View source for Mizoram,1872: Gnurshailon

{| class="wikitable"
|-
|colspan="0"|<div style="font-size:100%">
This article is an extract from <br/>


'''THE LUSHAI EXPEDITION '''  <br/>
1871-1872<br/>

BY<br/>
R.G. WOODTHORPE.<br/>
LIEUT. ROYAL ENGINEERS.<br/>

LONDON:<br/>
HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS, <br/>
13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.<br/>

1873.<br/>
*****<br/>
''Indpaedia is an archive. It neither agrees nor disagrees ''<br/> 
''with the contents of this article.''<br/>
''Secondly, this has been scanned frcm a bcck. You can hclp by ''<br/> 
''send!ng the correcled vcrsion/ additional information to ''<br/>  
the Facebook community, [http://www.facebook.com/Indpaedia Indpaedia.com]. <br/> ''All information used will be duly acknowledged.'' 
 
</div>
|} 
[[Category:India|M ]]
[[Category:Places|M ]]
=Gnurshailon=
Since this time nothing seems to have 
occurred till January, 1862, when three 
villages were plundered and burnt in the neigh- 
bourhood of Adumpur, and evidence went to 
show that the leader in this outrage was 
Gnurshailon, son of Lalchokla, who had married 
a sister of Sukpilal. 

No steps were taken by Government till 1864, 
when four captives made their escape from 
Cachar, and from their statements it appeared 
that Sukpilal, and two other Poitoo chiefs, 
Rungboom and Lalltolien, were also implicated, 
and that many of the captives were living at 
that time in the villages of these chiefs. 

The local authorities desired an Expedition 
to be sent against them, but it was feared that this 
might bring down the Kookies on the tea-gardens, 
which are rapidly spreading south, and, before 
attempting force, Captain Stewart, the Deputy 
Commissioner was desired to open negotiations 
with Sukpilal to induce him to give up the 
captives in his possession. 

The latter sent his muntri to Captain Stewart. 
He admitted his guilt in the Adumpur matter, 
but said that some of the captives had been sold 
to the Pois, a powerful tribe to the south-east 
of Sukpilal's territory. 

Captain Stewart required the chief to come to 
him, bringing with him the captives, and swear 
friendship, on doing which he would receive fifty 
rupees a month, subject to a small annual tribute 
of certain specified articles. 

The muntri said that Sukpilal's son should go 
in, as the chief was too ill to move, and agreed 
to the other conditions. 

About the same time Captain Stewart. con- 
cluded a similar treaty with Voupilal, son of Mora, 
who had Succeeded his father as chief of the 
Kholal villages, whither the latter had removed 
after the destruction of his village by Colonel 
Lister in 1850. 

A new rajah had in the meantime assumed 
the reigns of government in Tipperah, and to 
strengthen his position he offered to do all in 
his power to seize Gnurshailon and Sukpilal. 
His offer was, however, refused, as the negotia- 
tion with the latter seemed to promise fairly. 

In December, 1865, however, it was reported 
that Sukpilal had not given up the captives, and 
no satisfactory reason being given for this non- 
compliance with the terms of his agreement, an 
Expedition was organised to compel their re- 
lease. 

The rainy season setting in before it could 
start, the operations were postponed. During 
the rains. Captain Stewart was employed in in- 
quiring into the accessibility and position of Suk- 
pilal's villages. He considered that no approach 
could be made from the Chittagong side (this has 
since been proved to be a mistaken notion), 
and that at least four hundred men should be sent 
from Cachar. The idea of an Expedition was 
then abandoned. 

Shortly after Sukpilal opened negotiations again, 
by sending in the annual presents, but no captives; 
but after much trouble four were at length sent in. 
Gnurshailon, it was said, through whom Sukpilal 
obtained muskets from Tipperah, prevented his 
sending in the others. Many of the captives 
were said to be married to Lushais, and unwilling 
to leave them. There was probably some truth 
in this statement, as we shall see from an incident 
which occurred during the late Expedition. 

Towards the close of 1868, attacks were made 
on some Naga villages in Munipur, and Rung- 
boom's villages in Hill Tipperah. In the 
latter Sukpilal was supposed to be concerned; 
and at the same time the tea-gardens in South 
Cachar were threatened. 

On the 10th January, 1869, the Lushais, under 
a chief named Lalroom, Youpilal's brother-in- 
law, burnt the tea-garden of Nowarbund and 
killed some of the coolies, and another party 
under Deouti, on the 14th, attacked the Monir- 
khal garden, where there was a stockade and a 
police-guard; he succeeded in destroying the 
buildings and plundering the garden. 
==Plan Of Operations==
Early in February an attack was made on 
the Kala Naga stockade by Lushais, under 
Lenkom. . The stockade was taken, and a 
Munipur officer and some Sepoys killed. 

Voupilal and Sukpilal were suspected from 
the first, though the actual raiders were not 
discovered till afterwards, and an attempt was 
made to punish them. 

A large Expedition was set on foot, consist- 
ing of two forces of Military and Police, one 
intended to proceed up the Sonai to punish 
Voupilal, the other to reach Sukpilal by the 
Dullesur River. The Rajah of Munipur was also 
to have co-operated from his side. 

These plans were altered considerably, and 
the Expedition was unsuccessful. The plan of 
operations to be carried out was this : — Simul- 
taneously with the advance of the columns 
from Cacbar, one composed principally of police 
under Mr. Baker, Deputy Inspector- General, 
was to march on Sukpilal from Koilashur 
through Rungboom's villages. 

The Cachar column, under General Nuthall, 
which proceeded up the Dullesur, was obliged 
by rain, to turn back, before reaching the 
enemy's country, having only proceeded three 
marches from the furthest tea-garden. 

Mr. Baker, whose orders were to effect a 
junction with the Dullesur column at Sukpilal's 
villages if possible, or if not to return by 
the shortest route to Sylhet, marched from 
Koilashur towards the middle of February. 
Notwithstanding the failure of the Tipperah 
Rajah's Minister to assist him with carriage 
and food, in accordance with the orders re- 
ceived from the Rajah, notwithstanding also 
the heavy rains which delayed him several 
days, Mr. Baker succeeded in reaching the 
Lushai villages. 

On the way there, he passed the place 
where Rungboom's people had been treacher- 
ously killed by Lushais in December, and saw 
eleven skeletons in one spot. Rungboom him- 
self had escaped, but was pursued by the 
Lushais, who burnt his villages. They were 
repulsed by the police of the Adumpur 
guard, and compelled to retire, having killed 
about eighty or ninety persons. 
==Mr. Baker's column==

On the 17th March, Mr. Baker's column 
arrived in sight of the Lushai villages, and 
there being no signs of the approach of that 
under General Nuthall, he determined, after 
consultation with his officers, to hold on for 
another day, and in the meantime to make a 
reconnaissance, to try to pick up some food, 
there being none then in camp. 

A brush with Lushais took place, and our 
men returned to camp in the evening. It 
being evident that the Dullesur column had not 
advanced for some reason or other, and that 
with the small force at his disposal, he could 
not hope to cope successfully with the whole 
tribe, Mr. Baker determined to fall back on 
the Depot in rear, and the retreat com- 
menced the next day. 

On the 2l8t, a telegram from Cachar informed 
him that General Nuthall and his column were 
back in Cachar, so there was nothing to do 
but to return with all speed to Sylhet. 

Mr. Baker describes the country passed 
through by his column, thus : — 

" The country traversed by us was alto- 
gether hilly, we passed no morasses, and ex- 
cepting the forest lying between the Karruntah 
range and the banks of the Deo, the country 
was found to be high, dry, and free from 
malaria at this season. 

'' Small streams were met with at the bases 
of all the higher hills, and occasionally springs 
on the hill-sides not far from the tops of 
the ridges. The rivers crossed, the Munneo, 
Deo, Pakwa, &c., were from twenty to thirty 
yards wide, and about two or three feet 
deep, having firm sandy beds, easily forded; 
but in the rainy season they must become 
exceedingly deep and rapid streams. 

‘Judging by their high steep banks, they are 
liable to great rises and sudden falls, and 
they are much blocked up with fallen timbers* 
On some of the ranges are sites of old Kookie 
villages, now overgrown with high grass, but 
there are still some fine trees left, among 
them a few lemon. 
==Appearance Of The Country==

‘Game seemed to be abundant along the 
course of the rivers. Elephants are extremely 
numerous in these valleys, and there are 
deer, wild hogs, porcupines, and in the 
Langai valley rhinoceros are said to be found. 

" The principal ranges of hills run north 
and south, but between these the smaller 
ranges are innumerable ; in fact, the entire 
country is a jumble of hills. The main fea- 
tures are, therefore, mountain ranges of one 
thousand to two thousand feet in height, at 
intervals of ten or twelve miles, trending 
north and south ; of confused lines of hills 
and spurs running down to the bottom of 
these intervening spaces; and lastly of deep 
and narrow streams flowing along the lowest 
levels from north to south, over sandy or 
rooky beds, and in very winding courses, 
often under high and precipitous banks. This 
very well describes the character also of the 
country south and west of Tipai Mukh." 

Mr. Baker submitted among others the follow- 
ing suggestions as the results of his experience, 
and as likely to be useful in the case of a 
future expedition. Several of these were adopted, 
and it would have been better if some of the 
others had also been followed. 
" In expeditions of this nature the carriage of 
supplies and the clearing of a sufficiently con- 
venient path, are of course, the chief points to 
be alluded to. I believe the Lushais will fight 
on their own ground, and in their own desultory 
manner .... I would recommend — 

" For carriage : 

" Boats to the furthest point they can go up in 
November and December, afterwards coolies and 
elephants. 

"To open roads : 

'A company of pioneers, and attached to them 
a body of one hundred Kookie jungle-cutters. 

" Half a battery of mountain guns, carried on 
mules in preference to elephants, would prove 
serviceable, and would save time and reduce the 
casualties in taking defended stockades. 

"Every man in the force should be supplied 
with a kookrie, a dao, a water-bottle, and 
havresack capable of containing his ‘shalee,.’
‘ lotah,' and some food. 
==Mr. Edgar==

"Coolies properly organised and officered 
would prove more reliable than elephants, but a 
score or two of the latter would be useful. No 
tents should be allowed for either men or 
officers and their personal baggage reduced to a 
minimum. 

‘The columns prepared in good time, say in 
November, should move steadily, if slowly, 
making the marches as little trying as pos- 
sible." 

The portion of the force which went up the 
Sonai with Mr. Edgar got to one of Vou- 
pilal's villages, the headman of which, with 
his mother, went, and offered to make sub- 
mission, declaring that Voupilal, who had 
lately died, had taken no part in the raid 
on Munipur, which had been made by Poiboi 
alone. They gave Mr. Edgar very accurate in- 
formation about the other raids, and promised 
to do what they could to induce the Eastern 
chiefs to come to terms. The force then re- 
turned to Cachar. 

The Munipur Contingent was prevented by 
stress of weather from doing anything, and thus 
ended this Expedition, from which such great 
results had been anticipated. 

In the next raids, which took place in the cold 
weather following, some new Lushai chiefs ap- 
peared, and it will be necessary just to look 
back for a little at the changes which had taken 
place among the principal families. 

Voupilal had died in 1869, and his people are 
divided in their allegiance between his mother 
and his widow. The former lives at Dollong, 
the latter on Vanbong Hill, whither the vil- 
lagers removed from Kholel on the death of 
Voupilal. The widow claims the regency on behalf 
of her infant son Lalhi. Khalkom, Sukpilal's 
son, has moved his village across the Sonai to 
the ridge on which Dollong is situated, and 
supports the mother against the widow, who is 
assisted by her brother Poiboi. 

Lalsavoong having made himself master of 
the Chumfai valley and neighbourhood, died 
about 1849, leaving three sons who became 
powerful chiefs, of these vonolel proved himself 
the most powerful and ablest of all the Lushais ; 
and in his constant struggles with neighbouring 
tribes, was generally successful. 
==Sukpilal==
He fought with the Pois and carried off large 
numbers, whom he settled in separate villages, 
or among his own people. He pursued the same 
policy with the Soktes, a powerful tribe in the 
East, under Kamlion, the chief of Molbhem. 
He was succeeded on his death a few years ago 
by his young son Lalboora. 

Another son of Lalsavoong was Lalpoong, 
who had become head of the villages of Chelam 
and the others now belonging to Poiboi, his 
son, who is still a mere boy. 

In December, 1870, Mr. Edgar went down to 
see Sukpilal, and settled finally the boundary 
fixed provisionally the year before. After seeing 
this chief, Mr. Edgar had great difficulty in 
returning, being without provisions, and re- 
ceiving no tidings as to the boats which were 
to have been sent down the Sonai, he was 
obliged to encamp for some time, while he sent 
men to get information as to his supplies, and 
the temper of the neighbouring Lushais. Suk- 
pilal's people treated him well, taking him such 
provisions as they could, till the arrival of a 
small party of the 44th, under Captain Lightfoot, 
enabled him to return to Cachar. 

During his stay in the country, he received 
tidings of intended raids on Cachar, which at 
the time he did not believe, though he sent a 
messenger into the station to give warning; 
shortly afterwards, he heard that raids had 
actually Been made in various parts of the dis- 
trict, about the middle of January. These raids 
were as follows. 

The manager of the tea-garden at Monierkhal, 
had received warning of a raid, and had removed 
his coolies ; but he with the guard of thirty-seven 
soldiers and police, and two other Europeans, 
remained in the stockade. They were reinforced 
by Mr. Daly, a police-officer, from Cachar, and 
about forty soldiers. 

The Lushais, under Lalboora, however, be- 
sieged the stockade for two days, keeping up 
a very heavy fire. Mr. Daly twice made sorties, 
but each time was driven back with loss : the 
Lushais rushing on the slain and plundering 
their bodies. The Lushais are supposed to have 
lost fifty men during this attack. 

At the same time Lalboora's cousin, Tang- 
dong, had made an attempt to reach Nowar- 
bund, but losing his way came out on the 
==Mary Winchester==
Nudigram road, where they fell in with a 
guard of eight soldiers and a constable. The 
Sepoys behaved gallantly, but were overpowered, 
six being killed, and one wounded. They are said 
to have killed twenty-five of the enemy before being 
overcome. Tangdong, on his return to his village, 
found that it had been attacked in his absence and 
destroyed by a large party of Soktes under Kam- 
how, and his wife and a large number of his peo- 
ple carried off as captives. In these two affairs 
the Lushais got possession of thirteen muskets 
from the dead police and Sepoys, which caused 
them great exultation. 

In South Hylakandy attacks had also been 
made on the gardens of Alexandrapur, Jhalua 
Chura, and Cantley Chura, by the Howlongs 
from the South, assisted by the Lyloos. At 
Alexandrapur, early in the morning, the Lushais 
emerged suddenly on the garden from the sur- 
rounding jungle, taking the people so much by 
surprise that no attempt at defence could be 
made. Mr. Winchester, who, with his daughter, 
was on a visit to a friend at this garden, and 
some coolies, were killed at once, the manager 
of the garden effecting his escape, and little 
Mary Winchester and several others being 
carried off as prisoners. 

At the other gardens they were not so suc- 
cessful, the occupants having time to arm them- 
selves before the Lushais appeared, and the 
latter were repulsed with ease in each attack, 
and forced to retire altogether. It was against 
these Howlongs and Lyloos that the opera- 
tions of the right column, under General Brown- 
low, were directed, and from whom they ' 
succeeded eventually in obtaining the release 
of Mary Winchester. 

While returning from Lushai land Mr. Edgar 
received a visit from Khalkom, Sukpilal’s son, who 
promised to assist us if an Expedition was under- 
taken against the Eastern Lushais, and stated 
that a path from Tipai Mukh, which might be 
made passable for elephants, led directly into 
their country. 

Mr. Edgar recommended that, if an expe- 
dition was sent against Lalboora, Tipai Mukh 
should be adopted as the starting point, being 
nearer that chief's villages than any other place 
accessible by water.