198 



History of the Ramooss'ies. 



[July 



ceeded to blows, and wounded ten of these poor men, 

 several of them very severely ; they burnt their grain, 

 and two or three houses, then moved rapidly through 

 the hills towards the Neera, after wdiich no intelligence 

 could be obtained respecting their movements. It ap- 

 pears they retired to their old haunts in the deep ravines, 

 distant about two miles from the village of Peempoory 

 Thorla, (the great,) a few miles south of the Salpie ghaut. 



While the Bund remained near Peempoory they pro- 

 cured supplies from some of their friends in the village. 

 Oomiah sold several gold and silver ornaments during 

 his stay here, to pay for the supplies. Early every morn- 

 ing he dispatched two Ramoossies to an adjoining hill 

 to watch the approach of any troops. The Ramoossies 

 returned in the evening, and a picket of Hetkurries took 

 charge of the watch during the night. Lieutenant Hart- 

 ley's detachment from Solesey, and Lieutenant Clark's 

 from Salpie, frequently passed close to them. Towards 

 the end of April, they came to the resolution of attack- 

 ing Lieutenant Clark's party posted at Salpie. Their 

 plans were arranged, when they began to reflect, that 

 the advantages likely to accrue from such an attempt 

 appeared uncertain, and that as the sepoys' muskets were 

 always loaded, some of the Ramoossies would certainly 

 fall, and the plan was eventually abandoned. 



Several parties of Sibundies were now employed under 

 active intelligent Patells, a Havildar with a detachment 

 of sepoys being attached to each of these parties. The 

 light moving detachments, and these parties of Sibun- 

 dies, continually scoured the country in all directions, 

 but the severe and unfortunate example Oomiah had 

 made of the poor liurgoodah inhabitants, completely de- 

 terred the villagers from giving any intelligence of the 

 movements of the Bund. Some of the Ramoossy Naiks 

 were employed at the same time, notwithstanding their 

 attachment and admiration of Oomiah. 



