1835.] 



History of the Ramoossies, 



29 



the reward, or communicate information to one of the de- 

 tachments to effect the same purpose. 



After weighing all these matters well, it was determined 

 that the gang should return to the Poorundur hills, when 

 Oomiah meant to disperse his followers and to employ Krist- 

 najee Naikand Wittoojee with his friends Naikoo of Man- 

 dur and Bhongoly, to arrange matters, if possible, with the 

 Government, and he could not have made abetter selection. 

 They are all cunning and intelligent persons, and understood 

 perfectly the nature of the duty they had to perform. 



The gang nowascendedthe Ghauts (28th December.) The 

 day on which they came up, they saw several detachments 

 scouring the jungles in search of them ; in fact, the hill they 

 occupied was at one time surrounded by different parties of 

 sepoys, but these were not aware of course thatthe gang Vv^ere 

 concealed in the jungles on the summit of the hill. Oomiah 

 moved from hence towards the Hurdis Mawill, and a few 

 days afterwards to the village of Mussoor. While the gang 

 were cooking their victuals late in the afternoon at this 

 place, they were surprised by a party of the Rajah's troops. 

 The members of the gang picking up their arms and clothes^ 

 retired to a rising ground a few hundred yards distant, 

 and when they had buckled on their armour, they advanced 

 and skh'mished some time with the Rajah's people, who 

 subsequently retired^ carrying away some copper pots that 

 fell into their hands. 



The gang proceeded from thence in a south east direction, 

 and on the evening of the 8th January they encountered 

 Moorarjee Naik and his Sibunclies with a detachment of the 

 extra Battalion under Ambojee Havildar. As it was get- 

 ting late, the Ramoossies called out to the detachment that 

 they had no wish to fight them, so that it would be better 

 for both parties not to engage. Two muskets were fired 

 by the men of the detachment, and the gang continued 

 their march. 



When they reached the Poorunder hills, Bhojajee Naik 

 went with the main body of the gang to the banks of the 

 Neera, and directed them to go to the Mhadoe hills, south 

 east of Phultun. Those who were inhabitants of the vil- 

 lages near Poorundur, concealed themselves in the country 

 east and north of Jejoory. Oomiah kept Bhojajee, a 



