1835.] 



History of the Ramoossies. 



13 



alarm to his followers, who were well acquainted with 

 Bhojajee's violent and vindictive temper. The Mhar ob- 

 serving that Bhojajee wished to communicate with him^ 

 approached him, to hear what he had to say. In a short 

 space of time Bhojajee, by threats and persuasion, induced 

 the Mhar to set his family at liberty ; and for this act of 

 kindness he engaged to bring Oomiah, Kristnajee, and 

 Wittoo to him in four days. Each having pledged him- 

 self by a solemn oath to the performance of his promise, they 

 separated. The Mhar, with his men, proceeded accord- 

 ing to their arrangement toPureenchy, in the full expecta- 

 tion that an opportunity would be given him to apprehend 

 the before mentioned Naiks, and not suspecting the trick 

 Bhojajee intended to play him; Bhojajee immediately 

 communicated to Oomiah what had occurred, and it was 

 soon settled between them that they should attack the 

 party at Pureenchy, The Collector had given orders to 

 the Police officers, &c. to support Sew Naik should he call 

 pn them for aid at any time ; but unfortunately owing to a 

 want of unanimity among them, his demand for assistance 

 on this occasion was disregarded. On the night of the 22d 

 of November, when two or three of Sew Naik's men were 

 absent in the bazaar, and others were engaged in cooking, 

 &c. the Ramoossies dashed in amongst them ; the Mhar 

 himself was terribly mangled, being shot in the knee, se- 

 verely cut across the nose, nearly half his cheek being cut 

 away, and his legs and arms covered with wounds. These 

 were inflicted chiefly by Kristnajee Naik, Oomiah's young- 

 est brother. Of the Mhar's party, one man was killed and 

 five severely wounded. 



In addition to the Poona horse, and Police of the dis- 

 trict, two detachments of regular Infantry, of a hundred 

 men each, were now employed against the Ramoossies. 

 Oomiah and his friends generally concealed themselves 

 in the Poorundur hills, occassionally crossing over to the 

 Salpie range, and the hills near Bhore. The members of 

 the gang were in the habit of amusing themselves at night 

 with singing and dancing; they had a lad with them from 

 Waiedesh who danced, and several among themselves 

 were esteemed good ballad singers. 



The gang, after having plundered a Brahnmn traveller 



