1 15
2 CHAPTER III.
3 HISTORY OF THE PUNJAUB FROM THE DEATH OF
4 RUNJEET SINGH TO THE DEATH OF NOO NEHAL
5 SINGH.
6 From the death of the Maharajah Runjeet Singh
7 may be dated the commencement of the scenes
8 of anarchy and confusion which to this moment
9 have existed in the Punjaub. For some months
10 previous to his demise, from his extreme debility
11 and loss of speech from paralysis, public business
12 had been almost entirely neglected, the revenue
13 misapplied, and order or method nearly anni-
14 hilated. A few days previous to the event, the
15 28th of June, 1839, the Maharajah, conscious of
16 his approaching end, ordered the whole of his
17 superior officers, European and native, to be
18 assembled in his presence, and caused them to
19 take the oath of allegiance to the heir apparent,
20 his son, the Koonwar* Kurruck Singh; the
21 * Prince.