30 



History of the Ramoossies, 



[Jan. 



Wasrsriah named Kundoo, and two Ramoossies with himself. 

 Kristnajee and Wittoojee proceededto open a communication 

 through their friends with a flissaldar of the Poona Horse. 

 It may be stated, that before the gang were dispersed, they 

 were informed that in the event of Government not com- 

 plying with the demands of Oomiah, he would require them 

 to re-assemble in the hills near Bhongoly at the expiration 

 of three months. Many of these would have been glad to 

 -rejoin him again, for they had realized forty or fifty rupees 

 each in the course of a few months, whilst others of them 

 were much alarmed at the connection they had formed, ow- 

 ing to the criminality attached to the party from having 

 put the sepoys to death.* Oomiah now received communica- 

 tion from Kristnajee Naik to the effect that they had every 

 prospect of bringing matters to an amicable termination ; 

 that the obstacles they anticipated of course stood in their 

 way, but they had hopes of overcoming them all in the 

 course of a few weeks. Oomiah resolved on proceeding- 

 more to the eastward and along the banks of the Neera, 

 thinking that he would incur less risk of being disturbed in 

 that direction. He was greatly deceived in the opinion he 

 had thus formed, for one day when in a koorun (a meadow) 

 in the neighbourhood of the village of Sonegaum, he narrow- 

 ly escaped being seized by a body of the Rajah's horsemen, 

 who had searched a large portion of the koorun, when the 



* Early in the month of February, Oomiah moved to the Allundy hills to pass 

 some time there. One morning when he vi^as concealed with two of his friends 

 in a small thicket of prickly pear bushes, (Coctus Tuna Indiea,) the other two 

 having gone on some business to the adjoining village, he observed at the dis* 

 tance of a mile and a half a crowd of people with several horsemen. He was an- 

 xious that his two absent fi'iends should join him, suspecting that the crowd he 

 saw was a detachment that might have obtained some infonuation conc(-rniug 

 him, and that they meant to search the hills, and try to surround him, f(j); they 

 appeared to be moving towards him, and as he was at the bottom of the hills, he 

 began to look out for the best way by which to retire to the summit. The horse- 

 men on a sudden were in rapid motion, and seemingly making for the hills, so 

 that Oomiah and his friends were on the point of quitting their present hiding 

 place to ascend and cross to the opposite side of the range, when he louk;>d again 

 to see what progress they wore making; he remarked that the horsemen were, 

 riding at speed in all directions^ as if for amusement. Three appeared to be rid- 

 ing towards him, and the Raviioossics were just on the point of escaping under 

 cover of an adjoining ravine, when Ooiniah told his friends he had discovered 

 that the reason of the horsemen riding at such speed was, that they were pursuing- 

 a wild hog, and that th'>y mu^t be some of the gentlemen come from Poona on a 

 hunting excursion, and that consequently there was no further occasion for their 

 alarni, as these gentlemen would not trouble themselvt^s about them, Oomiah 

 remained quiet vv'here he v/as, and he declared that one of the genflenicu ;:)pearc(i 

 the hog within si:';ty yard^ of the bush iu which he was sitting. 



