the Koh-I-Nur 129
which
he wore on all public occasions. On his death bed in 1839, an attempt
was made to induce him to conciliate the favour of the gods by
presenting the stone to the famous shrine of Jaganàth (Juggernaut). He
is even said to have given his consent by an inclination of the head
;* but the crown jeweller refused to surrender the treasure without a
duly signed written warrant, which was being prepared when Runj'it
breathed his last. It thus remained in the Lahore jewel-chamber till
the young Rajah Dhulip-Singh was recognised by the British Government
(after the murder of Shu-Singh), when an English Agent was stationed
with a strong body-guard in Lahore. Then followed the mutiny of the two
Sikh Regiments, which brought about the final annexation of the Punjaub
in 1849, when, as related by Hunt, "the civil authorities took
possession of the Lahore Treasury, under the stipulations previously
made that all the property of the State should be confiscated to the
East India Company, in part payment of the debt due by the Lahore
Government, and of the expenses of the war. It was at the same time
stipulated that the 'Koh-i-Nur ' should be presented to the Queen of
England. After the Company became possessed of the gem, it was taken in
charge by Lord Dalhousie,
