209 



History of the Ramoosstes. 



ed or transported * or worked for life on the roads. This man re- 

 ally supposed 1 had the power at the time of awarding either pu- 

 nishment, and that it only remained to forward him to Ahmednug- 

 gur to undergo the sentence. Looking at me rather earnestly, he 

 replied, that he would prefer being hanged. He was asked why he 

 preferred death. He answered by saying, that it would relieve him 

 from all other troubles ; that his destiny had been shatfered^ his 

 good luck had forsaketi him, and that he was abandoned to misfor- 

 tune. It was remarked to him, that working all his life time would 

 certainly be preferable to death. He said no; he could not sup- 

 port himsell" under continual imprisonment and labour. Then why 

 not be transported ? he could not endure hearing of transportation ; 

 compared to that, death would be a favour. He was asked if he 

 was fond of his wife and children, and he replied with great feeling, 

 that he was, but that there was no use in thinking of them now ; I 

 then said that, probably, he would like to see them. He seemed 

 composed, and did not answer for some little time. This might 

 have been misconstrued into indifference, however, there were indi- 

 cations painted on his countenance of a great internal struggle. Af- 

 ter a short time, he said, that he did not then wish to see them, in 

 fact, that it would cause them much distress, and do neither of them 

 any good. It was observed to him that if he was only condemned 

 to hard labour for life, he would still have the satisfaction of occa- 

 sionally seeing his family to whom he was so greatly attached, and 

 hearing now and then of his relations and friends ; — he looked now 

 like one more reconciled to his fate, — he raised his joined hands to 

 his forehead, and bending himself in a supplicating posture (he was 

 sitting in front of me on the ground in the entrance of the tent,) 

 begged that I would dispose of him in whatever way I liked. This 

 man having rendered considerable service afterwards, — a pardon 

 was extended to him, and he is now residing in his village. 



Such of the Ramoossies as were guilty of commttting excesses 

 during the former Government of the country, were visited in gene- 

 ral with the most cruel and terrible punishments of mutilation and 

 death, — when they were apprehended much pains were seldom, or 

 never taken, to discover who were the most guilty, or if there were 

 any innocent amongst the party. The punishment determined on, 



* Kala pany, dark water, in allusion to the ocean, is the term used by the 

 natives to express trans|tortation,— those in the interior, picture the place to 

 be an islattd of a very dreadful description, and full of malevolent beings, and 

 covered with snakes and other vile and dangerous nondescript animals. 



