1834.] 



History of the Bamoossies. 



212 



When a Ramoossy has infringed, or transgressed, against the 

 prescriptive customs and rules of their tribe, be soon finds it neces- 

 sary to conciliate his relations and friends, rather than incur the penal- 

 ty ultimately of expulsion from his caste, by shewing an obstinate 

 spirit of insubordination and indifFeren-e to long established usages, 

 and to the authority of the Naiks of his tribe. In Maundesh the 

 Chowan and Jadoos are looked on as the Patells of the tribe, and 

 styled so, the Chowan being the Mookkudurn or chief. The Pa- 

 toulah is the Chougla, or deputy, and the Mundly, the Phier Naik, 

 a Jungum, orLinggaint priest is called in occa'^ionally to assist in 

 some ceremonies at the termination of which he is presented with a 

 turban. 



When the Elders call on an offender to answer the charges that 

 may be brought against him, by way of making him do penance, 

 he is sometimes obliged to take the shoes of all the Naiks present, 

 and tying these with a string he places them on his head, and is 

 made to stand in their presence for hours, entreating and supplicat* 

 ing them to pardon him, to overlook his offence, and to re-admit 

 him into their society again. The Naiks having discussed the mat- 

 ter — it is generally settled, that they dnect him to pay a fine accord- 

 ing to his means ; and with the money an entertainment is provided 

 (the necessary quantity of liquor is not forgotten) for the Naiks and 

 a portion of their followers, when the feast has been prepared — they all 

 sit down in a row — or in a circle if more convenient ; and when the 

 leaves from off which they eat their food have been replenished, 

 and the customary propitiatory ofJ'ering made, the penitent ap- 

 proaches the Naiks and is presented by the Chowan Naik first, and 

 by the others successively, with a grass (a mouthful) from their res- 

 pective shares, or dishes; after partaking of their feast in this man- 

 ner, he is considered as restored to his former station among them. 



The illegitimate offspring of a Ramoossy by a woman of the 

 Koonby caste, and likewise its mother/is admitted into their com- 

 munity by a similar proceeding. The father having assembled four 

 or five of the principal Naiks of the district in which he resides, 

 with their followers, he entertains them according to his capability, 

 expending from twenty to fifty rupees, and sometimes double that 

 amount, — each of the chief Naiks are on such an occasion present- 

 ed with a selah, worth from five to six rupees. In this manner they 

 admit converts from the higher classes to join their tribe after un- 

 dergoing the prescribed ceremonies established among them for that 

 purpose. The son of a Koonby, &c. of the age of ten, fifteen, or 



