183.5.] 



History of the Ramoossies, 



125 



tliem of several hundred rupee.s in cash which they had 

 charge of, besides other property. Two days afterwards 

 several persons were robbed south of Foona in the day- 

 time, and an attempt was made to seize some Sibimdies 

 conveying pay to the rnen employed on the hill fort of 

 Poorundur. 



These occurrences indicated the designs of the Ramoos- 

 sies, and left no doubt that the Naiks were ready to bep-in 

 their operations, whilst it was evident that they wished to 

 induce the Government to adopt some d.ecided measure to- 

 wards them, in order that it might appear to the public, that 

 they (the Ramoossies) were not the aggressors. They there- 

 fore resolved for the present to carry on their schemes as 

 secretly as possible, and by such a line of conduct, they 

 expected to be always able to keep a door open to negotia- 

 tion, and to justify such outrageous acts as they might 

 commit. 



No persons were better acquainted than these Naiks, with 

 the comparatively limited resources of Governmet at this 

 time, owing to the great reductions of the military establish- 

 ment. They were also aware that great reluctance ex- 

 isted to sending any troops into the field, but more especi- 

 ally against themselves ; for they (the Ramoossies) were 

 satisfied that the inhabitants of the late Feshwah's domini- 

 ons were convinced that Government had completely fail- 

 ed in putting down the Ramoossies during their former 

 disturbance, after carrying on operations against them for a 

 series of years ; and rather than continue such expensive 

 and fruitless measures, their demands w^ere fully complied 

 with. Besides, the Naiks were well aware of the feeling 

 of a great portion of the population tow^ards themselves. 

 They knew^ that they had the good wishes of the nume-. 

 rous discontented persons scattered over the country, and 

 many of the lower orders whom Oomiah had conciliated 

 by his liberal treatment. 



It may be added, that these men aspired to the hope of 

 not only being able to prevail on Government to sanction 

 Oomiah's restoration to the charge of the police of the Poo-, 

 rundur district, but they also expected, that the Government 

 would compel the Punt Suchevv to restore to them allow- 

 ances which they claimed as their right. 



