THE ABOR EXPEDITION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1335, 12 January 1912, Page 6

THE ABOR EXPEDITION.

DETAILS OP THE STOCKADE FIGHT. Egar River Camp, November 24. The expedition has now reached Hotline a gathering place of the Abors, which to found to have been burned. After-marching unopposed to tho limit ot ilie made road, the striking force began tho ascent of the rising ground beyond the Lclek River, through a thick bamboo forest. Information had been received to the effcct that a stocWue might bo met with, and the Gurkha, scouts, who were accompanied by Major Richardson s war do»s, were accordingly ordered to keep a sharp look-out. The dogs again proved their efficiency, as they gave warning to the outposts of the presenco ot the onemv's scouts before they were seen by the Naga .coolies. Advancing for some distance through the forest tho expedition reached a spot where a somewhat unnatural . interlacing of ' the boughs seemed to' indicate the proximity of Abor barricades, especially, as panjies, or pointed bamboo stakes, fixed in. the ground with tho sharp ends uppermost, were strewn about. During the march Major-General Bower and his staff made a slight detour, ,in order to obtain a glimpse of the position at Rotung. The force eventually proceeded along a gorge and arrived at an open space suitable for a bivouac. Gurkha scouts.werp sent out, arid were followed by MajorGeneral Bower and an orderly officerShortly afterwards the scouts reported that they had como upon a stockade, which was apparently unoccupied. : Suddenly, however, a shot fired from . tho stocfade rang out, and Lai Bahadur,, one of the survivors of Mr. Williamson's party, was found to have been.wounded in the shoulder. Simultaneously an enior. mous rock chute was discharged, .the boulders thundering down tho gorgo and just missing tho British officers, liro was immediately opened. upon the stockade, from behind which the Abors .replied with, showers of arrows, while six nioro stone chutes wore released, amid the defiant cries: of the enemv.' Captain "Becher, 'of the 2nd Gurkha Rides; was in"jured by a heavy which struck his heliiiot. - ' , Reinforcements were sent up tho hill, where they found Major-General Bower and his staff with a party of Gurkhas only thirty yards from the stockade. Orders* were dispatched for a seven-pounder and two mortar'trims td be sent to this point.' The Abors now bega-h to use rifles, and Lieutenant Kennedy called for a party to storm the stockade. After, a stiflish climb, during which four stone chutes were hurled down the slope, tho storming party outflanked the enemy. Lieutenant Bueklaud was the'first to enter tho stockade, being followed by Licutcna.nt Kennedy and seven Gurkhas. A number of flee>i.ig Abors were encountered, t-.vo of thein • wearing khaki coats which probably Iwlonged to tho murdered members of Mr. Williamson's party. Three of the enemy were killed, ono of thorn being shot by Lieutenant Kennedy as lie was engaged in a hand-to-hand struggle with a Gurkha. The fight lasted altogether an hour. The stockade was found to bo niost cunningly contrived. Sleeping accommodation was provided for fifty men, and elaborate arrangements were mado for the defence of the structure by means of stone chutes and a cross flanking and frontal fire from bows and arrows and rifles. Tho departure of the exposition tho camp at Old Renging was most welcome to the troops, who had begun to suffer from hardsliip» they had undergone. Moreover, many of thorn were suffering from fever as the result of tho recent rains—Router's Special Service.