1835.] 



Historij of the Ramoossies. 



197 



moossies, who had proceeded along a narrow and rug- 

 ged ravine, and by a circuitous route had taken up a posi- 

 tion on the face of a si^eep part of the hill fronting and 

 overlooking the ravine by v/hich the sepoys v*'ere ad~ 

 vancing. The gang by rolling down stones (with which 

 these hills are covered,) and keeping up a fire from their 

 musketry, completely checked the advance of the sepoys. 

 One private was much hurt from blows he received froni 

 the stones, and two others were shghtly struck with 

 matchlock balls. One of the most active men of the 

 gang was shot through the thigh, but his friends car- 

 ried him off. 



Oomiah repeatedly called out to the sepoys not to fol- 

 low him, that it was not his wish to molest them — w hy 

 did they not remain quiet ? that they w^ere receiving two 

 and half rupees additional allowance monthly, that he 

 was only struggling for the purpose of obtaining some- 

 thing for himself, and whj^ should they interfere — that 

 it would be much better for them to remain quiet, 



Ihe inhabitants of the villages in the vicinity showed 

 a great desire to aid the troops on this occasion ; the 

 gang however retired before any reinforcements could 

 join the detachment, and proceeded along the hills in 

 the direction of the village of Hargoodah. On their 

 route they met some of the villagers in the hills, and 

 Oomiah determined at once to check this rising disposi- 

 tion on their part to aid the Government. Accordingly, 

 having overtaken a man belonging to Pureenchy, they 

 desperately wounded him, (he died during the night,) 

 and then entered the village of Hurgooclah. The greater 

 part of the men were absent in the hills. The Naiks 

 now asked the few whom they found in the village, how 

 they dared to act as they lately had been doing, in giv- 

 ing information against them^ and in giving assistance 

 to the Government troops. The Kamoossies said they 

 should punish them severely^ and fiou! abuse tliey pro- 



