OBSERVATORY; FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 1833. Mean 3,6 5,3 6,0 6,0 5,4 4,9 5,7 The depth of rain during the Month 9,923 Inches 6,162 " The instruments used in the foregoing observations are placed upon a table 3 feet high in the western verandah of the Honourable Company's Observatary; from the Mean of five Barometrical measures lately made the floor of the verandah appears to be about 26 feet above the level of the Sea (not 45 as was before erroneously supposed.) The barometrical indication are those read off from the instrument, without any reduction for corpil iary action or temperature; for the former, the correction answering to 0,20 inches diameter or +, 059 inches should be employed-The Madras Observatory is situated at about two miles from the sea in longitude 5 Hours 21 Minutes 9 Seconds east of Greenwich and 13 Degrees 4 Minutes 9 Seconds north Latitude. T. G. TAYLOR, H. C. Astronomer. MADRAS JOURNAL OF LITERATURE AND SCIENCE. No. 3.-April, 1834. I-A Sketch of the History of the Ramoossies residing in the Sattarah Territory and in the Poona and Ahmednuggur districts By Captain Alexander Mackintosh of the 27th Regt. M. N. I. Commanding Ahmednuggur Local Corps. CHAPTER I. Introductory observations.-The origin and migration of tribes.-That of the Ramoossies involved in obscurity.-The limits of the country over which they are dispersed.-The origin of the tribe and that of their name variously explained.-The tribe divided into two main branches or clans.Two minor families have sprung up since they crossed the Neera.-The number of the tribe.-The remnants of their language.-Their employment as Rukwalldars or village guardians.-The nature of the duties they have to perform.—The lands and emoluments they enjoy. We are frequently induced, either by motives of interest or curiosity, to inquire into the character and language, the manners and customs of the inhabitants of a new, or foreign country, whose history is imperfectly known to us, although the result of our researches may prove neither entertaining nor satisfactory. The nature of the appointment I have held for many years past, having necessarily brought me frequently in contact, I might say, in hostile collision, with that portion of the population of the Dekhan commonly distinguished as the predatory tribes, viz. the Bheels, Kolies, and the Ramoossies, and having been recently occupied in suppressing a disturbance in the country around Poona, caused by the latter tribe, I am induced to attempt to give an account of them, in the hope that it may not be unacceptable to those who take an interest in such matters. It is generally remarked, that the history of the origin and migrations of almost every tribe and nation, is more or less involved in |