1834.] 



History of the Rafuoossies, 



138 



ing them by their footmarks ; and for this purpose, he was joined by 

 the Patell, the Karbary Koolkurny, the Chougla, and some other 

 wuttundars of the village. The watchman, taking a twig of the 

 branch of a tree, cut it to the size of one of the foot-marks for a 

 measure, and should the gang appear to have been numerous seve- 

 ral measures were used. The Ramoossy now took the lead, accom- 

 panied by the villagers, following the track, and if the watchman 

 and his followers could trace it, (which they are singularly expert 

 in doing,) in a satisfactory manner, into the boundary of the ad- 

 joining village, the inhabitants of that village were obliged to repair 

 to the boundary. These persons, for their own satisfaction, traced 

 back the foot-marks of the robbers for a short distance into the ad- 

 xjoining fields ; and when they returned to the boundary, the differ- 

 ent measures that had been used for measuring the foot-marks, were 

 carefully and formally handed over to them, (as they were obliged 

 to prosecute the search immediately ; ) and in this manner it was fol- 

 lowed up from village to village ; a Ramoossy and a Mhar from the 

 first village continued with the parties, until the robbers or the pro- 

 perty were discovered, or all hopes of success had been abandoned. 



Should the gang in crossing a river have gone any distance along 

 the water, to prevent their being traced, or kept a^ong rocky or sto- 

 ny ground for the same purpose ; or should the traces of their foot- 

 marks have been lost from travelling along a road frequented by 

 sheep, or cattle, still the inhabitants of the village within the boun- 

 daries of which this took place, were held responsible to the owners 

 for the value of the property. 



In the event of a difierence of opinion arising between the inha- 

 bitants of two contiguous villages respecting the track of the rob- 

 bers, the Patells, Chougla, and Ramoossies of two or three of the 

 adjacent and disinterested villages, were chosen to arbitrate the mat- 

 ter in dispute, when it not unfrequently happened that it was finally 

 arranged, that both villages should contribute an equal share to re- 

 imburse the owners of the lost property. 



Again, at times when foot-marks of a gang had been clearly trac- 

 ed within the boundary of a village, the Rukwalldar, if he had been 

 concerned in any way with the robbers, would deny the truth of the 

 circumstance in the most determined manner — and solemnly declare 

 that the foot-marks pointed out must have been old, or those of some 

 other persons. In fact, he was well aware of the necessity of exert- 

 ing his influence and ingenuity to evade the consequence of the re- 



