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Occasionally the Ramoosee, more peaceably inclined, settles himself quietly down to sleep in the verandah, and leaves the family to the enjoyment of repose; but there are others who disdain thus to eat the bread of idleness, and who make it a point to raise an alarm every hour in the night.
Notwithstanding the strength and acknowledged efficiency of the Bombay police, it is considered expedient in every house to engage a Ramoosee or watchman, who, while himself a professional thief, is bound in honour to protect his employer from the depredation of his brethren.
Bombay the rising Presidency Probability of its becoming the Seat of Government The Anglo-Indian Society of Bombay Style of Living The Gardens inferior to those of Bengal Interiors of the Houses more embellished Absence of Glass-windows an evil The Bungalows The Encamping-ground Facility and despatch of a change of residence Visit to a tent entertainment Inconveniences attending a residence in tents Want of Hotels and Boarding-houses Deficiency of public Amusements in Bombay Lectures and Conversaziones suggested, as means of bringing the native community into more frequent intercourse with Europeans English spoken by the superior classes of natives Natives form a very large portion of the wealth and intelligence of Bombay Nothing approaching the idea of a City to be seen The climate more salubrious than that of Bengal Wind blows hot and cold at the same time Convenience a stranger finds in so many domestic servants speaking English Their peculiar mode of speaking it Dress of servants Their wages The Cooks Improved by Lord Clare Appointments of the tables The Ramoosee Watchmen Their vociferations during the night Fidelity of the natives Controversy concerning their disregard of truth.
Personal courage or strength of body is by no means essential in a Ramoosee, all that is required of him being powerful lungs; this qualification he cultivates to the utmost, and any thing more dreadful than the sounds emitted in the dead of the night close to the window nearest the head of my bed I never heard.
Though, in virtue of this implied compact, the house ought to be considered sacred, and the Ramoosee entitled to receive his wages for the protection that his name affords, some there are who insist upon the display of their watchfulness in a very unwelcome manner.
As I write these somewhat discursive notes, there is a very old-world figure passing our verandah every now and then; he is our night watchman, called a Chowkidar or Ramoosee.
Vainly have I remonstrated, vainly endeavoured to convince the Ramoosee that his duty to his employers would be better performed by making these shocking outcries at the road-side; he is either inflexibly silent, or waging war against my repose; for I believe that he selects the side of the house devoted to the visit or for the exercise of his extraordinary faculty; I cannot in any other way account for the small disturbance he gives to the rest of the family.
The absolute necessity of paying one of these men, in order to secure the forbearance of his colleagues, is illustrated by an anecdote commonly told. It appears that two friends were living together, one of whom had engaged a Ramoosee, while the other, not imagining it to be incumbent upon him to incur the same expense, neglected this precaution.
One night, every thing belonging to this unfortunate chum was stolen. The Ramoosee was summoned, and accused of not having performed his duty. He boldly denied the charge. "All master's property is safe," he said; "when master lose any thing, I will account for it."
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