A History of Assam c21.85

c21.85

At last, in 1866, it was resolved to take possession of the Angāmi country and reclaim its inhabitants from savagery. This tract and the watershed of the Doyang were accordingly formed into a district with headquarters at Samaguting; but in 1878 this place was abandoned in favour of Kohima. The object in view was to protect the low land from the incursions of the Nāgas. It was not desired to extend British rule into the interior, but when a footing in the hills had once been obtained, further territorial expansion became almost inevitable. In 1875 the country of the Lhota Nāgas, who, on several occasions, had attacked survey parties, was annexed, and a British officer was posted at Wokha. In 1889 the Ao country also was incorporated, with the full concurrence of the people, who had claimed protection against the onslaughts of the more warlike tribes from across the Dikhu. The local officers showed a tendency to extend their control to the trans-Dikhu tribes, and to repress the system of head hunting and of raids and counter-raids prevailing in that unhappy tract, but the higher authorities declared against any further extension of our responsibilities in this direction. The Deputy Commissioner was, however, authorized to exercise political control over the Eastern Angāmis and Semas beyond the south-eastern boundary of his district, by means of an annual tour, in the course of which he enquired into and settled their inter-tribal disputes. In connexion with the Kuki rising in 1917, to be described in Chapter XVII, it was found necessary to occupy part of this tract in order to prevent the Kukis from moving into unknown country. Thus the administered area now marches with Burma, north of the Manipur State.