1834.] 



History of the Ramoossies, 



144 



The Mangs in the north west and the southern boundary of the 

 Ahmednuggur Collectorate, and those around Sholapoor, and in the 

 eastern quarters of the Poona district, are very desperate robbers 

 and not unfrequently commit murder, or inflict the most severe 

 wounds on persons that offer resistance to them while plundering^ 

 and sometimes for the purpose of striking terror into the people ia 

 the nighbourhood of the house they are going to plunder, they will 

 without the least hesitation cut down any persons they may encoun- 

 ter in the road. The Mangs along the country between Satara and 

 Kolapoor are likewise a very bold and cruel set of robbers : Kyka- 

 ries commit robberies also in gangs ; these people will be alluded 

 to in the Sketch of Oomiah's life, — Koonbies (farmers) also try to 

 realise money in this way. — These in general join some of the other 

 castes in such excursions, but there are some noted men near Poona 

 who venture to plunder occasionally in the Mawils* by themselves. 

 The Bunjaras who are a bold and formidable race, when travers- 

 ing the country with herds of bullocks, transporting grain or 

 salt, sometimes perpetrate robberies in gangs — and they are not 

 over scrupulous in committing murder on such occasions, if 

 they meet with opposition or deem it necessary for their future 

 security. The Dheres, alias Mhars, alias Purwarries, although 

 in general a very trust worthy and most useful cla|s of persons, oc- 

 casionally commit gang robberies — but it is seldom that these peo- 

 ple are guHfty of such crimes to any great extent, unless they have 

 quarrelled with the Patell and other villagers — they consequently 

 strike work till they obtain redress. During this period, the Balot- 

 tah perquisites are withheld from them and they are very apt to 

 subsist by foraging on the property of others. 



The word Durrorrah is used by the inhabitants of the Dekhan to 

 express a night attack made on a house or tent by a body of armed 

 men for the purpose of plunder. Daka" is the Hindoostany term 

 and the word used by the Ramoossies, is *' Tutch," which conveys 

 the same meaning in their language. 



Attacking an escort marching in the day time with money, 

 jewels, &c. for the purpose of capturing the same, they term 



Rokurparna" ; — and attacking a body of merchants proceeding 

 along a road with a quantity of cloth or goods of any other discrip- 

 tion — also attacking any number of travellers, to plunder them of 



* The vallies between the Mils branching eastward from the Syeedry 



range of mountains so called. 



