135 



History of the Ramoossies» 



[April 



holding' at times Mookassy rights in different villages ; * and again 

 we find instances of iheir having had lands conferred on them in 

 freehold gifts, as the price of blood — when a Rukwalldar might have 

 died accidentally from a blow, or ill treatment inflicted by the re- 

 tainers of a J,aoeerdar, or Government agent, — be petitioned the 

 Peshwah for a pardon for himself, and entreated that a certain ex- 

 tent of land might be bestowed on the family of the deceased for 

 their support. The Sassoor Raraoossies enjoy sixty begahs of land 

 granted in this manner, in consequence of one Cheembajee having 

 died of ill treatment received at the hands of the Jageerdar Mendly 

 of Sassoor, about eighty years ago. In the table annexed may be 

 seen an -account of the lands, &c, &c. granted by Government and 

 the villagers to the Ramoossies. Since this statement has been 

 prepared, Governm.ent has sanctioned, with a view of rendering the 

 police of villages more efficient, lands to the value of about nine 

 thousand rupees yearly rent, to be granted to the Rukwalldars of 

 villao^es in the Poona collectorate. 



In such villages as the Ramoossies hold freehold lands, we find 

 the ground occasionally cultivated by themselves; however, this is 

 seldom the case ; they at times get a koonby to assist them in the 

 labours of the field, and make a division of the produce according 

 to the number of bullocks employed, and other aid contributed by 

 each ; but the general, and almost invariable custom is, for the Ra- 

 moossy to engage with some of the koonbies to cultivate the land, 

 and the koonby to hand over half the produce of the field to him, 

 after deducting the expense of seed, reaping, thrashing, and other 

 incidental charges. However, the land held by the Ramoossies is 

 frequently of a very unproductive quality, and consequently for 

 years, is entirely neglected. 



In some few villages in each pergunnah there are one or two Ra- 

 moossies to be found, of peaceable and industrious habits, and who 

 pursue an agricultural life, cultivating the village lands, and paying- 

 rent as the other cultivators do, the females of their families labouring 



* The Mookassy was an allowance granted on account of military set vices 

 in general, and varying from ei-htto^ «en, and from sixteen to twenty five 

 per cent, on the revemie of a vUl. ge. The Ramoossy Naiks of Pooniiider 

 enjoy the Mookassy of the sm.ili village of ;^akoordy since the, first grant n>ade 

 to their ancestors by the Rajah of Satara for their services in a military ca- 

 pacity, vgain we find the Bhetara Mookassdar of tiie jmall village of 

 Bhewndy, near Poorunder, receives twenty-four (24) per cent, of the reve- 

 nue of tiiat village. It v^as ori«ina]lv uranted as a reward to one of the fa- 

 mily who took charge of Parwuttv Baie, the widow of the Bhow, af?er the 

 dismai deteat of Pariiput, and conveyed her in safety from the battle field 

 and cruel pursuit of the victors, to her brother-in-law the Feshwah. 



