Again: “ Two sepoys deserted in 1892 and found
their way into the Sana tract. They were promptly
murdered, the reason given being revenge for the
death of two relations of the murderers after they had
been arrested at the instigation of the British authorities
for the murder o f
Margary. It was
admitted that the
C h i n e s e officials
were directed to release
these Kachins
upon a representation
by the E n g l i s h
officer, to whom they
were shown for identification,
that they
were not the persons
wanted ; but t he i r
death was due to
t h e i r -arrest, a n d
therefore indirectly
to the energy of our
k a c h i n c h i l d r e n rep re s en ta tiv e s in
pressing the Chinese for reparation.”
The Kachin’s contempt for life generally is only
a little less acute than that of a Chinese officer for the
life of any Kachin or similar barbarian.
The following is a refreshing example :— “ A Kachin
named Saw Taw had lent four annas (four pence) to
a Burman called Me Dain. Some time afterwards Me
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Dain went up into the Kachin hills, where he met
Saw Taw, who asked him to repay the four annas.
Me Dain told the Kachin not to bother him, and called
him a dog. The Kachin went away, and coming back
about an hour afterwards, speared Me Dain, who was
sitting in a house with several others. Saw Taw was
sentenced to death and executed.”
O f the curious medley of duties discharged by the
K A CH IN WOMAN W EA V ING
British officers who rule these tracts, some impression
may be gathered from the following illustrations : “ On
November 13th, some twenty Kachins from Mutu
came to Saingkin, eight miles from Bhamo on the
Taping, murdered the headman’s wife and carried off
two of his daughters. The Deputy Commissioner went
after the raiders, with seven military policemen and
the Myo-ok, but owing to delay in information, he
started eight or nine hours behind them. He actually
passed them, but it was then dark, and they got up
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