266 



An Account of the Tribe of Mhadeo Kolies. 



[Aprii, 



in the bag, and availed themselves of the first opportunity of communi- 

 cating to Jwwjee the very fortunate discovery they had made. Jowjee, 

 in his usual nrm and decided manner said, u very well, this information 

 confirms me in the suspicion I had of these villains. We shall easily 

 forestall them by treating them in the manner they intended to treat 

 us." When they were asleep at night the father and three sons were 

 put to death. 



When a few weeks had elapsed Raghobah Dada sent Jowjee Baum- 

 lay letters, desiring him to capture the hill forts, and prove his zeal 

 and capability of serving the sirkar. Jowjee had for a long time been 

 ambitious of carrying on operations on an extended scale, but he wanted 

 to be patronised by some person in authority to justify the Kolies in join- 

 ing him. Raghobah Dada's orders were therefore hailed with joy by 

 these people. We have the names of twenty-one Naiks who joined Jow- 

 jee with their adherents. They lost no time in descending into the Kon- 

 kan, and captured the hill fort of Sidghur. The commandant of the 

 fort had a fine gold bangle, which Jowjee deprived him of and placed 

 on his own wrist. The fort of Bhyreghur was attacked and captured 

 in a few days, and the fort of Kotla was also soon mastered by Jowjee ; 

 just as Kotla had surrendered, a detachment from Joonere descended 

 the ghauts to raise the siege. Jowjee with his usual activity advanced 

 on this detachment, attacked and put it almost immediately to flight. 

 He had captured the fort of Gorekha, when he was informed by one of 

 his staunch friends that Dewjee Sawunt had engaged eight Berrdura 

 (men who resemble the Ramoossies) to put him to death, |hat he made 

 a promise of rewarding these men handsomely if they accomplished the 

 object for which they were engaged, and, to excite their cupidity, and 

 as an earnest of his intentions, he presented each of them with an 

 ornamental gold ring. Jowjee's vigilance, and the zeal and fidelity of 

 his followers, prevented the assassins succeeding in their attempt on 

 his life. 



Jowjee having been so very successful below in the Konkan, deter- 

 mined on trying what he could effect above the ghauts. He surrounded 

 the fort of Ruttunghur, and, having threatened the havildar Govindrow 

 Khary, he offered him, through a friend, six thousand rupees, if he 

 would surrender the place — the garrison got alarmed and the gates were 

 opened for Jowjee's men. Allung was captured and Muddungur sur- 

 rendered. Nana Phurnavees, who was supreme at Poona, vowed 

 vengeance against Baumlay, and declared he would have hiin blown 

 from a gun the instant he was caught. A detachment from Poona 

 arrived to retake the forts ; Jowjee was in the Konkan at the time, but 

 ascended the ghauts and commenced skirmishing with the Poona 

 detachment which suffered some loss. Another detachment advanced 

 from the Konkan, commanded by Ghorebollay, and Jowjee skirmished 



