220 



History of the Ramoossies. 



[July 



manner. The Englisli cannot drive me from the Poo- 

 r under hills as they hurled Bajee Row from his throne. 

 They tried their strength and skill once against me and 

 they failed. The English are aware of the activity of 

 the Ramoossies^ and of the attachment and prowess of 

 my followers. They will gradually grant and concede, 

 rather than quarrel with me." 



When the Mamlutdar of the district remonstrated 

 with him and his Naiks, on the irregularities which 

 they committed, and the disrespect shown to his authori- 

 ty, he replied — Attend to your own duties, we shall at- 

 tend to ours, what do you mean by reporting matters to 

 Poona — to goad us, and force us to take shelter in the 

 jungles again ?" 



There have been instances of Oomiah entering the 

 Brahmun's houses, and they dared not offer any resistance 

 to this annoyance, and he was in the habit of sitting down 

 on the same carpet,* which to them was very offensive ; 

 and whilst talking and joking, he at times used to pat 

 them with his hand. To these prejudiced and intolerant 

 people, such odious familiarity was extremely distress- 

 ing and disagreeable. The natives high in the employ 

 of Government^ he occasionally visited, as well as Jageer- 

 dars and Enamdars, and he invariably requested them 

 to provide himself and his followers with some refresh^ 

 ment. 



On one occasion, when the Mamlutdar was at Jejoo» 

 ry, he found fault with a man of Sakoordy, for being so 

 backward in paying his rents, and made some allusion 

 to Oomiah at the same time. This man started imme- 



* During the Hindoo Govern:nent a Ramoossy was never admitted inside 

 of the door of a Kuchery, (court) ; whatever might be his business he was 

 obliged to state it standing at a distance — but since Oomiah had met with so 

 much consideration from the English, he and other Ramoossies took advan- 

 tage of the circumstance, and people deemed it advisable to show him more 

 attention than they ever dreamed of doing before. Persons of low caste 

 were not allowed to approach the carpets used by Brahmuns in public offices 

 formerly. 



