1 A. D. 1811. SHAH ZUMAN COMES TO LAHOR. 87
2 RuNJEET Singh regulated his conduct, viz. the deter-
3 mination to level into subjects and dependents, owing all
4 to himself, every one who was in a position to assert
5 independence, or who prided himself on a separate
6 origin, and enjoyed patrimonies, won by his own or his
7 ancestor's swords. Runjeet Singh, who was himself
8 free spoken, and allowed great latitude in conversation to
9 his courtiers, received at this period a rebuke for the grasp-
10 ing disposition he displayed in his treatment of the old
11 Sikh, Sirdars from Jodh Singh Ramghureea, himself a
12 reduced chief of the class. When taking his leave to
13 join MoHKUM Chund in the operations against the
14 FyzooUapooreea Sirdar, Runjeet Singh ordered him
15 presents as a mark of favor. He begged, however, with
16 characteristic frankness, that such honors might be dis-
17 pensed with in his case, for he should deem himself for-
18 tunate in these times, if allowed to keep his own turbanc
19 on his head. Runjeet Singh took no offence at this
20 freedom, but smiled and told him to be faithful and of
21 good cheer.
22 The year 1811 closed with a visit to Labor by Shah
23 ZuMAN, the brother in exile and misfortune of Shah
24 Shooja, with the addition of deprivation of sight. He
25 came with his family and dependents in the course of
26 November, bat experiencing only neglect from the Sikh
27 chief, returned soon after to Rawul-Pindee, where he
28 had been residing for some months. Shah Shooja,
29 since his failure in September to obtain entrance or recep-
30 tion at Mooltan, embarked in a desperate attempt to push
31 his fortune again beyond the Indus. He was, however,
32 defeated with the loss of his principal oflBcer, Ukrum
33 Khan, and was compelled to seek personal safety in