1 INTRIGUES IN PUTEEALA. 61
2 all the territory held by the family in the Puujab was
3 resumed, and assigned for the present in Jageer to Xyal
4 Singh Utharawala. From Kasoor, Runjeet Singh
5 proceeded S. W. towards Mooltan, and occupied and
6 kept garrisons in various dependencies of that govern-
7 ment. In April the town of Mooltan was mastered, but
8 the governor held out the fort, into which the principal
9 inhabitants had retired with their valuables. Being unpro-
10 vided with the means of siege, Runjeet accepted a sura
11 of money from Mozuffur Khan, and returned to Labor
12 in May. In the interval before the rains, he detached a
13 force against Deena-nugur under the Kangra hills, and
14 levied exactions in that neighbourhood from several
15 Sikh and mountain chiefs, who had hitherto enjoyed im-
16 munity from their dependence on the Ghunee Misul,
17 with the head of which, SUDA KooNWUR, RuNJEET
18 stood in such close relation. The measure gave offence
19 to that lady, and the foundation was thus laid for the
20 differences and intrigues which led eventually to her ruin.
21 ., / 1...
22 The wife of the Puteeala Raja was an ambitious
23 intriguing woman who had long sought to set aside her
24 husband, or at least to procure the assignment of a sepa-
25 rate territory for her minor son KuRUM Singh. When
26 JuswUNT Rao Holkur passed through Puteeala on his
27 way to the Punjab, she had endeavoured to make him in-
28 strumental to her views, and that wily chief made the state
29 of things which prevailed, conducive to his own enrich-
30 ment, but being pressed for time, in consequence of the
31 approach of Lord Lake, he left matters between the Raja
32 and Ranee as they were. The quarrel being now renew-
33 ed, the Ranee sent, in the rains of 1807, to invite Rln-
34 JEET Singh to espouse her cause, promising him a