J*'«i6 History of the Rafnoossics, [JuLi 



had suppressed a disturbance in the Satara district, caused by a re- 

 sistance to the Peshwah's authority by the Preethy Nidhy, who 

 was se^izcd. and sent a prisoner to Poona, he resolved to chastise 

 the .fcjooiy Uamoossies, when passing: that place on his return to 

 Poona. Aocordinuly when he approached Jejoory, he made his 

 troops surround unexpecttMlly the small vil1a£;e occupied by the Ra- 

 moossies. Several of thtni were killed and wounded in the skir- 

 mish that took place, and a party o( them that escaped to the hill 

 on which the temple stands, were subsequently captured. Gokla 

 was anxious to make an example of those that had thus fallen into 

 his hands. Among; them were some strangers, not belongine^ to the 

 place, but no notice was taken of this circumstance, and in the dusk 

 of the evening- the two chief Naiks were blown away from guns and 

 twenty six other Ramoossics were beheaded at the same time by 

 torch light. The reason assigned for Gokla having accelerated the 

 execution of these men, and not waiting till day-light the following 

 morning, was, that he apprehended some of the friends of Khun- 

 doojee Naik of Jejoory, would succeed in saving him, by tendering 

 a large sum to some of the courtiers around Bajee Row, and that 

 the Peshwah might be induced to interfere in his behalf, so he (Gok- 

 la) determined to put it beyond the power of money to rescue such 

 delinquents. 



I shall finish this sketch of the Poorundur Ramoossies, by merely 



they were p:uilty of roused the wrath of some Arabs in the service of the 

 Preethy Niilhy, who be^j^ed to be permitted to resent the insnlts the Ra- 

 moossies had offered to them. In the course of a short time, by exhibiting 

 false sup'i'ic's aiH. offering services, Sec. to the Naiks, they were induced to 

 disperse th<= ?-**titer part of their followers and to remain quiet; however at 

 the terminatir.n of five or six months, when they had been lulled into securi- 

 ty, they w°re unexpectedly soized and blown from guns. Hybntty Naik, 

 one of thr-ir number, was absent at the time, and when he heard of the sad 

 catastrophe MlJch had befallen his brethren, he fled and took refuge with a 

 powerful and inflnertiai Jageerdar. 



When Gok'a si-ized the Preethy Nidliy, a female favorite of the latter, who 

 had lived ui)d<^i his protection a number of years, fled to the fort of Wurdun- 

 gar accompanied by a considerable body of Sibundies. She for many months 

 bafiled all efforts made to capture her. Hybutty Ramoossy supposed that it 

 was at the insti^cation of this heroine, that his relations had been put to death, 

 and it was suggested by the Peshwah's Government to employ Hybutty to 

 capture the pretty and heroic Telin. Upon Hybutty approaching the fort, 

 this lady contrived to bribe some of his followers. A house in the village of 

 Chanddeo was filled with kurby or straw, and after Hybutty was persuaded 

 to ascend the hill to attfimpt to carry the place by escalade, the garrison sal- 

 lied forth and pursued Hybutty's men to the village. One of his treacherous 

 friends suggested to him to occupy the large building (in which the straw 

 was) as a place of security. When the Ramoossies entered the building, the 

 straw was set on fire. Several persons were burnt. Hybutty was caught 

 and subsequently blown from a gun, and many of his followers cruelly put to 

 death by the Teiin's orders. She was the wife ofaTely, or oil maker ; the 

 Preethy Nidhy was of the Brahmun caste 5 he is now residing on his estate 

 south of Satara. 



