1 BIRTH AND PARENTAGE OF DULLEEP SING. 95
2 the narration of the events which have kept it in a state of
3 convulsion for the last seven years.*
4 * The above is the true history of the lady who has acted so distin-
5 guished a part in the exciting drama which has been lately played at Lahore.
6 That given out as authentic and commonly accepted as the story of Her
7 Highness's early career, differs from it considerably in many particulars, but
8 chiefly in giving the lady a more exalted origin than fortune had in 6tore
9 for her. It is as follows: — In the year 1828, Runjeet Sing, while in the
10 neighbourhood of Gujerawalla, was told of the beauty of the third and
11 youngest daughter of one Munna Sing, a Jat Seik of the Oolak caste, a
12 Gorechar and Chowdry of Char, a small village about three miles south-east
13 of Gujerawalla. On this he sent for Jewalla Sing Puddana, who was married
14 to the eldest daughter of Munna Sing, and from him made inquiries as
15 to Munna Sing's family. The result of these inquiries was, that Runjeet
16 not only sent proposals to Munna Sing for his daughter, but also deputed
17 one Dii Kurmoo with peremptory orders to bring the young girl Chunda
18 and place her in the Maharajh's Zenana. In consequence of these pro-
19 ceedings the girl was soon domiciled in the tents appropriated to the
20 female part of Runjeet's train. "When the old chief arrived at Umritsir,
21 Chunda was for the first time ushered into his presence, and he seemed
22 much disappointed and not a little angry on finding, that instead of being
23 sixteen or seventeen years of age, as represented by Dii Kurmoo and others
24 who had first spoken of her to him, she was only between nine and ten.
25 As, however, she had some beauty and a promising look, he ordered that
26 she should be retained in the Zenana on a stipend of two rupees per diem ;
27 but it is certain that Runjeet never took any notice of the girl.
28 In the year 1834, the Maharajh had a favourite in one of the common
29 moskees or beesties attached to his person. This man's name was Gulloo,
30 a young and forward Mahomedan, who was introduced to the notice of
31 Runjeet by his uncle Topee Mookee, who had been placed by the Maharajh
32 in charge of the young Rajah Heera Sing, and who, by means not to be
33 mentioned, had insinuated himself into the old chief's favour. Gulloo, how-
34 ever, soon became the principal favourite, and got so far into the good graces
35 of his master as to be the only person allowed to mount his favourite saddle
36 horses and to ride close to and in front of him. He was, moreover, allowed
37 free access to the Zenankhana at any time, day or night, that he might
38 choose to enter. He thus became acquainted, perhaps too intimately, with
39 various inmates of the Zenana, but in particular it was not long before
40 he had established a familiarity and criminal intercourse with the girl Chunda,
41 that was notorious, not only in the women's apartments, but throughout
42 the palace and even in the public durbar. Runjeet himself was well aware