1835.] 



History of the Ramoossies. 



109 



The dociiment on which Oomiah pretended to found 

 his claims to the Mookassa rights of the Kheirbary, (thir- 

 teen villages belonging to the Punt Suchew,) was granted 

 by one Dewan Ally to the Koley Naiks of Poorundur, and 

 no mention whatever is made of the Ramoossies in the pa- 

 per. This grant was written about one hundred and four 

 years ago, and they do not appear to have enjoyed it above 

 seventy or eighty years ; for about that time the chief Ko- 

 ley Naik, named Chandjee, was discovered to be concert- 

 ing some schemes for delivering up some of the forts to the 

 Mahomedan authorities that had been previously dis- 

 placed ; and on account of his intended treachery, Chand- 

 jee was seized and executed, and his head was sent round 

 to the different hill forts to be exhibited to the troops 

 forming the different garrisons, as a warning to them not 

 to forget their duty. This took place about one hundred 

 and twenty-seven years ago. The Punt Suchew resumed 

 the Mookassa of the Kheirbary at the time, and no Koley 

 has enjoyed it since then. 



Although Oomiah (supported by his brothers and a few 

 others) had been so persevering in trying to recover these 

 Mookassa dues, many Ramoossies, and the inhabitants of 

 the district, were well aware that his putting forth such 

 claims was absurd ; for they were neither founded on any 

 principles of justice or of right. 



There could not be a clearer proof than that which Oo- 

 miah gave in this instance of his restless and ambitious 

 character ;* indeed T have been informed, that he asked 

 the collector at this time to be discharged from the Bri- 

 tish pay, unless Government restored the claimed rights, 



* It beinsf supposed by many persons that Oomiah possessed considerable 

 wealth, 1 rnentioned the circumstance to him one day. He said he had little 

 or no money, probably property worth about two thousand rupees ; that he had 

 expended ail he had collected, and given it to his followers and other persons. 

 This is also the opinion of vaiious men who w^ere well acquainted with him. I 

 observed that the report was, that he had treasure concealed in the Poorundur 

 hill. His answer was, that there might be treasure concealed in the hill, but 

 that his wealth consisted in the copper-plate deeds; for that being owner of these 

 he was master of lacks of rupees; adding that they (the Ramoossies) were the 

 proprietors of twenty-six forts, repeating the names of several. I instanced, 

 however, Purtaubgur, south of Mhabelleshwur, belonging to the Rajah of -Sa- 

 tara, as one he certainly could not claim, for that Seevajee resided there, when 

 he killed Abdullkhan, the Bejapoor general. Oomiah said, " Purtaubgur be- 

 longs to me, for my ance,5tors captured it, and then pJaced it in Seevajee's 

 hands." 



