9
the 17th five more were attacked and two died by evening. In the evening of the
17th the gang was moved by Khoonie Darogah a quarter of a mile up the Moo-
teyah nullah, taking with them their three sick coolies and leaving their huts
behind. On the morning of the 18th he again moved them with the three sick
coolies up about 300 yards near to the Mooteyah nullah bridge. On the 19th
he sent a note to the Tehseeldar of Lucknadown on the 48th mile, informing him
of the sickness, and asking his assistance. The same day the Tehseeldar promptly
sent a supply of medicines, and on the morning of the 20th a Native Doctor ar-
rived, sent over by the Tehseeldar. On the 20th, Koonie moved the party with the
three sick coolies to the 63rd mile, about half a mile from Gogree. The three sick coo-
lies eventually recovered, and no fresh case or death occurred in the gang from the
moment they quitted their huts on the evening of the 17th, and the gang has
remained healthy ever since. Of this gang seven were attacked, four died, and
three recovered. They hutted themselves on the low blacksoil ground near the
63rd milestone and dug cutcha wells, the water of which they used.
Ruthnee and Bola's gangs, 89 strong, were attacked on the 18th. They went
to their work of breaking basalt as usual in the bed of the Mooteyah nullah.
About 9 o'clock a. m. a coolie was attacked, soon after two more, and before eve-
ning the three were dead. In the evening they moved half a mile up the Bainch
nullah, deserting their huts. During the night of the 18th and day of the 19th
twelve more were struck down. In the evening of the 19th they were marched
with their twelve sick coolies towards Chupparah, where they arrived in the morning
of the 20th, and squatted in a tope of mango trees opposite the 64th milestone,
about one mile from the village of Chupparah and one-fourth mile from the road.
On the 25th they proceeded and joined Bhugwan's gang, near the 63rd mile, where
they hutted themselves. During the night march of Ruthnee and Bola's gangs they
lost eight of the twelve sick coolies. The four which survived that night recovered.
From the moment they quitted their camp on the evening of the 19th they had
no fresh case. Of these two gangs fifteen persons were attacked, eleven died, and
four recovered. The gangs under Bindrabun, aggregating 280 men, remained in
their original position on the banks of the Mooteyah. About noon on the 21st the
disease appeared among them, and from that date up to the 25th they had twelve
cases, of which nine died. On the 25th they deserted their camps and marched
about half a mile. On the 29th they were again moved; Bangraj and Kampta
to dig kunkur at Goonwarra, a village about 1½ mile west of Bijna bridge and
their first camp; Bindrabun to quarry and break limestone at Goonar, one mile
east of the 61st mile. From the 25th April, the day they moved away, they
had no new cases, and have remained in health ever since. The 125 villagers
working under Koonie at Gunneshgunj deserted the work on the first outbreak
of cholera."
29. Cholera did not break out in the village of Gunneshgunj until some
days later. Neither the exact date of the outbreak or the number of villages that
suffered is known,—in the Police report the deaths from the villages being mixed
up with those from the gangs in the valley. The villagers draw their water from
the Bijna river.
30. I will now continue to quote Mr. O'Donnell's account of the coolies
between Gunneshgunj and Nerbudda, and afterwards describe the spread of cho-
lera in the gangs along the road south of Gunneshgunj :—
" Choonabuttee—51st mile. There was a gang of 75 village coolies-
employed here on the side of the road breaking limestone. On the 4th May
one man was attacked, and the same day the whole gang dispersed, taking away
the sick man. On the 20th May 30 men returned, after which others dropped
in. In all 60 have returned to the work."