116 



History of the Ramoossies. 



[x\PRIL 



tacliment forward to Sassoor, and accompanied by the 

 Ramoossy Rannoo of Yewut, he proceeded himself direct 

 to Sakoordy. This was on the morning of the 12th Octo- 

 ber. He approached the village, and was instantly sur- 

 rounded by Oomiah's armed followers. His attention was 

 presently directed to Rannoo's situation ; several of Oomi- 

 ah's men having disarmed him, were beating him so un- 

 mercifully that he fell down senseless from their blows. 

 The officer remonstrated with these ruffians for treating 

 one of his followers in so cruel a manner, when they recom- 

 mended him to quit the place immediately if he regarded 

 his own safety. It is stated that they used abusive lan- 

 guage, and added, Rannoo of Yewut had no right to come 

 into their district to usurp the authority which had been 

 intrusted to them. 



When the officer commanding the detachment reached 

 Sassoor, the assistant collector stationed there, immedi- 

 ately dispatched some horsemen to Sakoordy with a mes- 

 sage to Oomiah, directing him to set the Ramoossy Ran- 

 noo at liberty. Oomiah paid no attention to this order. 

 He intimated merely, that he wished that Hunmuntoo, 

 who was under Rannoo's protection, should be seized and 

 sent to Sakoordy, as he possessed sufficient evidence to 

 convict him of having been concerned in several robberies. 

 Oomiah was anxious to avoid the consequences of his rash 

 and violent conduct, by accusing Rannoo of protecting Hun- 

 muntoo, who had been guilty of various robberies ; but a 

 peremptory order from the collector reaching Sakoordy 

 the next day, to release Rannoo, w^as complied with,, and 

 Rannoo proceeded from Sakoordy to Poona. 



The day on which this encounter with Rannoo occur- 

 red, Oomiah with all his followers quitted the village of 

 Sakoordy, and took up their residence on the adjoining 

 hills. They never afterwards returned to sleep in the village 

 even during Oomiah's stay at Poona, when all differences 

 appeared to be settled. 



As Oomiah's conduct was considered highly reprehensi- 

 ble, and his proceeding on the 12th October too violent 

 and insolent to be overlooked. Government came to the 



