TRAGEDY OF AN EXPEDITION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 324, 10 June 1911, Page 9

TRAGEDY OF AN EXPEDITION.

lIOW THE ABORS KILLED MR. WILLIAMSON. The story of tho 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 tho 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 Sisliin. "On Williamson's arrival in the village," says tho report, ''the baggage was put down and the coolies taken to a big house, where a quantity of drink was procured. Williamson warned the coolies not to drink too much. Williamson was then led awav by Maddu Gam, Vielii, Williamson's Naga servant, following at some little distance. They disappeared round the corner, and the cool T ies were invited into the house. Suddenly Vielii came, running 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 the house they were cut down by the Abors with long swords. One survivor escaped by jumping out by the back of the house and through the other end of the village. Vielii and the cook succeeded in finding 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 Nepalese, "It is said that the cook shot himself with the last cartridge. Vichi's fate is unknown. Nothing is known also about tho fato of the sepoy orderly. The Ave survivors fled, chased by the Abors with dogs, eventually reaching the river at Sishin, where there were no signs of Dr. Gregorson. His tent had disappeared, and only an ominous gathering of crows hunjj over the deserted encampment. It is said that Gregorson heard firing, and started up the hill to help Williamson, being shown the path .by Sisliin Abors. Somewhere on the path, with the treacherous Sisliin Abors behind him and Komsing Riu Abors in front, he met his end. One of the sick who remained at Sishin 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 an arrow wound in the chest. The body was recognised as Sardar Lai Bahadur's. The last written word of the expedition catne from Katoki to his wife in Sisserimukh. He wrote: 'Have arrived at Pangighat. Here Kebong Abors forbid going further. Saheb insists on going on into village. My impression is we shall never return. It is still uncertain whether the massacre occurred at Riu or Komsing. lam inclined to think it took plac# at Komsing.'"