TRAGEDY OF AN EXPEDITION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10778, 29 May 1911, Page 6

TRAGEDY OF AN EXPEDITION.

HOW THE ABORS KILLED MR ■ WILLIAMSON. The story of the massacre of Mr Noel Williamson and his expedition by the Abors on the frontier of Assam and Tibet is more hinted at than' told in a telegraphic report which the Secretary of State for India has received from the commandant of the punitive police force which is lying, too exhausted to advance, at Pashighat. The tragedy begins with Mr Williamson's arrival at Riu on March 30, after leaving' Dr Gregorson at Sishsin. . . "On. Williamson's arrival in the village," says the report, "the baggage was put down and the coolies taken to a big house, where, a, quantity of drink was produced. ; Williamson warned the coolies not to drink too much. Williamson was then led; away by Maddu Gam, ' Vichi, Williamson's Naga servant, following at some little distance. They disappeared-round the corner, and the coolies were invited inio the house. Suddenly Vichi came rumiiug shouting 'The Saheb is killed.' As if this had been the signal awaited, the village broke into pandemonium. As the panic-stricken coolies burst out of thehouse they were cut down by the Abors with .long swords-. ' One survivor es-' oafied by 'jumping out by the back of the house and through the other end of the village. Vichi and the 'cook succeeded, in findiug two guns and a little ammunition, and with the few coolies' remaining retired' , from the village, using their guns and covering- the escape of the surviving N.epalesc. "It is said that the cook shot himself with the last- 'cartridge.' Vichi's fate is unknown. Nothing is known also about the fate of the sepoy orderly. The live survivors fled chased by the Abors with dogs,, eventually reaching the river at Sishsin,; where there were no signs of Dr Gregorson, His tent had disappeared, and only ah-ominous gathering of crows hung over the deserted encampi meht. It is said'!that. Gregorson heard firing and startetl up tbe hill to help Williamson, being shown- the path by J3ishshi-Abors. Somewhere on the path, wiith the treacherous Sishsin Abors behind him and Komsing. Riu Abors fin 'front,.he met his end. One of the sick .who remained at-Sishsin with Gregorson was; Lai Bahadur, the coolie sardar. On April 12 a sentry on the river facing Pashighat saw a body floating down stream with ail -arrow- wound 'in the chest.; .The. -body was recognised as Sardjar Lai Baliadur's.. The last written .word ofthe'expedition came from Katoki to- Iris wife in Sisserimukh. He .wrote:, arrived 'at Pangighat. Here Kebo.ng Abors forbid going further. Saheb insists on going on into village. My impression is we shall never return. Tt is still imcertain whether "tne massacre occurred at Riu or Komshig. I am inclined to think it took place at .Koinsing." ~