4 History of the Ramoossies. [Jan. 



ly, about one hundred and fifty Sibundies joined the horse- 

 men, and the Ramoossies were called on to surrender them- 

 selves up as prisoners, to prevent all of them being killed ; 

 but simple threats did not intimidate them and they pre- 

 sented a bold face to their numerous opponents. This en- 

 raged the latter party, and they attacked the Ramoossies, 

 who had ten men killed and eight desperately wounded in 

 a few seconds, the other four surrendered. Among the 

 latter was the subject of this memoir, Oomiah, who was 

 taken to Perinda with the wounded prisoners. His cousin, 

 Raggooh, and a son of his, died of their wounds a few days 

 afterwards, and at the end of three months all the survivors 

 were set at liberty, and permitted to return to their country 

 having expended what property they had, in bribing differ- 

 ent officers to obtain their freedom. 



Some time after Oomiah returned to his home, and af- 

 ter this most unfortunate first essay in arms, he suffered much 

 from a severe attack of sickness. Several of his friends, 

 persuaded him that his illness arose from his having neg- 

 lected to set up the moorut or effigy of his deceased cousin 

 Raggooh, and from his having omitted to fasten on it the 

 kerchief. At the recommendation of his friends, Oomiah 

 dispensed with his turban,* replacing it with a kerchief, 

 and resolved to await till fortune should restore it through 

 the intercession of the tutelary spirit of the hill fort. 



Oomiah returned to Poorundur about a year before hos- 

 tilities commenced between the Mharata states and the Bri- 

 tish Government. At this period, and for several subse- 

 quent years, (with tlie exception of the incident before al- 

 luded to of Oomiah's resolution of devoting himself for 

 the fulfilment of his cousin's vow,) he attracted no parti- 

 cular attention and was merely considered as an active man 

 of his tribe. He associated chiefly with several of his 

 kinsmen, who were noted drunkards. He continued to 

 indulge deeply in his devotions to Bacchus, when one day 

 in a state of intoxication he abused and maltreated a cousin 

 of his own, (a brother to the deceased Raggooh.) This 

 man being enraged, took up a stone, which he flung at 

 Oomiah, and struck him on the forehead, and he instantly 



* The turban is according to lue uolious of the uatives, typical of their ho- 

 UoUA' Aucl lew^ectttbiiity. 



