1 256 THE LORDS OF THE HILLS ; —
2 their father, as they now styled the Maharajh, that in any
3 honours and favours which he had to bestow upon the family,
4 Goolauboo might have that preference to which his merits, as well
5 as his seniority, entitled him. A slave to his own vile passions,
6 which had driven him into the toils of these cunning and
7 unscrupulous youths, Runjeet, rather than forego his design
8 of ennobling his minions, Dehanoo and Suchetoo, at length
9 consented to include the less favoured elder brother in the
10 patent of nobility. Thus, in the year 1818, the three brothers
11 were created Rajahs. The eldest, to whom precedence was re-
12 luctantly given, became Rajah Goolaub Sing of Jummoo, the
13 second Rajah Dehan Sing of Bheembur and Kussal, the third
14 Rajah Suchet Sing of Sumba, Ramnuggur, &c. To these titles
15 were appended territories to the annual value of about three
16 lakhs, one a lakh and a half^ and one lakh, respectively. But
17 this the brothers considered as mere out-fit money for the
18 career of profit which they now saw before them.
19 Taking leave of Runjeet and the court of Lahore, Rajah
20 Goolaub Sing now repaired to Jummoo to take possession
21 of the seat of his ancestors, as an almost independent prince.
22 His allegiance was limited to the maintenance of a small
23 force of horse and foot at the service of the Durbar, to be
24 presented annually at the Dusserah festival for review at Lahore,
25 and certain promises of obedience to all the orders of the Maha-
26 rajh. Thus Goolaub departed from Lahore, leaving his
27 younger brothers still there in high favour and close intimacy
28 with their royal master, and well instructed as to the use
29 they were to make of their opportunities for the aggrandizement
30 of the family. Henceforth he paid only occasional visits to
31 the capital, seldom making his appearance there except when
32 summoned by his brothers to consult on some matter in which
33 their interest was involved and in which his advice was re-
34 quired. Thus these three Rajpoot brethren in time monopo-
35 lized all the power and influence of the Lahore court, the