TIROT, Mairang (Krem)

History

EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1831.12.09: Lieutenent Hamilton Vetch of the Assam Light Infantry (WATSON & WHITE 1832: 111), recalls in a letter to Col. Arch. Watson (dated Jorehaut [Jorhat], 9th December s.a.) how he had applied stink pots and enjoyed an entertaining evening in the company of David Scott and numerous sepoys … when returning from Myrong we … proceeded with our party to the place, which was a jumble of rocks and ravines, covered with [p. 80] jungle, creepers, brambles, brush-wood, and trees. Immense masses of granite, overhanging each other, or rolled together, formed numerous caves and fissures, communicating with one another. In this place about a hundred armed outlaws had taken shelter, well knowing the security of such a retreat: for, in attacking one entrance, a party was exposed to be shot at from perhaps half a dozen other holes in the rocks, so hid by jungle, that it was impossible to know from which side to expect their arrows, and the ground was so broken into precipics, that only one or two men could have been brought to bear on a point. We found little could be done without a larger detachment than we had brought; the Cassyas, however, had defied us, and commenced shooting out of their holes; and we determined, if possible, to keep them where they were, till more men should be sent for, and the place, if possible, surrounded. Their arrows, from the holes, were answered by our musket balls: the sepoys watching their opportunity to fire in. We now learned from a villager of the neighbourhood, that most of the outlaws had provided themselves with iron shields, which they hoped to find proof against our musketry. We had endeavoured to force the only accessible entrance we could discover, but it was strongly barricaded, and only one could have entered by it at a time; it was well defended by the Cassyas, who were, from a turn in the cave that protected them from our fire, able to command its mouth. At this place, standing behind a projecting piece of ock, and firing our pistols into the hole, from which arrows were flying, both Mr. Scott and myself, heard the balls ring on what we supposed to be their iron shields; and next day it proved [p. 81] to be the case, as we found a shield near this entrance dented with the balls. In passing between two rocks, Mr. Scott was on the point of stepping over a small fissure, when he heard a rustle below, and immediately drew back his head, while, at the same instant, an arrow almost grazed his face from below, and, but for his sudden drawing back, must have lodged in his throat. Mr. Scott, I have always heard, entered most keenly into affairs of this sort, and exposed his person, as some might think, to much unnecessary danger. While we were thus engaged, a thunder-storm came on, and the heavy rain which followed, made us slacken our fire. This was immediately observed by the Cassyas, who made the rocks resound with their shouts; calling out, now that the muskets would not go off, it was theirturn; and, plying their arrows with more vigour than ever, wounded some of our men. Night was fast approaching, and all we could possibly hope for was to keep the enemy where they were, till a stronger party should join us in the morning, when we might be able to secure the whole of them : but we were not aware that these caves communicated with some woody dales below; and, during the night, while some of the Cassyas kept the sentries on the alert, at their posts, by shouting and discharging arrows, the others were making their escape in a different direction, and carrying off their wounded. Mr. Scott and myself occupied (during the night) a wretched hut, near the spot, wet, tired, and hungry; but a message had been despatched to Nunkhlow, and, about nine o'clock, abundance of good cheer and some capital [p. 82] champagne arrived, to which we heartily paid our devoirs, and I never saw Mr. Scott in higher spirits, or more entertaining in his conversation than when sitting on the floo of this wretched hovel, where the rain was dropping in upon us through the roof. Although a good deal of firing had been kept up by the sentries during the night, all was silent among the rocks at day-break; and it was soon discovered the place was deserted. By scrambling on our hands and knees, we got down into the caves, but found nothing, except a few dead bodies, broken pots, bows, and empty quivers, strewed about in all directions. We got about 40 of the iron shields before mentioned, which evidently had not answered the expectations of the owners, as one man was lying dead on his, which had been put up to protect him, but a musket ball had passed through it into his forehead; and others that had been placed as a defence at some of the holes, were riddled with balls. I, however, doubt if they would not have proved a protection against musketry at 70 or 80 yards, and a fowling piece of small bore would not have pierced them at perhaps more than half that distance. After examiningthe caves, parties went, in different directions, in pursuit of the fugitives: but the country was too woody and difficult to afford much hope of coming up with them … [p. 84] I had forgot to mention that we tried to smoke out the Cassyas with stink pots, some of which we had with us; but they were badly made, and the numerous vents and fissures in the rocks, allowed all the smoke to pass upwards; and I suspect we came in for a greater share of it than the enemy, who did not seem to care for it, while we were glad to shift our ground (Vetch, H 1831.12.09 Mss in: WATSON & WHITE 1832: 78-84). Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018