Siamese fight against the Haws
On arriving at M. Sawn, we found
there five hundred militia, who had been settled there about six
months, and who had consumed all the supplies, without making
the slightest effort to get more. M. Sawn is important as having
been more than once the scene of conflicts between the different
bands of Haw robbers, who finding no opposition fell out among
themselves, as is always the case. Here the black Flags of Chao
Lai
defeated those of Tung Chieng Kumm. There were two routes
to M. Lai, and we adopted that by Sobp Ett, though it was longer,
as we thought it better to find out the truth about the Haw, who
it was said had established themselves there. At the same time
letters were sent to Chao Lai by Phya Pichai, and the eldest son
of the Chief of Luang Phrabang, to let him know that we would
pay him a visit.
Everything seemed in confusion,
but of couse I could not interfere with the General's plans.
However, I asked for twenty day's supplies of rice, and I saw
a number of men pass before me carrying the right quantity. We
started from M. Sawn for M. Kao, and the Nam Ett, which looked
a stream of some proportions, invited examination, so Collins
and I determined to go down on rafts. The people told us it would
be impossible, but we determined to see for ourselves. The Chao
Ratch Wong
, the eldest son of the Chief, was amused with the notion
and accompanied us, and it was well that he did so. We started
all right, but we had not gone many miles before we found the
river choked with rocks and we had to lift the rafts over them;
as we proceeded the rocks were more difficult to pass over, still
we struggled on, and at last came to a narrow gorge with a fall
of thirty feet. To pass this was certainly impossible to rejoin
the camp; the Chao entered into the fun with much spirit. By
nightfall, foot-sore and weary, we got to a village, and the Chao
soon had us comfortably lodged with a good fire.
The next day we caught up the
camp and moved on to M. Kao. Here one of the routes to M. Lai
branced off, but most of the men had branced off too, I suspected.
Phya Pichai connived at their running away. At M. Kao we made
new rafts and went down the river to Sobp Pon; we had made one
march from this when it was reported there was not a grain of
rice in the camp. This was terrible, but I felt convinced it
was a manoeuvre of Phya Pichai to prevent our going to Sobp Ett.
The disagreeable fact remained, there was not a grain of rice,
and we distributed all we had among the men. We were half-way
between Sobp Ett and M. Sawn, and there was nothing for it but
to return, and on the second day we met men with supplies, making
it very evident that it was not the result of accident that our
supplies had run short.
I had serious talk with Phya
Pichai
. I asked him if we were to make an effort to reach M.
Lai
or not; if he thought not, we could stop at once; but if he
thought it advisable to proceed, then there must be no more tomfoolery,
and we must go straight on. To all of which he agreed. The season
was past advancing, and the rainy season had already begun, making
the marches very heavy, along paths, swarming with leeches, that
had not been used for years. On account of our rice running short
we had to change the whole programme, and return to M. Ngawi on
the Nam to ascend it to Sobp At. Collins went up the river as
far as the boundary of Luang Phrabang at M. Ahin, and it was arranged
that we must meet at Luang Phrabang not later than the 1st of
June
. Meanwhile Phya Pichai, the Chao, and I went over a very
rough path, and reached Teng pretty well played out. With the
exception of Phya Pichai and myself every one of the party had
fever.
Continued
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