1835.] 



History of the Ramoossies, 



9 



Information was obtained that Suttoo's gang was assem- 

 bled in the hills^ south of Sassoor, on the 24th April 1824. 

 A party of about forty irregulars, consisting of Sibundies, 

 Ramoossies, &c. and accompanied by a Havildar, and 

 twelve privates of the regular Infantry marched during the 

 night to surprise them if possible. At daylight they reach- 

 ed the place where they expected to find the gang, but not 

 seeing them, the detachment set out on their return to Sas= 

 soor. Essoo Mally, the Commandant of the Sibundies, di- 

 rected his trumpeter to wind his horn as he was passing along 

 near one of the hills, when most unexpectedly the gang show- 

 ed themselves on the hill, and called out to Essoo Mally to 

 state for what purpose he had come. The gang were only 

 seventy in number, and had but two matchlock guns. They 

 asked the Havildar to move to a distance with his men, and 

 that they would settle accounts with Essoo Mally in a very 

 short time. After they had been firing at each other for some 

 time, Suttoo Naik took his departure, dreading the conse- 

 quence ; for it was his object to make peace, instead of acting 

 so as to incur more deeply the penalties of the law. After 

 some time the gang (as they invariably do) retreated, and 

 the Detachment returned to Sassoor, having had one Sibun- 

 dy killed, and another severely wounded. The Ramoossies 

 kept principally in the hills., plundering whenever favour- 

 able opportunities offered ; the Police making attempts 

 now and then to overtake them. 



On the night of the 28th of April 1825, Suttoo Naik 

 being absent, Oomiah with the gang, in number about 

 thirty, came to Sassoor on a visit to his friends ; and 

 when they were occupied in eating their supper, ten men 

 of the Police Sibundies, supported by some of the Poo- 

 rundur Jageerdar's horsemen and Sibundies, proceeded 

 about 10 P. M. to the Tamny garden and attacked the 

 gang. Pandoo, :a brother of Bhojajee Naik's (a bold ac- 

 tive man) was killed,— Oomiah received a sabre cut on the 

 back, and his brother Kristnajee was wounded in the 

 shoulder,— the latter made a desperate effort to cut down 

 a Duffadar of Sibundies. The Ramoossies made for a 

 nulla in the vicinity, and although partially surrounded by 

 the horsemen, they contrived to reach the hills without in- 



