Contents

My

Three Years In Manipur

&

Escape from the Recent Mutiny

by

Ethel St. Clair Grimwood

Ethel St. Clair Grimwood (1867-1928)

LONDON

RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON

Publishers in Ordinary to Her Majesty the Queen

1891

[All rights reserved]

Bear from the Naga Hills

CONTENTS


ETHEL ST. CLAIR GRIMWOOD
A short study of Ethel Grimwood's life, before and after the Manipur tragedy


INTRODUCTION.
A contemporary assessment of British involvement in Manipur (N.E. India).

CHAPTER I.  

My husband offered the post of Political Agent at Manipur – Arrival there and first impressions – Adventures on the journey – Coolies – Arrive at Cachar

CHAPTER II.  

Cachar or Silchar – We are fêted there – The hill tribes: Kukis, Tongkhuls, etc. – Their dress and habits – Rest-houses, and difficulties therein – Manipuri Sepoys: camp on the Makru River – Logtak Lake – Colonel Samoo Singh – The Senaputti

CHAPTER III.  

Favourable impressions of our new home, the Residency – The Maharajah – His brother the Jubraj – Polo with the Princes – The Senaputti a fine sportsman – Visits us on Sunday afternoons – Shell-firing – Prince Zillah Singh – We try to learn the Manipuri language

CHAPTER IV.  

Collect various animals around us – Habits of our pets – Our beautiful grounds – The Nagas – Amusing incident – The liquor Zu – Roast dog – Villages allotted to us for food, labour, etc. – Women do the work – Children of the Maharajah – A water-party – Every child dances in Manipur – The Manipuri women not shut up

CHAPTER V.  

Trips to the Logtak Lake – Beautiful scene on the lake – Tent pitched on an island in it – The Pucca Senna accompanies us – Crowds collect to see us – Old women dance – Natives laugh at my riding-habit – Moombi – Steep ascent – Chief of the village threatens us – Unpleasant quarters – Wet condition and hostile reception – My husband teaches the Prince English

CHAPTER VI.  

Society at Manipur – Band of the Ghoorkas – The bandmaster – His peculiar attire – The regiment ordered away, to our regret – Worse news – We are ordered to leave – Parting views – Mr. Heath appointed – Son of the Tongal general – His good and bad qualities – Magnificent scenery – The Ungamis – Their quarrelsome character

CHAPTER VII.  

Short stay at Jorehat – My husband appointed to Gauhati – Value of the bearer in India – His notions and mine not always in harmony – Arrive at Gauhati – Illness and death of Mr. Heath – Presentiments – My husband returns to Manipur – I remain at Shillong – Delicious climate

CHAPTER VIII.  

A terrible experience – A Thoppa and a journey in one – Its difficulties and dangers – The Lushais – Arrive at Sylhet – Find the coolies have levanted – A pony journey ends disastrously – A night walk – Accident to Mr. A—. – Arrive at a teahouse – Not a shadowy dinner

CHAPTER IX.  

Return to Manipur – Mr. Heath's grave – Old Moonia – A quarrel and fight between Moonia and the Chupprassie's wife – Dignity of the Chupprassies – The Senaputti gets up sports – Manipuri greetings and sports

CHAPTER X.  

Bad relations between the Pucca Senna and the Senaputti – Rival lovers – Quarrels in the Royal Family – Prince Angao Senna – Pigeon contests – The Manipuris' fondness for gambling – Departure of the Ghoorkas – Too much alone

CHAPTER XI.  

The Princes quarrel – Attack on the Maharajah – His retreat – His cowardice and accusations – The Pucca Senna departs also – Conduct of the Jubraj

CHAPTER XII.  

Vigour of the new reign – A magic-lantern performance – Conduct of the bandmaster – First mention of Mr. Quinton – Visit to Burmah – Beauty of the scenery – House ourselves in a Pagoda – Burmese love of flowers, and of smoking – Visit Tummu – Burmese love of chess – First meeting with Grant – He helps us to make a cake – Search after orchids – Arrival of visitors – Important telegram from Chief Commissioner – Coming events commence to cast shadows

CHAPTER XIII.  

Preparations for the Chief Commissioner's visit – Despair over the commissariat – Uncertainty of Mr. Quinton's intentions – Uneasiness of the Manipuris – They crowd into their citadel – Decision of the Government of India and their policy against the Jubraj – Death of our dinner and our goat – Arrival of Mr. Quinton and Colonel Skene – Mr. Grimwood ordered to arrest the Jubraj – The Regent and his brother appear at the Residency – The Manipuris suspect hostility – The old Tongal – Last evening of peace

CHAPTER XIV.  

Up early on the eventful morning – The Jubraj does not attend the Durbar – Visit of Mr. Grimwood to the Jubraj – Finds him in high fever – Matters assume a serious aspect – Thoroughfares deserted – Terrific thunderstorm – Our servants take French leave – My ayah deserts – Melancholy thoughts – Lovely moonlight night – A Manipuri arrives to spy out our doings – The night before the outbreak – Attack on the Residency – Capture of the Jubraj's house – Anxiety about Lieutenant Brackenbury – Stray bullets find their billet in the Residency – Attack gets hot, and big guns play on the Residency – We have to take to the cellars – The Regent invites Mr. Quinton to an interview

CHAPTER XV.  

Mr. Brackenbury – Scenes in the little cellar – Destruction of our home – Another moonlight night with a difference – Re-opening of the attack on the Residency – Death of Mr. Brackenbury – Preparations to escape

CHAPTER XVI.  

Escape of the servants – Mr. Gurdon comes for me – Away from shelter, and one's life in one's hands – Over the hedge and across the river – Lie in the ditch for shelter from shot – Fired on at Burri Bazaar

CHAPTER XVII.  

Burning of the Residency and of all our effects – Difficulties of retreat – No food, wet clothes, burning sun – Pursued – Exhaustive march – Kindness of a Naga boy – Fired on – Sleep after a march of twenty miles – Have to march again – Capture a Manipuri with rice – Enemy lurks around us – Come upon a stockade – Are attacked – Goorkhas in sight

CHAPTER XVIII.  

Saved – Captain Cowley pursues the enemy, and we fall on our feet – Have to wear Sepoys' boots – Halt at Semiatak – Transitions of climate – Manipuris attack – Tables turned on them – Shortness of food – The Nagas – Cross the Jhiri and regain the British frontier

CHAPTER XIX.  

Our ignorance as to Mr. Quinton's proceedings – News at last reach India and England – Take off my clothes for the first time for ten days – March to Lahkipur – The ladies of Cachar send clothes to me – Write home – Great kindness shown to me – My fears for my husband – The telegram arrives with fatal news – Major Grant's narrative

CHAPTER XX.  

Her Majesty gives me the Red Cross – I go to Windsor and see her Majesty – The Princess of Wales expresses a wish to see me – Conclusion

NOTE

The two letters written by Major Grant, and quoted on pp. 289 and 309, appeared originally in the columns of the 'Times' newspaper.


BRITISH CASUALTIES
The victims of  the 24-25th March 1891.


RETRIBUTION & AFTERMATH
The fate of the Manipuri rebels and increase of British influence in the region.