood. their dead in their lam we found the covered over with sheds, and in the there were solid places which look- which the departed long sleep. In no we come across pie who die violent outside the village. erect rudely carved by skulls of ani- of stone below. at the entrances of >hady trees, and esting-places, where down in the shade come across these The manner of arranging these posts varies with each tribe, as a reference to the photographs will show. They are most plentiful in the southern Boungshay country. Sometimes, at the entrances of villages, we came across recent graves of men killed during raids. Such graves were surrounded by a wooden palisade, to The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 81 which were attached the skulls of animals killed by the deceased. In the centre of the enclosure is a post, on which are hung the deceased's rain-coat, pipe, water gourd and other articles he used during his lifetime. At the foot of the post are vessels of water and food, so that, should the departed spirit return hungry and thirsty, he could eat and drink, and then go away satisfied and not haunt the village. From one of these posts we found suspended a human scalp and a pair of ears, the property of an enemy of the deceased, whom he had slain before he met with his own end. The Tipsy Chief. On one oc column arrived village, from shots sud- " Halloa ! going to the thought to each of soon found' big feast on \n funeral or a mar- the villagers were ON THE look-oi;t for the other column. casion the before a large which several denly rang out. Is the village fight?" was that occurred us. But we there was a — either a riage — and all drunk ! Pre- sently the old Chief appeared with his retinue, all far gone. The Chief was just able to keep on his pins, but to show his joy at our arrival he broke into a fantastic dance, a roll down the hill now and again not in the least cooling his ardour. Finally he lifted up his voice and welcomed us to his village, as with red, bleary eyes and dripping mouth he grinned into each of our faces ; and finally, much to the amusement of the whole column, he wound up by embracing the Commanding Officer and then in turn the others, all of whom he stroked like so many cats. His attentions at last became so overpowering that we had to get the old man removed from camp. 82 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. "The Sage of Shupkraa." Another Chin toper also came to be well known during the Boungshay expeditions. We knew him as old "Tetapata" or "the Sage of Shurkwa." In 1 89 1, when a column from Haka began to shell Shurkwa from the opposite hill (as the village had been defiant and refused to submit) the Shurkwa people thought better of it and sent down a deputation of two men to offer their submission. One of these two men was the old Sage referred to above. As the shells went shrieking suddenly saw two Chins at a headlong pace each staggering a miscellaneous fowls, plan- IN cane, and Before any be given, sepoys fired a at the two luckily the not straight and done. However, this the speed at which the came bounding down and other obstacles like 0F THE B0INIT - antelopes. It was quite a ludicrous sight. They soon came up the hill on which the column was halted and made known their mission. Peace was accordingly concluded and ratified in the usual Chin manner, the Sage taking the principal part on behalf of the Shurkwas. During the ceremony the formula rattled off by the old Sage consisted chiefly of the sounds " Te-ta-pa-ta" repeated in rapid succession. From this incident he received his sobriquet. Immediately after the ceremony the old man, always with an eye to business, rushed off and commenced to pick up all the empty bulli-beef tins and other rubbish he found lying about, with which he TASHON COLUMN ENCAMPED NEAR SOURCES OF THE HOINU. across the valley, the column rushing down the khud from the village, under the load of collection of tains, sugar- gourds of Yu. orders could some of the volley or two figures, but shooting was no damage was WF only served to quicken two heavily laden Chins the hill, clearing ditches < a s o s z 5 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 83 returned in triumph to the village. He was a dirty old man of about fifty winters, with a scraggy gray beard and gray hair and a 'cute-looking face with overhanging brows, from beneath which looked out a pair of small sharp eyes, that gave you the impression that they were always on the look-out for the main chance. From the angles of his mouth tobacco-juice always kept oozing in drops and stained his grizzly old beard. The old boy we soon discovered had a great fondness for Yu and rum, when he could get any. Wherever there was a Yu jar or gourd lying about, there ' ,^^^ y ou would be sure to find old "Tetapata" were usuall morning, edly, had of his skin it, a boil- ter would pale by of his attached the friendlies column, and came several " dours." This the chance of getting also. His eyes pink in the and assur- the colour permitted ed lobs- have been the side nose ! He himself to with the out With us on apparently he did on free and unlimited drinks at all the villages. He was a proficient in sucking the stuff out of the jars, by which he sat longer than anyone else, and the twinkle of satisfaction in his little eyes as the liquid trickled down his throat was a sight worth seeing. He often came and sat by our fire and tried to make himself agreeable, keeping one eye all the while on the rum-bottle. There was no resisting this mute appeal, and the satisfaction with which he smacked his lips and grunted out, " Atah ! Atah /" (good ! very good ! ) was worth the price of the tot given him. Whenever or wherever you met the old man, climbing a hill, or fording a river, or resting by the wayside, he always produced an orange from somewhere beneath his capacious, but dirty, robes, and presented it to you : it was usually sour ! He EVENING AT A POST ON THE CHIN HILLS. 84 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. was a good forager too, and sometimes did a little trade with us. from the villages sold them to us. hard, he strode a stately sort of ges and things. ished us all by beard, and this juvenile appear- domesticated old often came into child slung on his was useful in ob- ies and in other regret to record in the little dis- curred at Shurkwa "Tetapata," in "FOKT GUNNING," THE POST IN THE P.OUNGSHAY matters between country near lotaw. jf'V*T Si He looted fowls on the way and When times were about the camp in way selling oran- One day he aston- shaving off his gave him quite a ance. He was a man too, for he camp with his shoulders. He taining Chin cool- ways. I much that subsequently, turbance that oc- about coolies, old trying to smooth the two parties, column halted previous to final advance on falam, the tashon capital. The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 85 was shot dead. Poor old Chin ! He wasn't a bad savage at heart, and we were all sorry to hear of his untimely end. The Chin ouho kept During the shell- friendly old Chief did made by the guns and to run away. Some- he kept his mouth his fingers into his j no injury. Where- promptly opened his ] would go, and much p£ ment sat patiently the firing ceased ! his mouth open. ing of a village one not like the noise seemed half inclined one told him that, if wide open and stuck ears, he would suffer upon the old man mouth as wide as it to everyone's amuse- in that attitude till LEARNING THE CHIN LANGUAGE. Houa cue fed. Our feeding arrange- in all the columns, big mess, while were several Both meth- ed- equal- though more fun the small Each mess by a num when dinner would hear such up, No. 1, for dinner !" or " Pull yourselves THE HOUSES WE LIVE IN AT A CHIN POST. ments were not the same In some we had one in others there small ones, ods work- ly well, we got out of messes, was known ber. Thus, as ready, you shouts as : — u Roll or "Hurry up, No. 2!" together, No. 3 ! 86 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. Always late !" And then each mess sat round its own fire and discussed its own dinner. Our fires were adjacent to one another, so that, as the meal went on, we were able to talk across to each other and criticise each other's menus for the day, something after this fashion : — " We have got an excellent stew to-day. What have you got, No. I ?" " Oh ! our omelette is simply beautiful. We have never tasted a better in all our lives before ! " would reply No. i. " But we have such a beauty of a custard. Your chef could not make one like it, if he tried all his life ! " would chime in No. 3 mess. .... "Pooh!" would put in have a roast fowl here, anything you duce." And jesting and chatter the would pass Sometimes vited another ner ; but the stated that bring your drink when THE HAKA l'OST. No. 4. "We that will beat could pro- s o amidst pleasant dinner - hour away merrily, one mess in- across to din- invit ation you had to own food and you came! Then, when you called on the other messes, say, to leave your card, you were asked to have a peg, but you had to provide it yourself! LCle are a Jlappy Family. Throughout the whole period we were a happy family. Each one contributed, as far as in him lay, to the general enjoyment. And the happy spirit and thorough fellow-feeling that always prevailed caused all difficulties to vanish. The Stopy of the F^ee Di»ink. Before concluding these camp reminiscences, we cannot refrain from quoting a story of how a thirsty young officer got an extra free drink. We had all come The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 87 into camp after a long weary march. A Tommy marched in looking very worn and fagged out. The thirsty officer thereupon poured out a stiff peg of rum from the mess bottle and said he would give it to the tired soldier. He went to the man and offered him the rum ; but he said, " Much obliged, sir, but I am a teetotaller." "Oh! I am very sorry; I did not know that," said the thirsty one, and he promptly drank off the peg himself; and that is how he got an extra drink all for nothing. But it brought him in for a good deal of chaff and banter. .-~ - ». :hins bringing on the mail Work Successfully Done. In spite of difficulties, many and varied, which need not be set down here, the Expeditions were, one and all, most successfully accomplished, and that without resort to bloodshed. And does not Milton tell us, " Peace hath her victories no less renown' d than war?" Though we fought no battles, yet the toiling and moiling over that intermin- able jumble of hills, which tried the endurance of the troops to the utmost, 88 The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. represented a sum total of very hard work done. And the troops richly earned the high encomiums bestowed on them by the military authorities. The UUofk Done. The whole of these hills has now been traversed from end to end, and the submission of all the tribes obtained, though, so long as they have their fire-arms, there is the chance of disturbances occurring at any time — as was the case recently at Shurkwa. Many Burmese especially in the north ^ into Burma has now jA Klung tribes, who in the attack on year, were by heavy fines where they pay, by the house for paid. The l Lieut. Stewart's was also punished, houses being burnt heavily fined in guns, trophies were all de- Klung ex-Chief Lalway, CHIN HILLS AND VILLAGE. captives were released, by Mr. Carey. Raiding ceased. The Klung- were concerned our troops last duly punished of guns and, refused to burning of a every gun not village where head was found the headmen's and the village while the murder- stroyed. The Klung- Stewart's murderer, remains a fugitive in the hills, and a relation of his, well known as " Jahoota," reigns in his stead as Chief of the Klung-Klung tribes. In the north the Kanhow column found a very good trade-route direct into Manipur. The Tashon column had the honour of discovering the sources of the Boinu or Kolodyne river, in longitude 90 32' and latitude 22 51 , on the 29th of March, 1892, in a morass to the west of the great Ramklao range. Temporary Posts. After the various expeditions were over, temporary posts were established in The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. 89 different parts of the hills, from which small parties from time to time went out and visited vill been able to visit troops were every direct- the rains posts were drawn. A ^ m a n e n t established the Tashon ages, that the expeditions had not And thus our en evidence in ion. When set in, these all with- new per- p o s t was at Falam, capital. \TIOXS FOR A COLUMN. Conclusion of Operations. With the breaking-up of the columns, the troops who came up temporarily for the operations joyfully return to Burma, hoping never to see the Chin Hills again. The rest settle down in their posts to hibernate till the next open season, when they will have to take their share again in any work that may have to be done. For during the rains nothing can be accomplished. There are now three main posts in these hills. These are Haka in the south, Fort White in the north, and Falam in the centre. These posts are garri- soned respectively by the 2nd Burma Battalion, the 1st Burma THE POLITICAL COURT AT HAKA. Rifles, and the 39th Gurhwal Rifles. 9o The Image of War ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. The Present Situation. Such is the situation present moment. A recently met at JU the future policy reference to The Govern- India has now the result, that Lushai- verted into is to be over to Ass the Chin in the Chin Hills at the Chin-Lushai Conference |y*, Calcutta to decide on to be pursued in these hills, ment of published which is, land, con- one charge, handed am, while Hills, also probably made into one charge, will continue to be administered by Burma. THACKER, SPINK 6- CO., CALCUTTA. No. 6 1. February, 1894. A Select Catalogue of Works, chiefly Illustrated, published by W TH ACKER h CO.. 87 Newgate Street, London, and THACKER SPINK & CO., Calcutta. BAN IAN TREE. TO BE OBTAINED ALSO OF THACKER & CO., Limited, Bombay. W. THACKER & CO, 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. TLIACKER, SPINK 6- CO., CALCUTTA. THE IMAGE OF WAR: Service on the Chin Hills. By Surgeon-Captain A. G. E Newland. 194 Illustrations from Instantaneous Photographs. Demy 4to. £1 11s. 6d. W. TH ACKER 6- CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. THACKER, SPINK <5- CO., CALCUTTA. Messrs. Thacker, Spink & Co. will shortly publish a work unique in its character and extremely beautiful in its form, entitled, THE IMAGE OF WAR ; or, Service on the Chin Hills. By SURGEON-CAPTAIN A. G. E. NEWLAND. With an Introductory Historical Note by J. D. Macnabb, Esq., Political Officer, South Chin Hills. Demy qto. POLITICAL OFFICER RECEIVING SUBMISSION OF TASHON CHIEFS. It is illustrated by 34 full-page Collotypes of Instantaneous Photographs, and 160 interspersed in the reading. No work has yet appeared, in Europe or America, of this beautiful character. The price to subscribers is J?s. 25, but as only a small edition is printed, Messrs Thacker, Spink & Co. hold themselves at liberty to raise the price upon publication to Its. 30. From its nature the book cannot be reprinted, and subscribers will possess a work of extreme beauty, interest and rarity. IV. THACKER &> CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON THACKER, SPINK &• CO., CALCUTTA. A NATURALIST ON THE PROWL. 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It is copiously illus- trated, not only by the author himself, but by care- ful selections made by him from the works of well- known artists. " It is the very model of what a popular natural history should be. " — Knowledge. "An amusing work with good illustrations." — Nature. "Full of accurate observation, brightly told." — Saturday Revieiv. " The results of a close and sympathetic observation." — Athenceum. " It has the brevity which is the soul of wit, and a delicacy of allusion which charms the literary critic." — Academy. "The notices of each animal are, as a rule, short, though on some of the larger mammals — the lion, tiger, pard, boar, etc., — ample and interesting details are given, including occasional anecdotes of adventure. The book will, no doubt, be specially useful to the sportsman, and, indeed, has been extended so as to include all territories likely to be reached by the sportsman from India. Those who desire to obtain some general information, popularly conveyed, on the subject with which the book deals, will, we believe, find it useful." — The Times. " Has contrived to hit a happy mean between the stiff scientific treatise and the bosh of what may be called anecdotal zoology. " — The Daily News. W. TH ACKER &> CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. 16 r HACKER, SPINK & CO., CALCUTTA. Foolscap 8vo, with 8 Maps. Rs. 3-8. The Sportsman's Manual IN QUEST OF GAME IN KULLU, LAHOUL AND LADAK, TO THE TSO MORARI LAKES. With Notes on Shooting in Spiti, Bara Bagahal, Chamba and Kashmir ; and a detailed description of sport in more than 130 nalas. LIEUT. -COL. R. H. TYACKE. Late H.M. 's 98TH and 34TH Regiments. Oblong Imperial 4to. i6j. DENIZENS OF THE JUNGLES: & Ztxita of Sketches of Wlb Animate, ILLUSTRATING THEIR FORMS AND NATURAL ATTITUDES. WITH LETTERPRESS DESCRIPTION OP EACH PLATE. By R. A. STERNDALE, F.R.G.S., F.Z.S., AUTHOR OF " NATURAL HISTORY OF THE MAMMALIA OF INDIA," " SEONEE," ETC. i. Denizens of the Jungles. — Ab ri- gines — Deer — Monkeys. 2. On the Watch. — Tiger. 3. Not so fast Asleep as he Looks. — Panther — Monkeys. 4. Waiting for Father. — Black Bears of the Plains. 5. Rival Monarchs. — Tiger and Elephant. 6. Hors de Combat. — Indian Wild Boar and Titrer. A Race for Life. — Blue Bull and Wild Dogs. Meaning Mischief. — The Gaur — Indian Bison. More than His Match. - and Rhinoceros. -Buffalo 10. A Critical Moment. — Spotted Deer and leopard. 1 1 . Hard hit — The Sambur. 12. Mountain Monarchs. — Marco Polci's Sheep. "The plates are admirably executed by photo-lithography from the author's originals, every line and touch being faithfully preserved. It is a volume which will be eagerly studied on many a table. Many an amusing and exciting anecdote add to the general interest of the work." — Broad Arrow. "The Volume is well got up and the drawings are spirited and natural." — Illustrated London News. IV. TH ACKER &> CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. >7 TH ACKER, SPINK 6* CO., CALCUTTA. GAME, SHORE, AND WATER BIRDS OF INDIA. BY Col. A. LE MESSURIER, 121 ILLUSTRATIONS. 8vo, 15s. A VADE ME- CUM FOR THE SPORTSMAN, EMBRACING ALL THE BIRDS AT ALL LIKELY TO BE MET WITH IN A SHOOTING EXCURSION. "Compact in form, excellent in method and arrangement, and, as far as we have been able to test it, rigidly accurate. ' ' — Knowledge. "Will be a source of great de- light, as every ornithological detail is given, in conjunction with the most artistic and exquisite drawings." — Home News. W. TH ACKER 6- CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. 18 THACKER, SPINK & CO., CALCUTTA. " Splendidly Illustrated Record of Sport."— Graphic. Third Edition. Enlarged. Demy 4to. 36 Plates and Map. £2 2s. LARGE GAME SHOOTING IN THIBET, THE HIMALAYAS, NORTHERN & CENTRAL INDIA. By Brig.-General ALEX. A. A. KINLOCH. Reduced size. " Colonel Kinloch, who has killed most kinds of Indian game, small and great, relates incidents of his varied sporting experiences in chapters, which are each descriptive of a different animal. The photo-gravures of the heads of many of the animals, from the grand gaur, popularly miscalled the bison, downwards, are extremely clever and spirited." — Times. W. THACKER & CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. 19 T HACKER, SPTNK <5v CO., CALCUTTA. New Edition, Demy 8vo, with all Original Illustrations. Rs. 7-8. The Highlands of Central India. NOTES ON THEIR jfomts anb W\lb Mfo$ f Ifetatl Ptetrcg anlr Sjrort. By CAPT. J. FORSYTH, Bengal Staff Corps. WITH Illustrations by R. A. STERNDALE, F.Z.S., F.R.G.S. In Demy folio, Thirty-nine Plates, Natural Size. 25*. ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE Grasses of the Southern Punjab. Pf)ot0=lLttf)0grapl)0 of some of tfje ©rasgrs founU St fttaurc, foitij IBegcttptiije iUtterptcgg. By WILLIAM COLDSTREAM, B.A., B.C.S. IV. TIL ACKER & CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON 20 Fourth Edition, Crown 8vo, Buckram. J2S. 6d. VETERINARY NOTES FOR HORSE-OWNERS. An Illustrated Manual of Horse Medicine and Surgery, written in Simple Language. By CAPT. M. H. HAYES, FR.C.V.S. " Captain Hayes' work is a valuable addition to our stable literature ; and the illustrations, toler- ably numerous, are excellent beyond the reich of criticism." — Saturday Review. "The description of symptoms and proper methods of treatment in sickness render the book a necessary guide forhorseowners, especially those who are far removed from immediate professional assistance." — The Times. " Of the many popular veterinary books which have come under our notice, this is certainly one of the most scientific and reliable. If some pains- taking student would give us works of equal merit to this on the diseases of the other domestic animals, we should possess a very complete veterinary library in a very small co.mpass. " — Field. "Simplicity is one cf the most commendable features in the book. What Captain Hayes has to say he says in plain terms, and the book is a very useful one for everybody who is concerned with horses. ' ' — Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. "The usefulness of the manual is testified to by its popularity, and each edition has given evidence of increasing care on the part of the author to render it more complete and trustworthy as a book of reference for amateurs." — The Lancet. "A volume replete with most interesting information, couched in the simplest terms possible." — The County Gentleman. "The book leaves nothing to be desired on the score of lucidity and comprehen- siveness." — Veterinary Journal. W. THACKER & CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. TH ACKER, SPINK 6* CO., CALCUTTA. Square 8vo, iay. 6d. The Horsewoman A Practical Guide to Side-Saddle Riding. By Mrs. HAYES. Edited by Captain M. H. HAYES. With 4 Collotypes from Instantaneous Photographs, and 48 Drawings after Photographs, by J. H. Oswald Brown. PRESS NOTICES. The Times. —" A large amount of sound, practical instruction, very judiciously and pleasantly imparted." The Field. — " This is the first occasion on which a practical horseman and a practical horsewoman have collaborated in bringing out a book on riding for ladies. The result is in every way satisfactory, and, no matter how well a lady W. TH ACKER & CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. THACKER, SPINK & CO., CALCUTTA. THE HORSEWOMAN. Press Notices. — {Continued.) may ride, she will gain much valuable information from a perusal of ' The Horse- woman.' The book is happily free from self-laudatory passages." The Athenceum. — "We have seldom come across a brighter book than 'The Horsewoman. ' The Queen. — ''Amost useful and practical book on side-saddle riding, which may be read with real interest by all lady riders." Freeman's Journal (Dublin). — "Mrs. Hayes is perhaps the best authority in these countries on everything connected with horsemanship for ladies." Scotsman (Edinburgh). — "The work is the outcome of experiences, aptitudes, and opportunities wholly exceptional." Le Sport (Paris). — " J'ai lu ou parcouru bien des trails d'equitation usuelle ou savante ; jamais encore je n'avais trouve" un expose 1 aussi clair, aussi simple, aussi vecu que celui oil Mme. Hayes resume les principes dont une pratique assidue lui a permis d'apprecier la valeur. Ce tres remarquable manuel d'equitation feminine est bien, corarae la desire son auteur, a la ported de tous et il est a souhaiter qu'il trouve" en France l'accueil et le succes qu'il a rencontres des sa publication aupres des horsewomen anglaises." Saturday Review. — "With a very strong recommendation of this book as far and away the best guide to side-saddle riding that we have seen. " The Queen. — "It is a real pleasure to see a lady ride as Mrs. Hayes does ; she combines in an unusual degree an absolutely firm, strong seat with a pretty and graceful one." Land and Water. — "A more thorough horsewoman than Mrs. Hayes probably does not exist." Hearth and Home. — "The Duke of Cambridge personally complimented her on her seat and hands." Indian Planters' Gazette (Calcutta). — "The victory [in jumping competition] was well earned. Mrs. Hayes treated the large crowd to an exhibition of horse- manship, the like of which has seldom, if ever, been witnessed in Calcutta. The merit of the performance is enhanced by the fact that she had never ridden the mare before that day. " The Mining Argus (Johannesburg, Transvaal). — " Mrs. Hayes is undoubtedly one of the pluckiest and most accomplished horsewomen we have ever seen." North China Daily News (Shanghai). — "This accomplished horsewoman prac- tically illustrated, for the benefit of the ladies present, what she wrote in our columns about riding without reins, even over stiff jumps, on a mount only broken for a lady ten minutes before." W. THACKER &> CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. 23 THACKER, SPINK &> CO., CALCUTTA. Third Edition, Imperial i6mo. ioj. 6d. RIDING: ON THE FLAT AND ACROSS COUNTRY. & ©ufoe to Practical f^orgcmansfttp. By Captain M. H. HAYES, F.R.C.V.S. The Times. — "Captain Hayes' hints and instructions are useful aids, even to experienced riders, while for those less accustomed to the saddle, his instructions are simply invaluable." The Standard. — " Captain Hayes is net only a master of his subject, but he knows how to aid others in gaining such a mastery as may be obtained by the study of a book. " The Field. — "We are not in the least surprised that a third edition of this useful and eminently practical book should be called for. On former occasions we were able to speak of it in terms of commendation, and this edition is worthy of equal praise. " Baily's Magazine. — "An eminently practical teacher, whose theories are the outcome of experience, learned not in the study, but on the road, in the hunting field, and on the racecourse." Sporting Times. — " We heartily commend it to our readers." Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. — " The book is one that no man who has ever sat in a saddle can fail to read with interest." The Graphic. — " Is as practical as Captain Horace Hayes' ' Veterinary Notes ' and 'Guide to Horse Management in India.' Greater praise than this it is impos- sible to give." W. THACKER &> CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. 24 TH ACKER, SPINK &> CO., CALCUTTA. Uniform with " Riding," etc. 21/, ILLUSTRATED HORSE-BREAKING Capt. M. H. HAYES. 1. Theory of Breaking. 2. Principles of Mounting. 3. Horse Control. 4. Rendering Docile. S- Giving Good Mouths. 6. Teaching to Jump. 7. Mounting for First Time. 8. Breaking for Ladies' Riding. 9. Breaking to Harness. 10. Faults of Mouth. 11. Nervousness and Impa- tience of Control. Jibbing. Jumping Faults. Faults in Harness. Aggressiveness. Riding and Driving Newly-broken Horse. Stable Vices. Teaching Circus Tricks. 12. 13- 14. 1$. 16. 17- 18. "The work is eminently prac- tical and readable." — Veterinary Journal. " Clearly explained in simple, practical language, made all the more clear by a set of capital drawings." — Scotsman. "It is characteristic of all Captain Hayes' books on Horses that they are eminently practical, and the present one is no exception to the rule. A work which is entitled to high praise as being far and away the best reasoned-out book on Breaking under a new system we have seen." — Field. With Fifty-One Illustrations by J. H. OSWALD BROWN. W. THACKER &> CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. 25 TH ACKER, SPINK 6- CO, CALCUTTA. Foolscap 4to, 34J. THE POINTS OF THE HORSE. <& familiar treatise on 3Equine CTonformation. By Capt. M. H. HAYES, F.R.C.V.S. DESCRIBING THE POINTS IN WHICH THE PERFECTION OF EACH CLASS OF HORSES CONSISTS. Illustrated by 76 reproductiotis of Photographs of Typical Horses, and 204 Drawings, chiefly by J. H. Oswald Brown. W. THACKER &* CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. 26 THACKER, SPINK Sy CO., CALCUTTA. The Points of the Horse. Times. — ' ' An elaborate and instructive compendium of sound knowledge on a subject of great moment to all owners of horses, by a writer of established authority on all matters connected with the horse." Army and Navy Gazette. — " It is scientific in its method, and practical in its purpose." Nature. — "A soldier, a certificated veterinarian, a traveller and a successful rider, the author is well qualified to treat on all that pertains to the subject before us." The Referee. — " What Captain Hayes does not know about horses is probably not particularly worth knowing." Saturday Review. — "This is another of Captain Hayes' good books on the horse, and to say it is the best would not be going far out of the way of truth. It is a luxurious book, well got up, well and clearly printed in large readable type, and profusely illustrated. " Pall Mall Budget. — " A volume that must be regarded as the standard work on the subject. It is well done. No point is left unexplained ; no quality in a type unnoticed." Sporting Times. — "The best production of its kind we have seen." Field. — "To those who are desirous of availing themselves of the knowledge of a writer who has been used to horses all his life, the book may be cordially recom- mended. " Veterinary Journal. — " No book like this has hitherto appeared in English, or any other language. For giving us such a beautiful, interesting and instructive book, the members of the veterinary profession, horsemen and horse owners, as well as delineators of the horse, in every English speaking country, must acknow- ledge themselves deeply indebted to Captain Hayes." W, THACKER & CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. 27 TIIACKER, SPINK 6- CO., CALCUTTA. In Imperial i6mo. Illustrated. 8s. 6d. INDIAN RACING reminiscences; BEING ENTERTAINING NARRATIVES AND ANECDOTES OF MEN, HORSES, AND SPORT. Illustrated with Twenty-Two Portraits and a Number of Smaller Engravings. By CAPTAIN M. HORACE HAYES. " The book is full of racy anecdote, and the author writes so kindly of his brother office and the sporting planters with whom he came into contact, that one cannot help admiring the genial and happy temperament of the author." — Belts Life. " Captain Hayes shows himself a thorough master of his subject, and has so skilfully interwoven technicalities, history, and anecdote, that the last page comes all too soon. "—Field. Fifth Edition. Revised. Crown 8vo. gs. TRAINING* HORSE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA. By CAPTAIN M. HORACE HAYES, F.R.CV.S. " No better guide could be placed in the hands of either amateur horseman or veterinary surgeon." — The Veterinary Journal. " A useful guide in regard to horses anywhere. Concise, practical, and portable." — Saturday Review. W. TB ACKER 6- CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. 28 THACKER, SPINK 6- CO., CALCUTTA. Crown 8vo. Uniform with "Veterinary Notes." 8s. 6d. Soundness and Age of Horses. With One Hundred and Seventy Illustrations. A Complete Guide to all those features which require attention when purchasing Horses, distinguishing mere defects from the symptoms of unsoundness ; with explicit instructions how to conduct an examination of the various parts. By Captain M. H. HAYES, F.R.C.V.S. ' Captain Hayes is entitled to much credit for the explicit and sensible manner in which he has discussed the many questions — some of them extremely vexed ones— which pertain to soundness and unsoundness in horses." — Veterinary Journal. " Captain Hayes' work is evidently the result of much careful research, and the horseman, as well as the veterinarian, will find in it much that is interesting and instructive."— Field. W. THACKER 6- CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON 29 THACKER, SPINK &• CO., CALCUTTA. In Imperial i6mo. Uniform with " Lays of Ind," " Hindu Mythology," etc. Handsomely bound. ios. 6d. RIDING FOR LADIES. mn& in'nts; on t&e stable* BY MRS. POWER O'DONOGHUE. AUTHOR OF "LADIES ON HORSEBACK," "A BEGGAR ON HORSEBACK," ETC. With 91 Illustrations drawn expressly for the Work by A. Chantrey Corbould. 1 1 IS able and beautiful volume will form a Stan- dard on the Subject, and is one which no lady can dispense with. The scope of the work will be under- stood by the following : CONTENTS. Ought Children to Ride? " For Mothers & Children." First Hints to a Learner. Selecting a Mount. vi. The Lady's Dress. Bitting. vin. Saddling. How to Sit, Canter, &c. Reins, Voice, and Whip. Riding on the Road. Paces, Vices, and Faults. A Lesson in Leaping. Managing Refusers. Falling. Hunting Outfit Considered, xvn. Economy in Riding Dress. xx. Shoeing. XXI. Feeding. xviii. Hacks and Hunters. xxn. Stabling, xxm. Doctoring, xix. In the Hunting Field. xxiv. Breeding, xxv. "Tips." " When there may arise differences of opinion as to some of the suggestions con- tained in this volume, the reader, especially if a woman, may feel assured she will not go far astray in accepting what is said by one of her own sex, who has the dis- tinction of three times beating the Empress of Austria in the hunting field, from whom she ' took the brush.' ' Riding for Ladies' is certain to become a classic." — New York Sportsman. W. THACKER &> CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. 3° TH ACKER, SPINK 6* CO., CALCUTTA. Crown 8vo. 7s. 6d. A TEA PLANTER'S LIFE IN ASSAM. By GEORGE M. BARKER. WITH 75 ILLUSTRATIONS ^ This book aims at conveying to all interested in India and the tea industry an entertaining and useful account of the topographical features of Assam ; the strange surroundings— human and animal — of the European resident ; ihe trying climate ; the daily life of the planter ; and general details of the formation and working of tea gardens. " Mr. Barker has supplied us with a very good and readable description, accompanied by numerous illustrations drawn by himself. What may be called the business parts of the book are of most value."- Contimporary Review. " Cheery, well-written little book." — Graphic. "A very interesting and amusing book, artistically illustrated from sketches drawn by the author."- yf/tt-k I.an' F.rflms LIST OF THE TEA GARDENS OF INDIA AND CEYLON, Their Acreage, Managers, Assistants, Calcutta Agents, Coolie Depdts, Proprietors, Companies, Directors, Capital, London Agents and Factory Marks, by which any chest may be identified. Also embraces Coffee, Indigo, Silk, Sugar, Cinchona, Lac, Cardamom and other Concerns. 8vo. Sewed. 6s. " The strong point of the book is the reproduction of the actory marks, which are presented side by side with the letterpress. To buyers of tea and other Indian products on this side, the work needs no recommendation." — British,, Trade Journal. W. TH ACKER d^ CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. 3i TH ACKER, SPINK <5- CO., CALCUTTA. Crown 8vo. js. 6d. THE INDIGO MANUFACTURER. FROM THE RECEIPT OF THE PLANT TO THE PRODUCTION OF THE CAKE With numerous EXPERIMENTS Illustrating the Scientific Principles bearing on each Phase of the Manufacture. By J. BRIDGES-LEE, M.A., F.C.S., F.Z.S., F.R.A.S. Bengal, etc., etc. " It enlightens us on a matter about which our knowledge till now has been highly barren and uncertain— the technicalities of the winning of the Indigo from its Indian home. Each operation which the Indigo has to undergo before its perfection has a separate chapter. At the end of each, experiments are described which are to serve this purpose, so that the object for which the pourtrayed opera- tion is given is made clear and put in a right light." — Chemiker Zeitung (Trans- lated). In Crown 8vo. 7s. 6d. THE CULTURE AND MANUFACTURE OF INDIGO: WITH DESCRIPTION OF A PLANTER'S LIFE AND RESOURCES. By W. M. REID. WITH NINETEEN ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR. "A concise and readable manual, not only of everything relating to the industry, but of the whole round of business and recreation that makes up the Planter's life. . . . The writer is at once accurate and graphic, and on the strength merely of reading these bright pages one almost feels competent to take full charge of a ' concern.' " — Englishman. IV. TH ACKER &> CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON 32 TH ACKER, SPINK &• CO., CALCUTTA. Uniform with " Lays of Ind," " Riding," etc. \os. 6d. HINDU mythology: VEDIC AND PURAN1C. BY Rev. W. J. WILKIN S, OF THE LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY, CALCUTTA. Illustrated by One Hundred Engravings chiefly from Drawings by Native Artists. REVIEWS. " His aim has been to give a faithful account of the Hindu deities such as an intelligent native would himself give, and he has endeavoured, in order to achieve his purpose, to keep his mind free from prejudice or theological bias. To help to completeness he has included a number of drawings of the principal deities, executed by native artists. The author has attempted a work of no little ambition and has succeeded in his attempt, the volume being one of great interest and usefulness ; and not the less so because he has strictly refrained from diluting his facts with comments of his own. It has numerous illustrations." — Home News. " Mr. Wilkins has done his work well, with an honest desire to state facts apart from all theological prepossession, and his volume is likely to be a useful book of reference. ' ' — Guardian. " In Mr. Wilkins' book we have an illustrated manual, the study of which will lay a solid foundation for more advanced knowledge, while it will furnish those who may have the desire without having the time or opportunity to go further into the subject, with a really extensive stock of accurate information." — Indian Daily News. W. TH ACKER &> CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. 33 THACKER, SPINK &• CO., CALCUTTA. < H =><.£.Q to O £ 1 op SB'S? * o ^~ CO w o CO Q ua w CO W si rp 00 8 o - C<9., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. 34 3<30 Illustrations. Imperial i6mo. 12s. 6d. A HANDBOOK OF INDIAN FERNS. By COLONEL R. H. BEDDOME, F.L.S., Late Conservator of Forests, Madras. " It is the first special book of portable size and moderate price which has been devoted to Indian Ferns, and is in every way deserving of the extensive circulation it is sure to obtain. " — Nature. ' ' I have just seen a new work on Indian Ferns which will prove vastly interesting, not only to the Indian people, but to the botanists of this country." — Indian Daily News. ' ' The ' Ferns of India. ' This is a good book, being of a useful and trustworthy character. The species are familiarly de- scribed, and most of them illustrated by small figures." — Gardeners' Chronicle. "Those interested in botany will do well to procure a new work on the ' Ferns of British India,' The work will prove a first-class text book." — Free Press. 3.5. 6d. SUPPLEMENT to the FERNS OF BRITISH INDIA, etc. By COLONEL R. H. BEDDOME. Containing Ferns which have been discovered since the publication of " The Handbook to the Ferns of British India" etc. NEARLY READY. HOY/ TO CHOOSE A DOG, & HOW TO SELECT A PUPPY. TOGETHER WITH A FEW NOTES UPON THE PECULIARITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF EACH BREED. By VERO SHAW, Author of u The Il'ustrated Book of the Dog" late Kennel Editor of the "Field." This small work will give in a brief, yet compendious form, the various Breeds — their Characteristics — Points — Average Weights at various Ages from six weeks to full growth — Points to look for in choosing average age at whichjthe breed arrives at maturity, etc. The book is prepared in response to the innumerable inquiries showered upon the Author in his editorial capacity, and will form an invaluable guide in the selection of Dogs, as well as an aide-memoir to all. W. TH ACKER & CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. 35 THACKER, SPINK & CO., CALCUTTA. Crown 8vo. Illustrated. Rs. 5 ; Inter- leaved, Rs. 5-8. A TEXT BOOK OF INDIAN BOTANY MORPHOLOGICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, and SYSTEMATIC. By W. H. GREGG, Lecturer on Botany, Hughli College. With 240 Illustrations. Crown 8vo. 7s. 6d. Illustrated. MANUAL OF AGRICULTURE FOR INDIA. By Lieut. F. POGSON. 1. Origin and Character of Soils.— 2. Ploughing and Preparing for Seed.— 3. Manures and Composts.— 4. "Wheat Cultivation.— 5. Barley.— 6. Oats. —7. Rye.— 8. Rice.— 9. Maize.— 10. Sugar-producing Sorghums.— 11. Common Sorghums.— 12. Sugarcane.— 13. Oil Seed.— 14. Field Pea Crops.— 15. Dall or Pulse.— 16. Root Crops.— 17. Cold Spice.— 18. Fodder.— 19. Water-Nut.— 20. Ground-Nut. — 21. Rush-Nut or Chufas. — 22. Cotton. — 23. Tolacco.— 24 Mensuration. — Appendix. "A work of extreme practical value." — Home News. "Mr. Pogson's advice may be profitably followed by both native and European agriculturists, for it is eminently practical and devoid of empiricism. His little volume embodies the teaching of a large and varied experience, and deserves to be warmly supported."— Madras Mail. W. THACKER 6- CO., 87 NEWGATE STREET, LONDON. 36 THACKER, SPINK & CO., CALCUTTA. Fourth Edition, Imperial i6mo. 15*. Illustrated. A MANUAL OF GARDENING FOR BENGAL AND UPPER INDIA. By THOMAS A. C. FIRMINGER, M.A. THOROUGHLY REVISED AND BROUGHT DOWN TO THE PRESENT TIME BY J. H. JACKSON, Editor of ' ' The Indian Agriculturist. " PART I. Operations of Gardening. Chap. I. — Climate — Soils — Manures. Chap. II. — Laying-out aGarden— Lawns — Hedges — Hoeing and Digging — Drainage — Conservatories — Betel Houses — Decorations — Implements — Shades — Labels — Vermin — Weeds. Chap. III. — Seeds — Seed Sowing — Pot Culture — Planting — Cuttings — Layers — Gootee — Grafting and Inarching — Budding — Pruning and Root Pruning — Conveyance. Chap. IV. — Calendar of Operations. Part II. Garden Plants. 1. Culinary Vegetables. 2. Dessert Fruits. 3. Edible Nuts. 4. Ornamental Annuals. 5. Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, and Herbaceous Perennials. Crown 8vo, cloth. Us. 2-8. The Amateur Gardener in the Hills. Hints from Various Authorities on Garden Management, AND ADAPTED TO THE HILLS ; With Hints on Fowls, Pigeons, and Rabbit Keeping ; And various Recipes connected with the above subjects which are not commonly found in Recipe Books. IV. 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