APPENDICES. APPENDIX A. OFFICIAL REPORTS REGARDING AN EXPEDITION AGAINST AN ARAKAN HILL TRIBE. Extract of Station Orders by Major F. V. MacGrath, Commanding at Akyab, dated Akyab, 8th January, 1842. A FEW words are due from the Commanding Officer on the return of the Detachment Arakan Light Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant Fytche, ordered against a clan of Walleng Hill Tribes, as the duty has been performed in a highly creditable and efficient manner, and which the Civil Officer has reported will facilitate his intercourse with the Hill Tribes, and be a check to these independent races of Wallengs in future attacking, or otherwise molesting, the mountain clans under British rule and protection. 2. The conduct of the detachment, composed of 1 lieutenant, I subadar, 1 jemadar, 3 havildars, 3 naicks, 2 buglers, and So privates, in the attack of from 200 to 300 men posted greatly to advantage on precipitous mountain cliffs, forming strong natural fortifications, renders great credit to all employed; nor is it less to their credit the cheerfulness with which they undertook the extreme fatigue and exposure, without tents, they were subject to. 3. To Lieutenant Fytche, for his personal exertion and gallantry in leading so spirited a dash, to the native commissioned and non-commissioned officers, buglers, and soldiers under his command, in whose praise he speaks so highly, Major MacGrath feels much pleasure in offering the assurance of his acknowledgments and thanks, which he will not fail to report with a detail of their proceedings to higher authority. Extract of District Orders by Lieutenant-Colonel Pogson, Commanding in Arakan, Head Quarters, Kyouk Phyoo, dated 11th January, 1842. Lieutenant-Colonel Pogson, Commanding in Arakan, has received from Major MacGrath, Commanding Arakan Light Infantry, a report detailing the arduous exertions and gallantry of the detachment of that corps, under the command of Lieutenant Fytche, in attacking the Wallengs, taking their stockade by storm, and expelling them from a position which, on account of its great strength and inaccessibility, had been occupied by them for the last five-and-thirty years, enabling them to commit depredations on the territories under British rule and protection, and to carry their inhabitants into slavery. 2. To the judicious arrangements of Lieutenant Fytche, accompanied by Lieutenant Phayre, the Senior Assistant Commissioner at Akyab, difficulties were overcome insurmountable to everything but their judgment and gallantry, and the devotion and bravery displayed by those under their command. 3. The lieutenant-colonel therefore feels it incumbent on him to record the high sense he entertains of the talent, zeal, and intelligence so conspicuous on the parts of Lieutenants Fytche and Phayre on this occasion, and to add that it will be a gratifying part of his duty to report their gallant and meritorious exertions, and those of the detachment, to His Excellency the Commanderin-Chief. From Lieutenant-Colonel Pogson, Commanding in Arakan, to Major-General Lumley, Adjutant-General of the Army, No. 13, dated Kyouk Phyoo, 11th January, 1842. I have the honour to forward a letter from Major MacGrath, dated 8th instant, containing a detailed report of the gallantry of Lieutenant Fytche, and the Detachment Arakan Light Infantry recently employed against the Walleng Hill Tribe, and the entire success of his operations, also copy of a District order, which the occasion seems to demand. 2. Lieutenant Fytche having been a passenger to Arakan in the same vessel with myself, I am enabled to add my testimony in his favour to that of Major MacGrath, as he possessed the characteristics of a well-informed, intelligent, and promising officer. I therefore feel much pleasure in recommending him to the favourable consideration of His Excellency the Commanderin-Chief. Despatch from Lieutenant, now Major-General, Sir Arthur Phayre, to Captain Bogle, the Commisssioner of Arakan, dated 17th January, 1842. 1 Subadar. 1 Jemadar. 3 Havildars. 3 Naicks. 70 Sepoys. I have the honour to report to you that on the 10th December last I left Akyab in company with a party of the Arakan local battalion of the strength stated in the margin, and under the command of Lieutenant Fytche, 7cth Regiment N.I., for the purpose of proceeding against the Koomee clan called Wulleng, which had been guilty of making several attacks on tribes within the British frontier, as detailed in my letter to your address of the 23rd July. 2 Buglers. 2. The detachment proceeded by water to the Koladyne Thannah, which is about 100 miles north from Akyab. We reached it by the night of the 12th, and then went without delay as far up the Mee Khyoung as the boats could proceed. Early on the 13th the detachment continued up the Mee Khyoung in canoes; a drizzling rain had commenced falling before daylight, and continued throughout the day. At 5 p.m. we reached the halting-place. It rained very hard all night. The next morning, the 14th, the stream was so much swollen, and the rain still falling so heavily that it was evident we could not now continue our march, which from this point lay up the beds of mountain streams, generally dry, or nearly so, at this season. As this spot was not a fit one for a halt of some days (for it was now evident that several days' detention was inevitable), it was judged expedient to return to the Thannah, which we reached at 5 p.m. The rain was heavy and incessant throughout the day. During the 15th and 16th it rained at intervals, and we could not with any chance of finding open paths proceed on until the evening of the 20th, when we advanced up the Mee Khyoung as far as our boats could go. This unavoidable detention necessarily gave the Wullengs notice of our approach, and though I had not from the first deemed it practicable for us to surprise them, yet we should have been able to inflict considerable injury upon them by the seizure and destruction of their property. As the capture of any of their persons was scarcely to be expected, this was the only means we had of making any impression on them, and of securing the object in view, namely, by retaliation convincing them of their insecurity in their much-vaunted position, and thereby working on their fears and preventing their making attacks upon their neighbours, or those at least within the British frontier. On the 21st we again proceeded on in the canoes, and reached the mouth of the Sumeng Khyoung by 5 p.m. 4. On the 22nd, finding still too much water on the bed of the Sumeng to allow of marching through it, we had to take a more difficult route across the hills, until we joined the Sumeng higher in its course, and halted for the day at 4 p.m. 5. On the 23rd, leaving the Sumeng, the route lay up a small mountain torrent, and we crossed some steep hills into the Sumeng once more, where we halted for the night. Early on the 24th we were afoot, having a stiff march before us to the village of attack, it being at an elevation of about 4,000 feet above the Sumeng. It stands near the summit where the face of the moun tain is nearly perpendicular. About 10 a.m. we were sufficiently near to hear yells and shouts from the village, or rather from men stationed above it, but not a man could we catch a glimpse of; numerous masses of rock, trunks of trees, and other missiles were hurled down by them from above, with the object apparently of intimidating us, for we had not yet advanced sufficiently near for these to take effect. Lieutenant Fytche now judiciously ordered the detachment to make a detour from the regular path, and we advanced by the left flank of the village, having Koomees ahead with dhâs, to cut a path through the thick stunted bamboo jungle. A few shots were fired at us, but the Wullengs concealed themselves so effectually, that not one of them could be seen, though their position was disclosed by the smoke of their muskets. When we were within about 100 yards, Lieutenant Fytche directed a few shots to be fired at the particular rocks and bushes where parties of the enemy were known or suspected to be ensconced, which had the effect of dislodging them; some were wounded by our fire while springing from their hiding-places. The detachment now advanced, or climbed, as quickly as the steep, indeed almost perpendicular, nature of the ground would admit of, until they reached the village. The houses were all empty, as was to have been expected. So steep was the spot where the village stood, that the inhabitants, I found, could only leave their houses and go down the face of the hill, or communicate with each other by means of ladders; they had now removed all these and retired to the summit of the hill, pulling their ladders after them. A pursuit of them would have been useless. The precipitous nature of the ground, which rendered an ascent, save by ladders, next to impossible, and the fatiguing march the men had already performed, rendered it extremely improbable that we should be able to overtake any of the fugitives. Provisions also would not have been procurable, and it was advisable not to exhaust our supplies by delay in chasing an enemy, whom there was little or no chance of ever overtaking, and in a country where we could expect to find nothing. The village consisted as reported of about eighty houses. We set it on fire, and after halting here about two hours |