147 



History of the Ramoossies, 



[!April 



travel ; should it have been remarked by one of the villagers to any 

 one of the party that an unusual number of strangers had been ob- 

 served near the Ramoossies' houses early in the morning, an answer 

 is given, which, had generally been previously settled on among 

 themselves, to remove suspicion from them, viz. that they were so- 

 lemnizing some particular festival, the death of some one of their 

 relatives, the betrothment of one of their children, or the fulfilment 

 of a vow made during the sickness of one of the family for his, or 

 her recovery, &c. Before they set out in the evening, they take a 

 solemn oath* before the Naik, that they will not disclose to anybo- 

 dy whatever, any thing connected with the robbery which they are 

 going to commit, nor mention the name of any of those concerned 

 in it. If the Naik is a man of more than usual influence, he will 

 make them promise in a similar manner, that they will not retain or 

 conceal any part of the property, that may fall into their hands, and 

 that they will faithfully deliver up every particle of it to him, that 

 he may distribute it in the customary manner. 



It is an established usage amongst them, to vow that they will 

 make a suitable offering to their god Khundobah,if their expedition 

 should prove successful. Formerly, there were some families who 

 presented an eighth and a tenth of their profits at this deity's shrine; 

 but those days have passed away, and what they offer at present is 

 comparatively a trifle ; occasionally from one and two, to three and 

 five, at most ten rupees, and this is expended in purchasing; cocoa- 



* It may be as well to describe how they take an oath— The Ramoossy 

 swears by the Bel Bhundar — this beinjr considered by them the most binding 

 of obligations (the Bel) (Cratava Religiosae} is a tree that grows to a consi- 

 derable height. It produces a fruit very similar to the Kuveet or wood ap- 

 ple—only it is of a more spherical form — and when the small ones become 

 dry and hardened, they are sometimes used by the brahmins as snuff boxes 

 —the leaves are very small and oval shaped. The extremities of thebranch- 

 €s terminate in the shape of creepers varying in length from one to two and 

 three feet. The tree is sacred to Mhadeva in the same way that the Toolsay 

 shrub (purple basil — Acimum sanctum) is consecrated to Vishnoo a few of the 

 leaves of the Bel, also some grains of Jawary (Hplcus saccharatus) are mixed 

 up with the Turmeric powder (Bhunder) which had been previously placed 

 on the Ling, the deity they worship. Then taking a small quantity of it be- 

 tween the fingers of the right hand they repeat the oath they are required to 

 take— qualifying it with imprecations in case of failure. They then cast a 

 little of the powder into thoir mouths, and rub a quantity of it on their fore- 

 head. They seem to be of opinion that oaths were much more respected and 

 considered much more binding on the conscience in former times than at pre- 

 sent—indeed, so much is this the case, that the Ramoossies have little confi- 

 dence in each other, although their faith may have been pledged in the most 

 solemn manner. It is the general remark over all the Dekhan, that falsehood 

 and perjury are much more common in our Courts of .)ustice now, than eight 

 or ten years* ago— that the proportion exceeds at least fifty per cent— this is 

 stated ou native authority. 



