1 PHOOLA SING, THE AKALEE. 187
2 and greedy men. Even in the court and camp of Runjeet,
3 the Akalee free-booter was an object of dread ; and he, pre
4 suming on the terror which his name inspired, would enter
5 the houses of the most powerful sirdars and openly carry
6 off the choice of their goods and horses, or whatever he took
7 a fancy to. He also levied " black mail" on the chiefs, de-
8 manding large sums of money for the expences of himself
9 and followers ; and if his demand was not immediately complied
10 with, the contumacious sirdar might expect to be plundered
11 of all his property. Even Runjeet himself was not exempt
12 from this impost, which he was content to bear in common
13 with his sirdars. The Maharajh, however, prudently strove
14 to conciliate the powerful free-booter, by yielding to his
15 demands with a good grace, and sometimes indeed by antici-
16 pating them. He frequently bestowed gifts of money and
17 jaghires on the Akalee leader and his followers, and thus in
18 some degree secured their forbearance and friendship.
19 At length it occurred to the sagacious Runjeet to turn to his
20 own advantage those qualities and propensities of the Akalee
21 band, under which he had suffered so long. This purpose he
22 attained by taking them into his service, but without insisting
23 very strongly on the enforcement of regiilar military discipline.
24 It was indeed the prudent policy of Runjeet, whenever he
25 knew of any famed and dreaded robber to send for him to
26 his presence, and by presents and the promise of good pay,
27 to attach him to his own service, thereby converting to his
28 own use and benefit, the courage and the rapacity which would
29 otherwise be exercised at his expense. Thus it happened
30 that in most of the battles which Runjeet fought with his
31 Affghan or other foes, the tide of victory was turned in his
32 favour, by the daring and impetuous onslaught of some of these
33 desperate spirits, whose predatory habits while they . had given
34 them an utter disregard for all discipline had inspired them
35 with a thorough contempt for death and danger.