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The Haws
It was reported
that the Haw were at M. Yiw, so we could not return
to Bangkok, as a move in that direction would make the fellows imagine
we were afraid of them, and our action would certainly provoke an
attack on Luang Phrabang . We had to do the best we could,
and immediately set about having a hospital constructed, as nothing
could save the men from getting ill. As there was nothing special
to be done during the rains, I persuaded Leonowens to return to
Bangkok. Bush wished to remain, and I sent seventy soldiers
down to Nawng Kai , a comparatively healthy place, to be
at the disposal of Phya Rat , the General, who after the
rainy season sent them back to Bangkok, although he was marching
to fight and dislodge the Haw, such was his confidence in the men
given to us as soldiers. Not long afterwards Bush got fever and
died. He was only twenty years of age, and a young man of great
promise. At this time the Governor of Pichai was very kind;
as we all had fever, he made all the arrangements for the burial
on the grounds of Wat Luang, and builtover the grave a brick-and-mortar
tomb. Phya Pichai, in his turn, became a victim to fever,
and died in Luang Phrabang, but he was one of a host of Siamese
who lost their lives in their efforts to drive off the Haw
and restore order in the distracted districts over which the depradations
of those marauders extended.
Who and what
were these Haw that brought so much misery on large tracts
of country, and established such a name for cruelty as to terrorize
a whole population? They were, in a word, Chinese brigards. The
term Haw originally meant any Chinaman who appeared from
the north, and at one time they came down in great numbers, trading
with Luang Phrabang, and about twenty years ago, the Chao
Luang tells me, in the winter the banks of the Nam Kan
were crowded with Chinese who had come down to trade. The term Haw
in these parts has come to mean the brigands, and since their appearance
all these countries have been thrown into confusion, and communications
and trade have ceased to exist. Thier robberies have been on such
an extensive acle that it is more than likely they were acting as
an irregular advance of some great movement, and in fact the information
I was able to pick up showed that Chao Fa Wong, as he is
called, the Governor of Yiwnan, was head and centre of the
scandalous movement. When the French were at war in Tonquin
he sent orders to the band of ruffians wandering over the Luang
Phrabang division, to attack the French,saying, if they failed
to do so, it would be at their peril. Tonquin was tributary
to China when the bands of Haw were let loose on it, so that
whatever authority Annam held disappeared. As China was about
to complete the game by changing Tonquin from a tributary
to a province, France stepped in and annexed it.
When the Haw
were ravaging Tonquin they overflowed into the outliying
provinces of Luang Phrabang , Sipsawng Chua Tai (twelve
provinces of Tais or Siamese), and Hua Punntang Ha Tang Hok
(the five divisions, to which a sixth was added), and also into
Chieng Kwang or M. Puann; this was about the year
1870. Up to this time these provinces were fairly peaceful, and
the taxes were regularly collected by an official, who is still
living. The Haw started on their depredations, and the whole
scene was changed. Then began a period of misery for the people
of these countries, for which it will take years of good government
to make amends.
The pillaging
march of the Haw was rapid and without interruption. They
ravaged and destroyed the whole of Sipsawng Chua Tai, Hua
Punn Tang, Ha Tang Hok, then passed over Chieng Kawng
and reached Wieng Chan on the Nam Kawng, where they
received a wholesome check, but not before they had effected an
immense amount of mischief.
Their progress
could be traced by the ashes of villages, and by temples and pagodas
of which the ground had been dug up. The temples and pagodas were
rifled for treasure, and so clever had the thieves become at knowing
in what places to look for it, that in many of the temples (wats),
only the few places where treasure was likely to be found were dug
up, the rest being left strictly untouched. Most temples had the
original sitting figure of Gautama, some of brick and mortar
heavily gilded, others of copper, while others again were of a composition
of gold and copper.
It is the custom
of Buddhists when building wats and pagodas to make offerings of
jewelry and money to propitiate the deity. These offerings were
placed usually under the sitting figure of Buddha, in its breast,
and in the floors of the wat, exactly where the line of sight of
the figure strikes the floor. The places were dug up by the unfortunate
inhabitants, the Haw meanwhile standing by, sword in hand,
directing the proceedings.
Near Wieng
Chan is a very interesting pagoda called Wat Luang. Religion
and war are there combined; the lower part is a perfect fortress
riddled with loop-holes. The Haw took possession of it without
any opposition, and by means of ropes pulled off the spire in the
search for treasure. It is built of blocks of laterite rudely squared.
They then marched on the defenceless people of Wieng Chan
and had a good time of it at the miserable natives expense. At this
period there was a Siamese Commissioner, Phaya Mahamat, at
Ubon. Hearing of the doings of the Haw, on his own
responsibility he came up, got the people together, and fought the
Haw, who were about eight hundred strong, totatlly defeating
them. The last of the party took refuge in a wat, and were not long
in barricading it and making a few loop-holes in the walls. They
were captured and executed. This band in their lust for murder and
loot had gone out of their depth, and were completely cut off from
their communications.
The Commissioner
beheaded the unfortunate chief official of Wieng Chan for
surrendering to the Haw. Siam awoke to the gravity
of the occassion and equipped an army to drive out the Haw
neck and crop. They had entrenched themselves at Tung Chieng
Kumm, from whence they were quickly dislodged and nearly all
slain by Phya Ratanarakun. Here Phya Rat lost a great
opportunity. He had recourse to the practice of primitive times,
receiving orders from the Minister of the Interior to drive away
the population, thus laying the country waste and bare, and as they
thought, making it difficult for the Haw to re-settle, should they
return in great numbers. When the old Governor of Pichai
heard the orders, he knelt at the feet of the Minister of the Interior
who came as far as Paklai on the Nam Kawng, and begged
that the people should not be banished; but, as in other countries
that boast a superior morality, the good of a small and necessarily
weak portion of a community is not considered, and they have to
suffer on account of political exigencies, so here the people had
to go. The nemesis that must sooner or later overtake these actions
in great countries shows itself in small ones more quickly; it came
on Siam. The Haw returned in great force and established
control over M. Puann, denuded as it was of its population.
Many of the people who escaped the exodus attached themselves to
the Haw. Others, including the best of the men, took to the
mountains. Nothing could induce them to leave their beautiful country,
nor would they consent to acknowledge the Haw.
In 1883, Dr.
Neis, a plucky and energetic French traveller, began that series
of French explorations in Siam, which since has led to such deplorable
results for the country, culminating in the so-called "Rights"
of Annam. Provided with passports from the Siamese Government,
Dr. Neis found his way to Nawng Kai, from which place he
moved on to M. Ngan . M. Ngan is a beautiful spot
at the head of the Nam Chan. There he met two French priests;
as far as I could make out, their names were Father John and Father
Anthony, and Chao Kunnti, the Governor of M. Puann. He had
scarcely reached M. Ngan when he despatched a letter to the
Haw of Tung Chieng Kumm. Areply was sent in due course.
Dr. Neis then told the people that the Haw were coming down
on them, but that if they agreed that the country should belong
to France, he would remain and help them. They replied that they
had no power to make over the country. He rejoined that he would
hold them responsible if the Haw stole his baggage and stores.
To this they would not agree, but offered to take his property with
them into the jungle, and when the Haw withdrew, restore it to him.
He thereupon deposited his things in a hourse, and placed a written
placard outside the door, stating in Annamite that the country belonged
to the King of Annam, and that if the Haw damaged
them he would appeal to the king for justice. The French priests
helped the people to make the stockade.
When the Haw
came down, Dr. Neis took himself off to Nawng Kai, and the
two priests went to Annam. The unfortunate people were shut up in
the stockade, their houses burnt and cattle slaughtered. For three
days they held out, until all their ammunition was spent. Want of
water forced them to make terms, and they had to pay heavy fines.
The Haw then amused themselves by applying thumbscrews here
and there to particular individuals that were special recipients
of Dr. Neis' genorosity, and forcing them to surrender the guns
he had given them. The Haw then turned their attention to
the foreign settlement, burnt the priests' houses, and scattered
Dr. Neis' few clothes and books in the fields. The people believed
that Dr. Neis sent for the Haw to come down and plunder Ngan;
but this notion was absurd. I was glad not to find any corroboration
of the story I had heard, that he left two cases of rifles for the
Haw.
The Haw
then moved on Tatom. When I was there in May of 1884, there
was not a sigle inhabitant, the houses were burnt, and there were
whole groves of cocoa-nuts and areca palms without owners. The Haw
had also moved in the direction of Luang Phrabang, and had
plundered M. Yim. Again Siam awoke to the dangers
of the situation, and Phya Rat Waranu Kun , who ten years
previously had begun so successfully and ended so unfortunately,
was depatched as General to complete his task. Phya Rat's
father was the Minister of the Interior. He is proud of the fact
that for five generations his forefathers have been distinquished
Generals, he also claims to be descended from a Brahmin, which is
not unlikely.
When Bush died
at Luang Phrabang, the Haw had already retired from M.
Yiw, and as we all had fever, it was thought better to return
to Bangkok and prepare for the next season, which promised
to be full of stirring incidents in more ways than one. Mr. D. J.
Collins, from the Indian Survey, joined me to help in the work of
surveying, and Leonowens at the last moment gave up the idea of
returning to Luang Phrabang. He entered the service of the
Borneo Company and took charge of their trading operations at Chieng
Mai, where he has been very successful.
An escort of
thirty marines accompanied us, and Lieutenant Rossmussan of the
Danish Artillery was in charge. I was instructed " to consult
with the two military commanders, Phya Rajawaranakul and
Phya Pichai, who had been desired to take vigorous steps
for the suppression of the Haw, to look after the safety
of the survey party, and to render every assistance." When
we reached Luang Phrabang on the 14th of January, 1885, Phya
Pichai had already left Luang Phrabang with the Luang Phbabang
contingent for Tung Chieng Kumm. Knowing that what was mostly
wanted was to get together sufficient quantity of supplies, I made
an attempt in that direction to get transport from Nan, but the
authorities refused to allow the elephants, of which they had great
numbers, to go beyond Luang Phrabang without an order from Bangkok.
This was very unfortunate; so loading with rice as many elephants
as we could get together, we started from Luang Phrabang, the eldest
son of the Chief accompanying us. We followed the route that was
taken by Phya Pichai with a large body of men, and each day
increased my surprise at the lighthearted manner in which the transport
of any number of men across a rough country is undertaken.
At Ban Leh
of Wieng Sen I received a note from Phya Pichai requesting
me not to come on to Tung Chieng Kumm , as provisions had
run short. I sent him rice on the nine elephants we had, the tranport
coolies having run away. It was arranged that both Phya Rat
and Phya Pichai should reach Tung Chieng Kumm on
a fixed day and in concert attack the stockade of the Haw,
if the latter were not willing to surrender. Phya Rat was
the son of the Minister at whose feet the uncle of Phya Pichai
had thrown himself, begging that the people of M. Puann
should not be driven from their country. Their political training
was, therefore, not of the same character; furthermore, Phya
Pichai was a country-bred man, whereas Phya Rat was
brought up in the precints of the Court, and on that account he
was annoyed that he was appointed to act in concert with Phya
Pichai. Besides this, he had a thorough contempt for the Haw,
and was quite persuaded that his mere presence would make them fly
or surrender. Consequently, he took things rather leisurely and,
like the great Napoleon, depended on the enemy for supplies.
Phya Pichai
was anxious to carry out his orders to the letter, so he hurried
along a very rough route, over mountains and down rivers, with a
large and scantily provisioned body of men, and reached Tung
Chieng Kumm on the day appointed. Being utterly unaccustomed
to command, he found himself at the head of an undisciplined rabble,
and the Haw were irritated into assuming an attitude of resistance.
He made a stockade, taking up a position about two miles from the
Haw stockade, and there he remained for more than a month,
awaiting the arrival of his worthy colleaque, who was loitering
by the way and amusing himself. Phya Rat in due time appeared
at Tung Chieng Kumm, unfortunately in great wrath with "the
country-General," as he called his colleaque. The "country-General"
had an unpleasan time, but he did all he could to bring matters
to a successful issue. He placed himself unreservedly under Phya
Rat, who moved on further, and made a new stockade about five
hundred yards from the other. Phya Rat was fully persuaded
that the mere knowledge of his arrival had been enough for the Haw,
and that they had already deserted their stockade, his scouts having
reported that there was not so much as the sound of a fowl to be
heard there. He went out to make a reconnaissance in person, but
when he got within rifle-range, a shower of bullets convinced him
the place was not deserted, and he had to beat a hasty retreat.
Then he formed his plans for attacking the Haw, and getting
rid of them, as he said, in half an hour.
At this time,
with Collins and Rossmussan accompanying me, I arrived at Tung
Chieng Kumm, having received a letter from Phya Pichai
informing me that Phya Rat was there, and he thought I ought
to meet them to consult about the work. On the way to Tung Chieng
Kumm, at the bottom of a dark ravine, were the corpses of two
Lao, that had recently been beheaded. While Phya Pichai
was waiting at Tung Chieng Kumm, the Haw had sent
out scouts on the watch for messengers or stragglers from the camp;
when they came across them they killed or mutilated them in such
a manner that they died from the wounds. In this way an unfortunate
Kamuk had all his fingers and his ears cut off, and was sent
back to Phya Pichai; this was done to intimidate the other Kamuks,
who were transporting supplies. The unfortunate man's wife was also
seized, and being enceinte she was killed, as it was understood
that the blood of an unborn babe, if mixed with powder, rendered
it infallible for the destruction of life. Round ticals were also
used as bullets, as they too were charmed to render them fatal.
Other parts of the journey:
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