1834.] 



History of the Ramoossies* 



148 



nuts and Bhundar, some of which is placed before the deity, and 

 the rest is thrown up among the hungry Gooroohs (attendants of 

 the temple,) and such persons as may be present paying their devo- 

 tions. The Poorundur Ramoossies make this vow to the goddess 

 Bhoanny, of Kondunpoor, near the fort of Singhur when they pro- 

 ceed to plunder to|the westward, either in the vallies of the Syadry 

 range of mountains, or below in the Konkan. The Looney (Kali- 

 burs) Ramoossies invoke the god Ramah to favour them on such, 

 occasions. 



They arm themselves chiefly with swords, taking one, two, or 

 three matchlocks or more, should they judge it necessary ; several, 

 also, carry their shields, and a few have merely sticks, which are, 

 ^in general, shod with small bars of iron from eight to t velve inches 

 in length, strongly secured by means of rings, and somewhat resem- 

 bling the ancient mace. One of the party carries a small copper or 

 earthen pot, or a cocoanut shell with a supply of ghee, or clarified 

 butter, in it, to moisten their torches with, before they commence 

 their operations. 



The Ramoossies endeavour as much as possible to avoid being 

 seen by any body, either when they are proceeding to the obj ect of 

 their attack, or returning afterwards to their homes. They there- 

 fore travel during the night time ; and before day light in the morn- 

 ing, they conceal themselves in a jungle or ravine near some water, 

 but at a distance from any village, where they are not likely to be 

 observed by any of the inhabitants, they sleep here all day, and 

 move on again in the evening. They proceed in this way to the dis- 

 tance of thirty, fifty, and eighty miles, till they have reached some 

 particular spot in the vicinity of the village where their game is. 

 When they are pursued and much pressed, at times they will throw 

 themselves into a bush or under a piickly pear plant, coiliiag them- 

 selves up most carefully, that the chances are their pursuers will 

 pass them unnoticed.* I have known the Bheels and Kolies do the 

 same ; their women are equally expert in secreting themselves in a 

 similar manner. It is rather singular that while these people keep 



* The Ramoossy Naik Bhojajee Bhandolkur who was the bosom friend of 

 Oomiah, was seized some years ago near Poorunder, when a party of the 

 Police were escorting him a prisoner (with his arms pinioned behind) to Sas- 

 soor, and at the time they were passing through a mangoe grove, Bhojajee 

 broke loose from his escort and ran off with great speed towards the hills, but 

 apprehensive his retreat thence might be cut off, he determined to take re- 

 fuge in one of the trees a head of him, and by this means mislead his pursu- 

 ers, as he had gained a little on them, and observing a tree with a branch 

 projecting in a horizontal direction favourable for his purpose, he briskly seiz- 

 ed itj swung himself aloft where he contrived to hide himself amon g the leaves. 



