239 



History of ike Ramoossies, 



[July 



Peetah, Pole, Khunduglah, Dhoullab, Shendeh, Ghalgheh, Mud- 

 neh, Wagmoiih, Shellar, and Khiivoureh, and these all intermarry 

 with each other. The people swear by the leaves of the Toolsee, 

 and not by the Bel, as the Bhakah Ramoossies do. 



There is a tradition in the Poorundur district, that the Holgahs 

 were originally the watchmen of the villages in that part of the coun- 

 try, but that they were gradually displaced by the ancestors of the 

 Ramoossies at present there. A few Holgahs still retain the Ruk- 

 walldarship of some villages in the Indapoor purgannah south of the 

 Blieema river. 1 have before stated that the number of Holgahs 

 above the age of sixteen years in the Ahmednuggur Collectorate 

 amounted to 203. I have been informed tliat about the year 1785, 

 two Holgah Ramoossies Essoo, and Hybutty of Pairgaum had serv> 

 ed a number of years as horsemen with 'IVihadjee Sindiah's army, 

 and having amassed a considerable sum of money, they accompanied 

 Mhadjee Sindiah to Poona, where they made great exertions to get 

 admitted into the Ramoossy caste (the Bhakahs). They contrived 

 to assemble ten, or twelve of the Ramoossy Naiks around Poona, 

 and Poorundur, and entreated of them to receive them into their 

 tribe ; raakii.g them an offer of several thousand rupees at the 

 same time, to induce them to acquiesce in their petition. However, 

 the few Naiks that were assembled, could not give their consent to 

 the proposed arrangement. The Holgahs possessed Mhadjee Sin- 

 diah's favour, and upon the £tre>igthof this influence, they menaced 

 the Naiks with threats, and the adopting coercive measures to com- 

 pel them to agree to their proposals ; upon this, the Ramoossy Naiks 

 took up the question warmly, declaring that on no account, or for 

 no consideration would they ever receive them as brethren, and look 

 upon them as members of their families. 



The Holgahs will not partake of food prepared by the Bhakahs, 

 nor the latter of that of the former ; neither of them will eat victuals 

 prepared by the village washerman, the oil maker, the smith, carpen- 

 ter, and several of the other lower grades of the Hindoo communi- 



They appear to differ in no respect from the other Ramoossies 

 with regard to character, or pursuits. To prove that they have been 

 troublesome to the Government, I have only to relate the following 

 account of the proceedings of the Pairgaum Ramoossies some thirty 

 years ago> These were the sons of Essoo and Hybutty before men- 

 tioned. 



The Ramoossies along the banks of the Bheema river were very 



