i835.] 



History of the Ramoosnei, 



37 



were held out that their families would have cause to regret 

 it all the days of their lives if they did so. 



A Goossyne merchant was proceeding from Poona to the 

 Karnatik with a large quantity of valuable cloths, and two 

 days after he had passed Jejoory (the 14th of July, 1829) 

 Oomiah detached fifteen Hetkurries and twenty Ramoos- 

 sies in pursuit of him. This gang reached Lonud, south 

 of the Neera bridge, at midnight ; they instantly plundered 

 the merchant of his property ; cloths to the value of three 

 thousand rupees were carried off. When the gang had 

 teached the banks of the Neera on their return, they sat 

 down to refresh themselves ; as they were about to recom- 

 mence their journey, some one of the party struck his foot 

 against something that sounded like metal, and which on 

 examination was found to be a small brass box, but empty. 

 No one however would acknowledge having ever seen it be- 

 fore, although it was conjectured that it was part of the 

 Goossyne's property, and that some one of the party must 

 have helped himself to its contents. They carried the box 

 with them, thinking that upon their reaching Sakoordy, the 

 thief whoever he was, would be detected when they arrived. 

 Oomiah and Bhojajee proceeded to a ravine in the hills, 

 and the whole party were searched. To the astonishment 

 of all, each of them took a solemn oath that he had never 

 seen the brass box before, nor did he know any thing regard- 

 ing its contents. A piece of cloth was now presented to 

 each of the party, and in the evening the rest was taken to 

 Oomiah's house. 



The gang were tracked to near Walla by the Lonud peo- 

 ple,* but no further : in fact the Ramoossies of this place 

 were afraid to carry forward the footsteps to Oomiah's vil- 

 lage. The Goossyne, however, repaired to Sakoordy and 

 called on Oomiah to apprehend the robbers. He mention- 

 ed that the brass box that he had lost contained a few gold 

 ornaments, some pearls, and a small diamond worth seven 

 hundred rupees. The merchant's appeal to Oomiah was in 

 vain. 



Oomiah detached his Kykaries to Moregown or Moresli- 

 wur, on the night of the 31st July ; they plundered two 

 Brahmun's houses in that village, carrying off gold and sil- 



* Three of the Ramoossies of Lonud were v/ounded iu deleadiag tiui proj^crty- 



