260 An Account of ike Tribe of Mhadeo Kolies. 



[APRlt 



at his friends committing robberies in different parts of the country, 

 while he wvs employed in the pay of government, before and after 

 his father's death. 1 may add here an anecdote connected with the 

 birth of Jowjee, as an instance of the superstition of the Hindoos, as 

 they prognosticate much evil resulting from such and similar events.* 

 It is stated that, when Jowjee was born, he came into the world reversed, 

 or back uppermost. Such an event is reckoned not only unlucky for 

 the infant, but likely to entail heavy misfortunes on his family. There- 

 fore with the view of removing the evil consequence arising from such 

 an occurrence, the customary offerings were presented to their house- 

 hold gods ; and when the child was six months old he was taken to the 

 banks of a river, where the roots of an oombre tree (Ficus glomerata) 

 were much exposed from the water having washed away the earth. The 

 infant was passed under one of these roots and then taken home. This 

 ceremony is always performed on the amwass or last day of the lunar 

 month. The fruit of this tree bears a great resemblance to the fig, and, 

 as it is very prolific, the people draw a favourable omen from the cir- 

 cumstance, and hope the parents of the child may continue happy. 



Jowjee Baumlay was not much liked by the people in authority at 

 Joonere, especially by the family of the Sawunts, &c, and these per- 

 sons pressed the soobahdar to reject Jowjee's claim; and, as he did 

 not receive any reply to his petition, he felt much mortified and dis- 

 gusted with the conduct of the soobahdar, and consequently quitted the 

 place, and retired to his village, with the determination of busying him- 

 self with agricultural pursuits. But, after a lapse of a few years, his 

 farming speculations proved unsuccessful, chiefly owing to his improvi- 

 dent habits ; he consequently had no wish to discharge his dues to go- 

 vernment. The Patell was aware of Jowjee's declaration of his in- 

 ability to pay the rent of his farm ; and, when the collector's 

 sepoy came for it, the Patell told him he could not get Baum- 

 lay to send his share, and he had therefore better demand it 

 himself. The Patell sent the village beadle along with the se- 

 poy to Baumlay's house. The sepoy told him that, unless he 

 paid his rent, he would be obliged to take him to Joonere. Jowjee 

 managed to satisfy the sepoy, but he could not refrain from expressing 

 his indignation and rage at the Patell's conduct in having sent a mes- 



* A person that has come into the world feet foremost, is considered to be very unlucky, 

 and in imminent danger of losing his life by lightning, and in consequence shows great 

 symptoms of alarm during a thunder storm. Rings, made of the metal of old guns and of 

 nails used in fastening the timbers of boats, are supposed to possess some counteracting 

 inflence, and are worn by such persons on their ai-ms above the elbow joint, and on their 

 toes. The Mahomedans in India, as well as the Hindoos, have a firm belief in such things. 

 The Kolies throw their iron crow-bar outside the door of the house during a thunder storm,, 

 to prevent the house being struck by the lightning. 



