The enemy's intention was evidently to push past the weak column along the hillside and get amongst the coolies; but this attempt was again foiled by the Gurkhas, who, flinging off their great-coats, rushed into the stream and engaged the Lushais before they could get at the baggage, pressing them up the mountain, rising 2,500 feet above us, as fast as the precipitous nature of the ascent would allow.

On the crest we found the enemy occupying a good-sized village, out of which we cleared them and took possession of it ourselves.

On this occasion we had only 4 killed and 8 wounded, including the General, while the enemy lost about 60.

In one place we found a heap of headless bodies.
The Lushais, if unable to remove their dead, invariably decapitate them to prevent their adversaries from carrying off the heads, their own mode of dealing with a slain enemy, as they believe that whoever is in possession of the head will have the man to whom it belonged as a slave in the next world.
To complete the success we had gained, the General sent me the next day with a small party to burn the village of Taikum, belonging to the people who had attacked us.

It was past noon before we could make a start, owing to the non-arrival of the elephants with the guns.