834.] 



History of the Ramoossies, 



210 



used too frequently to be an indiscriminate massacre of the prisoners. 

 In fact, it appears the Ramoossies have always been considered a 

 most incorrigible race, that could not refrain from gratifying their in- 

 herent and vicious propensities to plunder; and it likewise seems to 

 have the popular opinion, that Government should once in every 

 fifteen or twenty years, act v.^ith a more than usual degree of ener- 

 getic severity against this devoted tribe, by putting many of them, 

 for the sake of example, indiscriminately to death, under the im- 

 pression, that it was not only absolutely necessary to check their 

 crimes, but also to lesson their numbers ; lest they should ere long 

 become so numerous and powerful as to banish all peace and securi- 

 ty from such parts of the country as they resided in. 



The most glaringly shameful and discreditable measures and acts 

 of treachery, on the part of the former Government and its agents, 

 used to be practised to wile these lawless and troublesome charac- 

 ters into their power by employing confidential persons to offer them 

 pardon, rewards, and future service— and whatever they may have 

 been claiming, if they would only remain quiet, and not d'ls- 

 turb the peace of the country ; at the same time exhibiting false 

 grants, deeds, &c., more successfully to delude their intended vic- 

 tims ; and concluding the scene with presenting them with honorary 

 dresses, or some mark of the approbation of the ruling authority. 

 They then watched the most favorable opportunity for destroying 

 them. 



Human natue is shocked at hearing the account of the treatment 

 these misguided men and their families received at the hands of their 

 unfeeling rulers. Little or no remorse seems to have been experi- 

 enced in sacrificing human life to the barbarous expediency of di- 

 minishing their numbers with the view of either checki g the out- 

 rages they were guilty of, or, if possible, eventually exterminating 

 their race. However, due allowances should be made for the state 

 of society and of civilization among the Hindoos : — under their des- 

 potic Governments, dissensions frequently took place, in the fami- 

 lies of their princes and nobles which led to rebellions and wars. 

 The functionaries in the distant provinces were indifferent to the 

 orders of their superiors — confusion reigned alm.ost every where— 

 they were habitually accustomed to arbitrary and summary measures, 

 and became used to the sight of blood, so that for acts of rebellion, 

 robbery, and murder, the Ramoossies, who where execrated, were 

 unhesitatingly butchered ; and for crimes of a minor nature they 

 were most cruelly dealt with — several of them, some years back, 



