The Tower of Silence by Gyan Prakash

Author:Gyan Prakash
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2013-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XX

M

r Thornton, the commissioner for the North East Frontier, reached Putao just after Blake was sold.

He had been appointed by the Government of India to stop the slave traffic at Putao and to do away with the practice of human sacrifice in the Naga Hills. When he heard that an Englishman had been sold by auction, he immediately made inquiries. After no small amount of trouble, and after Blake was resold to the Naga tribesman, Thornton caught the man who had first made the highest bid for Blake. After a great deal of alternate coaxing and threats, the man confessed to what he had done.

Thornton saw the seriousness of the situation. He had brought fifty retainers with him to fulfil his mission but he feared that if he made a bold move and marched openly to where Blake was imprisoned, it might only serve to hasten his end. After all, what were their lives and property worth before the dark fury of a disappointed god!

Instead, Thornton planned to rescue Blake with six stalwart men. Two were Englishmen, three were Burmese and one was a man born on the border who was very familiar with the area. He had been christened Scamp by Thornton, which he considered a great honour.

‘Well, you cannibal. You had better take the lead and tell us how we should best proceed,’ Thornton said to Scamp in the native’s dialect because the only English word Scamp knew was ‘soar’, meaning ‘sir’, which he used whenever he got the opportunity.

‘Blessings of the black-faced god with the yellow tail and iron claws be on you. There will be no danger until the moon is full,’ Scamp replied. ‘It is many miles from here to their camp and the road is dangerous. But today there will be no danger because thousands will be going to see the sacrificial ceremony. It will be safe for us to join the crowd if we dress like them.’

Thornton had been directed to wipe off the scourge of human sacrifice and slavery by inducement, empty threats or other peaceful measures. In cases of extreme danger to a life, he was entitled to act as he pleased, but not without his government’s sanction. However, there was no time for that now. He decided to go as a private adventurer. If blood was shed, he would not be brought to account for it officially.

He armed his men with service revolvers and fifty rounds apiece, taking along a spare. Leaving his subordinate in charge of the rest of his men, Thornton set off with the team of six selected men, walking alongside the crowd heading towards the sacrificial spot. By dusk, they had arrived at the village where Blake was being held. Along with the others, they also filed past for a look at the white man. No sooner had they entered the hut than a commotion arose. A stampede followed and every man jack of them seemed to be caught by an intense wave of anger. So great was the commotion that Blake was quite forgotten.

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