218 



History of the Ramoossies. 



[J ULY 



digality. His character as a husband was peculiarly 

 correct. He set his face against all licentious conduct. 

 On this account, he had a serious quarrel with his elder 

 brother. 



I may observe here, (as it is on record,) that it was 

 the opinion of the inhabitants of the country that Oomiah 

 aspired to empire, and that he kept in view the conduct 

 and line of proceedings pursued by Sewajee the founder 

 of the Mharatta state ; however, times and circum- 

 stances were very dilFerent. He was a man of low caste? 

 but he possessed much shrewdness, intelligence, and ac- 

 tivity, and would have proved a most useful partisan to 

 a native government during a period of discontent and 

 confusion. 



He has proved, that he possessed the art of warmly 

 attaching his followers to him. It caused them great 

 anxiety and incessant watchfulness to guard against 

 surprise by the troops, as the prisoners always alluded to 

 the distress they suffered, but being naturally a hardy 

 race, they became reconciled to the hardships and dan- 

 gers that had been thus forced on them. He knew 

 when it was necessary to check their natural impetuosi- 

 ty, or to cheer their flagging spirits. He appears him- 

 self, amidst the perils and difficulties by which he was 

 surrounded during the late disturbance, to have display- 

 ed great patience, a steady perseverance, with unshaken 

 fortitude. He prided himself much on the dexterity 

 and address with which he always managed his gang, 

 and baffled our efforts to seize him. He remarked 

 one day, that his character in this respect was well 

 known at Calcutta and over all Hindoostan, as well as 

 in England. 



Oomiah's widow resides with his mother at Bhewndy : 

 of nine children only two sons and a girl are alive. The 

 eldest boy was with his father till the latter was seized. 

 The second is the smartest of the two. 



