1 EARLY HISTORY OF RUNJEET SING. 17
2 however persevered in their attempts to procure the release
3 of Buddur-oodeen for nearly a month, when finding their
4 representations and entreaties of no effect they determined to
5 resort to other means. They deputed one of their number to
6 wait upon Runjeet Sing, the young chief of the Sukerchuckia
7 Missall, who then was at Russoolnuggur, otherwise Ramnuggur,
8 on the Chinaub, for the purpose of inviting him to come and
9 occupy Lahore, assuring him that all that they required was
10 his presence there, as they themselves would do all that was
11 necessary for securing their object. They also sent a similar
12 message to his mother-in-law, the widow Suda Kour, in-
13 viting her to aid and join the enterprise. Nothing could have
14 pleased Runjeet better than the project thus proposed to him,
15 as his ambition was already boundless. He therefore imme-
16 diately got together such a force of horse and foot as he could
17 muster on an emergency; and being joined by numbers of
18 straggling Seiks, Akalees, and Mujbees, he at once set out for
19 Umritsir, on the pretence of going there as usual to bathe
20 and perform his devotions at the holy shrine. His real object,
21 however, was to obtain the counsel and aid of his mother-
22 in-law, who being fully as ambitious as himself, willingly gave
23 him both encouragement and assistance, and even the sanction
24 of her own presence and company. Thus re-inforced, Run-
25 jeet at the head of about five thousand men, most of whom,
26 however, were but stragglers, proceeded at one march from
27 Umritsir to the Shalimar Gardens near Lahore. Here he
28 was met by Meea Ashuk and Meer Mokun-ood-deen, who
29 informed him that they had provided all that was necessary to
30 secure his easy entrance into and capture of the city. They told
31 him further that for this purpose they had made a large breach
32 in the wall betwixt the Kidderee and Yakkee Gates. But Run-
33 jeet, either suspicious of treachery or disdaining to enter the city
34 in such a manner, determined not to pass through the breach
35 which had been made for his convenience. It was there-