1834] 



History of the Ramoossies, 



136 



in the fields along with them ; yet it happens occasionally that this 

 is found a difficult, and, in present times, a most unproductive line 

 of life, so that some one of the family is driven to his shifts, to add 

 his mite to the general purse from which the Government dues are 

 to be paid, and to the Ramoossy, one of the most natural and most 

 ready modes of obtaining this, is by helping himself by stealth to 

 some part of his neighbour's property. 



The offspring of a Ramoossy by a koonbin (a woman of the 

 Koonby caste) conforms more readily to the settled life of a cultiva- 

 tor — even a few of the most unsettled of the others, who have ac- 

 cumulated a considerable stock of money by successful depredati- 

 ons, take to cultivating a few begahs of ground for several years 

 ^ successively. 



However, the above observations apply more especially to the Ra- 

 moossies in the southern districts of the Ahmedoug^gur coHe-^torate, 

 and to all of those in that of Poona, as well as in the northern district 

 of the Satara territory ; and it may be added that they seem a peo- 

 ple that would much rather prefer living by their wits, scheming 

 plans of disponing others, than by labour which they heartily and 

 radically hate, at least, labour such as the hard-working and indus- 

 trious koonby (farmer) is obliged to submit to. 



In every three, five, fifteen, and sometimes twenty villages, there 

 is a head Rukwalldar, or Naik, in general denominated the Sir 

 Naik, (or chief ;)he resides in the principal town or village of which 

 he enjoys the watchman's allowances and perquisites. He keeps as 

 many of his relations and retainers with him, as he may consider 

 necessary for the discharge of the duties of his office, while he em- 

 ploys one or more relations and followers to reside, either temporari- 

 ly or permanently, in the other villages of which he has the guardi- 

 anship. These receive the Balottah allowance, &:c. ; and the 

 Chief Naik," beyond receiving yearly at the Dussra festival, a pair of 

 shoes, a sheep, and a small quantity of grain, or living at the ex- 

 pense of the village, when he proceeded on a tour of duty, derived 

 no allowance from the distant villages. However, he enjoyed the 

 influence arising from having the patronage of filling up casualties 

 among the watchmen in case of death, removal, imprisonment, or 

 desertion. The inhabitants of a village seldom or never nominate a 

 Rukwalldar of their own choice, without having communicated with 

 the head Naik, in the first instance ; for should he be averse to their 

 nomination, the people know very well, that it would benefit them 

 little or nothing to retain a raan selected by themselves « 



