1 248 THE LORDS OF THE HILLS; —
2 Sefurin Dehu, a young boy, who after a reign of seventeen or
3 eighteen months, died at the age of fourteen years. On this,
4 in 1788, Jey Sing, the only son of Delele Sing, was created
5 Rajah, and had Meean Mota, the uncle of Goolaub Sing and
6 his brothers, as his prime minister and principal adviser. Jey
7 Sing was an imbecile and incompetent chief, and was unable
8 to act for himself. About the year 1806, Runjeet Sing, who
9 had succeeded his father, Maha Sing, and was extending his
10 power over the Punjaub, sent a body of cavalry to take pos-
11 session of Jummoo, but the invaders were bought off, and retired
12 without having effected the purpose of their visit. Again,
13 in 1807, Runjeet sent one of his lieutenants, Misser Dewan
14 Chund, with a strong force to reduce the place. But the
15 combined influences of a stout opposition and heavy bribes
16 once more preserved the independance of the hill state. It
17 was during this attack on Jummoo, that the present Goo-
18 laub Sing so distinguished himself by his bravery, that Mis-
19 ser Dewan Chund on his return spoke to Runjeet Sing very
20 highly in his favour.
21 Kussour or Kussoora Singhad three sons and four daughters ; —
22 the latter, it is said, were secretly put to death by their brothers
23 in 1811 or 1812. The eldest of his sons was named Goolauboo,
24 and was born about the year 1788. The second was Dehanoo,
25 born in 1797. The third was Suchethoo, born in 1801. Goo-
26 lauboo and Dehanoo lived with their uncle Meean Mota at
27 Jummoo, while their father and younger brother resided at
28 Ismailpore Deully, a village seven or eight coss from Jummoo
29 in the plains, and on the road to Lahore, deriving their sub-
30 sistance from the produce of a few acres of land. In the year
31 1807, when the Seiks under Dewan Misser Chund attacked
32 Jummoo, Goolauboo and some other Rajpoot lads of his
33 own age distinguished themselves in a hand to hand fight with
34 the Seik horsemen in the stony bed of the Thovee. • 'This
35 conduct so pleased Misser Dewan Chund, that on his return