272 An Account of the Tribe of Mhadeo Kolies. [April 



commenced plundering in the Konkan. At the termination of a few 

 months Govindjee Naik was seized and confined in the hill fort of 

 Koorung; Myajee fled to a distance and shortly afterwards died, and his 

 son Ramjee remained with the uncle Walloojee for the two seasons that 

 he continued his marauding system. Govindjee was executed, and it 

 was hoped this would have sufficiently intimidated Walloojee, and forc- 

 ed him to abandon his predatory schemes ; but it had an opposite ef- 

 fect. Walloojee became outrageous, and increased his gang to up- 

 wards of a thousand men ; with these he used to march into the Kon- 

 kan, drums beating and flags flying. The inhabitants of the low coun- 

 try were always panic-struck when they heard that the Kolies were 

 descending to ravage their homes. Walloojee was in the habit of 

 dividing his gang into three or four parties, and little or no resistance 

 was offered to his men, except those villages in which troops were 

 stationed. On a named day they re-assembled at a particular place in 

 the ghauts ; divided the plundered property, and retired with all rapi- 

 dity and secrecy to their homes. Walloojee kept a few active and 

 trust-worthy men with himself, while he remained in retirement near 

 Inchore ; for the Jahageerdar of that place, greatly befriended him. 

 However the Koly munsubdar, Heeroojee Naik, at length succeeded 

 in capturing him, and, after some difficulty, brought him to Rajoor, 

 where he was blown from a gun. 



Shortly after the death of Jowjee Baumlay, the inhabitants of two 

 villages in the Kotool district had a quarrel about the division of the 

 land of a deserted village, and the appropriation of the offerings made 

 at the shrine of the idol of the deserted place. This led ultimately to 

 the Bheels in the neighbouring hills being called in by one of the 

 parties ; however, as some Bheels had about the year 1800 plundered 

 some travellers, the circumstance brought on a skirmish between 

 the Koly watchmen of Oottoor and the Bheels, in which the lat- 

 ter had one of their Naiks killed ; the following season the Bheels* 

 assembled in force and plundered the koly habitations around Joo- 

 nere, Oottoor and Kotool. A large body of Sibundees was sent in 

 pursuit of them, under one of the Koly Naiks, who punished them 



* The Bheels put in a claim about six years ago for the kukwalldarship of the Kotool 

 district, which was of course rejected, and the hereditary Koly watchmen were re-ap- 

 pointed. The Bheels for many years past have been gradually encroaching and usurping 

 from the Ramoossies and the Kolies the office of village watchmen. It would seem good 

 policy to prevent the advance of the Bheels to the hilly country. The residence of those 

 at present settled in the Ahmudnuggur district is confined to the open count ry, and as 

 they are a more hardy and robust people than the Kolies, and partake of all kinds of 

 animal food, were they to secure a residence in the hilly country, the probability is, 

 that it would be a more difficult matter to quell a disturbance among them than among the 

 KolieB. 



