THE ABORS SUBMIT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1328, 4 January 1912, Page 5

THE ABORS SUBMIT.

MURDER OF MR. WILLIAMSON, FINES IMPOSED. By Tolecraoa-Press Aasociation-Copyrieht Calcutta, January 2. ' Abors' villages have submitted to the British troops. Fines havo been imposed on the tribes concerned in the murder of Mr, Iv'oel Williamson, British political agent, and members of his party. Mr. Noel Williamson was murdered by Abors on March 31, 1011, and a punitive expedition was sent against the guiltv tribes. On March 6 the Government o'f eastern Bengal asked permission to send Mr, Williamson on a tour between the "Inner" and the "Outer" lino of the northern border of Assam—the first representing the limits of ordinary British administration, the second those of British political control. It was understood by the Government that this tour would not bo undertaken till April, and then under tho protection of a large' militnrv police guard; but on March 11 Mr. Williamson left Sudiya with a personal friend,' Dr. Ciregorson, ono orderly, End 13 Nopaulesc and Miris, for an unauthorised expedition into the l'asi Abor country up the Dihong River beyond (ho "Outer" line. This act the Lieutenant-Governor describes (is "the fault of a zealous officer, anxious to obtain information which lin believed would bo valuable, and willing to run a certain amount of risk in getting it." Mr. Williamson was accordingly met at Sishin in a very friendly manner, and conducted by tribesmen to Bin, where ho was at onco murdered; an attack was simultaneously made on Dr. Gregorson, who had stayed at Sishin,' and out of the wholo expedition only four coolies escaped alive. . The whole Abor tribe is of an extremely independent and democratic nature. Each village is a little republic in itself, and makes its own laws by the vote of the majority. The villages are collections of from 30' to' 250 houses, situated, as a rule, on a spar. The houses are built of large rough-hewn planks on "changs," or platforms, with low-thatched roofs tho eaves of which come down to the platform. The pigs of the village live under the houses, and their scavenging is lho only form of sanitation these people possess. In tho centre of each village is a largo hut, sometimes over 50 yards long, with several fireplaces in it, which is used as a guesthonso and council-chamber, as well as barracks in which the bachelors sleep whoso duty is to guard the village at night and turn tho inhabitants out for work in tho morning. In it tho village olders meet daily to. discuss matters of State, and issue orders for the work of the community for the next day. Tho Abors are armed with spears and long straight swords; a few have guns, while every man carries a bow and quiver full of poisoned arrows. The arrows havo a steel-barbed tip lightly lashed on to the shaft, and aconite mixed with putrid pig's blood is smeared on over the lashing for a distance of four or five inches towards the feather. When the missile strikes the "haft often falls off, leaving the head in the wound and breaking up tho poison, which, if fresh, is strong enough to kill a buffalo in half an hour.