1834.] 



History of the Ramoossies, 



140 



tion, and should this prove to have been the case, he was satisfied. 

 He next made inquiries at Wurgawn, about the Patell's fields hav- 

 ing been plundered on a particular night ; after having sifted this 

 question well, and learned that no grain had been missed from the 

 Patell's field, the Ramoossy returned to make some further inqui- 

 ries about Ballah, and seizing him, he charged him with having 

 been engaged in the robbery ; for most probably the Ramoossy 

 during his peregrinations received some hints of a suspicious nature 

 respecting this Ballah. In some such manner, or in one very simi- 

 lar to it, a clue frequently was found which led to the detection of 

 the party that were concerned in the robbery, and the recovery, 

 of the plundered property. 



In the event of the Ramoossies having thus succeeded in appre- 

 \ending the robbers , the Rukwalldar was released from the respon- 

 sibility for which he had given security. Should he, however, after 

 his utmost exertions, have completely failed in laying hold of any 

 of the gang, the Rukwalldar most commonly presented himself be- 

 fore the Patell, and prayed of him to stretch out his powerful and 

 bountiful hand to aid in extricating him from the difficulty in which 

 he was plunged, arrangements were then proposed for adjusting the 

 matter ; — and if the inhabitants and the Ramoossies of the village 

 were very poor, (which was but too commonly the case,) the owner 

 of the lost property was, probably owing to the poverty of the peo- 

 ple and the hard circumstances of the case, obliged to compound 

 for half, and even much less, of the amount of his loss. To make 

 good the required contribution, the Patell, Karbary, Kookurny, 

 the Wuttundars (hereditary farmers,) and the Ramoossies, paid cer- 

 tain proportions, and in the event of the Government authorities 

 being obliged to interfere, they endeavoured to collect the money 

 with as much consideration as possible for the state of the people. 

 Settling such affairs often caused much annoyance, trouble, and 

 distress, to all those who thus became indirectly connected with the 

 original business. . 



It is known that the Patells sometimes made the v^atchman con- 

 tribute the largest share of the sum they were called upon to sub- 

 scribe. The character and arts of the Ramoossy Naik being fami- 

 liar to the Patell, he was threatened, and rather than run the risk 

 of having any of his rogueries brought to light which might involve 

 him in further trouble, he agreed to the Patell's propositions. * 



* Government are anxious to guard as much as possible against oppressive 



