A History of the Mahrattas v1.c17.142

v1.c17.142

Ramoossees of Maharashtra. This chief was a Polygar, and could command twelve thousand infantry principally of his own tribe. His fort was situated amongst the hills and jungles, extremely difficult of access, but, in dread of the Moghul name, he surrendered. As it was an invariable rule of Aurunzgebe to bestow great honours on all who unresistingly acknowledged his authority, this Ramoossee Naik, greatly to the amusement of the courtiers, was raised to the rank of a commander of five thousand in the Moghul empire. He survived his honours but a few days, and his son Pemnaik, finding himself uncomfortable in the splendour of his new situation, withdrew to the woods, and collecting a band of his tribe took up his abode in Wakinkerah, a walled village near Sugger, where by plunder and robbery he gradually added to his numbers, and in less than twenty years we shall find the last personal effort of the mighty Aurungzebe directed to reduce the Berud Naik of Wakinkerah.