137 



History of the Ramoossies, 



[April 



The Rukwalldars are termed the wuttundars, or hereditary watch- 

 men of the different villages, while Ramoossies coming to reside 

 there, are termed ooprics, or temporary residents ; and, admitting 

 that the latter have resided in the place for severed generations, they 

 are never permitted to enjoy the perquisites or privileges of the wut- 

 tundars, unless durino; their stay in the villages the Rukwulkhirship 

 have become vacant, and the oopery has been regularly appointed 

 to the situation. 



The succession to a vacant Rukwalldarship, has frequently led to 

 much contention, and many oppressive acts ; and it occasionally hap- 

 pened, that when the Naik was an infant, a very old man, or one of 

 an imbecile understanding, some one of the relatives, an energetic 

 and ambitious character, usurped all the authority, retaining it in his 

 own hands. 



The influence he thus gained, enabled him to exercise considera- 

 ble sway over those of his own tribe in the neighbourhood, turning 

 their services to his own private account, by encouraging them to 

 commit depredations, in which he occasionally joined, or probably 

 led them on ; or by receiving a share of the plunder, which they of- 

 fered for the purpose of ensuring his good will. 



The measures that were usually adopted under the Peshwah's 

 Government, on the occasion of a robbery taking place, have under- 

 gone some modification under that of the British ; but the present 

 account is an attempt to explain how these matters were conducted 

 in times gone by. When a robbery occurred in a village, the Ra- 

 moossy Rukwalldar was immediately sent for, and informed of the 

 circumstance ; and whether a door had been broken open, or a wall 

 scaled or undermined, the watchman became responsible to the owner 

 for the value of the stolen property that had been carried off, unless 

 the act had been perpetrated by a Durrorrah, or a considerable body 

 of armed men. But the will of the agents of the ruling authorities 

 was so arbitrary and uncertain, that the Ramoossies dared not relax 

 in the slightest degree their exertions to discover the plunderers, un- 

 der any circumstances. 



Should the watchman have failed in seizing the robber, or rob- 

 bers, he in general engaged to make good the loss in the course of 

 fifteen days, or a month, if the articles taken away did not amount 

 to any great value ; but should it have been discovered, that a num- 

 ber of persons were engaged in the affair, the RukwuUdar prepared 

 to proceed in pursuit of the plunderers, early in the morning, trac- 



