240 



History of the Ramoossies. 



[July 



bay sepoy^ therefore he is not so well calculated as the 

 more hardy, active and patient man of this presidency 

 to be engaged in operations against the predatory tribes, 

 when these take refuge in their hills and jungles. The 

 Purdessy is more liable to sickness, when traversing the 

 wilds into which his duty leads him on these occasions, 

 and it is a very great disadvantage to him, that he is un- 

 acquainted with the Mharatta language, at least, seldom 

 understands it sufficiently well, to enable him to com- 

 municate freely with the inhabitants, for in such irregu- 

 lar warfare, the services of intelligent individuals, and 

 those of conciliating manners, are often put in requisi- 

 tion ; yet I have seen some of the Purdessies, extreme- 

 ly active and zealous, while engaged in the most haras 

 sing and disheartening of duties. It is worthy of notice 

 that the offspring (frequently in the first instance illegi- 

 timate) of the Hindoostan Rajpoots, who have settled 

 in the Dekhan, are generally a very superior race of 

 men, very active and intelligent, possessing considerable 

 energy of character, and a high degree of ancestral pride. 



Allusion has already been made to the large propor- 

 tion of the population within the Bombay territory that 

 remain unemployed, and who are consequently involved 

 in much distress ; and as it is desirable to ameliorate 

 their condition as much as possible, it may be observed^ 

 that no measure would tend more effectually to accom- 

 plish this, than by restricting the recruiting for the army 

 to the limits of this establishment. By adopting such 

 an arrangement, greater tranquillity might be insured 

 to the country, and at the same time no additional ex- 

 pense would be entailed on Government ; indeed, it 

 might prove highly advantageous in a financial point of 

 view, by retaining and circulating more money in the 

 interior of the country, than is at present to be found 

 there. For several years past, large remittances in gold 

 have been annually made to Hindoostan, and when we 



