ON THE STATISTICS OF DUKHUN. 293 
but the term is unknown to the genuine Mahrattas. His du- 
ties assimilate him to the Havildar and Naik of more northern 
tracts. 
Tenure of Ramooses.—Between the parallels of latitude 17° 
and 19° north, and longitude 73° 40! and 75° E., there are few 
villages in Dukhun without their Ramooses. These vagabonds 
are thieves by birth and cast, which is abject; most of the 
villages have them in employ to guard the village from robbery. 
In some villages they have Henam lands, but they are generally 
paid in fees of grain upon the cultivation. ‘There is a perfect 
community of interest amongst the fraternity, however di- 
spersed; and as they are dissipated, idle, and reckless, they not 
unfrequently assemble in bands, take to the hills, and commit 
depredations in the country. and it is necessary to chase them 
back to their villages by means of the regular troops. They 
are expert sportsmen and good shots. 
Bheels.—Where the Ramooses are wanting, their places are 
mostly supplied by the Bheels, or by the Kohlees; the former 
are low casts, the latter are Shoodrahs. Their duty is to 
afford protection to the villages, and they have either Eenam 
lands or fees in grain. In many parts of the country, parti- 
cularly in Khandesh, the inhabitants of entire villages, and 
even districts, are Bheels, or Kohlees (Coolies). 
Sheteh.—Sheteh is the person by common consent admitted 
to be the head and spokesman of the mercantile and trading 
classes, in places in the districts where they are in sufficient 
numbers to require one; and as combination is universal, he 
is of some importance in the districts as their organ in regu- 
lating prices. The Sheteh is assisted by the Mahajun, which 
properly means a banker; but, as the colleague of the Sheteh, 
he is an inferior personage in the districts: both these people, 
in some towns and villages, have trifling EKenam lands and 
claims for money and grain; but on what tenure of service to 
the community is not very apparent. 
Sur Pateel, and Sur Deshmook, and Sur Desaee.—I should 
scarcely have introduced any mention of the Sur Pateel, and Sur 
Deshmook, and Sur Desaee, as it has not come to my notice 
that they hold lands in tenure, but their names frequently 
occur in village accounts as Hukdars,* or entitled to certain 
rights in money, grain-fees, &c. One of the Sur Pateelships 
is vested in the great family of Eshwunt Rao Dabareh, of 
Tullegaon; and one of the Sur Desaeeships in the ancient fa- 
mily called Chaskur. Captain Grant Duff, in his History of 
the Mahrattas, makes mention of several Sur Deshmooks, and 
* Huk “a right,” and dar “a holder.” 
