126 THE GREAT DIAMONDS OF THE WORLD.
property,
including shawls, carpets, and gems, was retained, and a few trifles
returned to the Begum. But soon ascertaining that the ' Koh-i-Nur' was
not to befound amongst the jewels, he had the Begum closely watched ;
two of her most intimate attendants were thrown into prison, and the
other members of the Zenana deprived even of bread and water. No one,
without being first searched, was allowed to approach or leave the
princess, and it was at the same time intimated, that nothing but the
surrender of the diamond would satisfy Runjit. Thereupon the Begum
sent him some very costly stones, and amongst them a ruby of
considerable value. Having, as stated, no personal knowledge of gems,
the tyrant of the Punjaub now fancied that this ruby, which surpassed
everything he had yet seen, must be the real stone. But in order to
make assurance doubly sure, he sent for a person acquainted with the '
Koh-i-Nur,' placed all, the stones before him, and asked, which is the
' Koh-i-Nur ?' He received answer that it was not amongst those gems,
which compared to it, were of little value. This made him all the more
eager to procure it, and he again began to treat the Begum and her
family with great harshness. After keeping them without food for two
days, finding that she still held out, he gave up the hope of bringing
her to terms by such means, and had recourse to more insinuating ways.
She now promised to give up the stone, provided Runjit released Shah
Shuja from captivity in Kashmir, and conferred a life pension on him,
besides sundry favours on herself and friends. Shah Shuja was liberated
at once, but some of the
