"
After a month passed in this manner confidential servants of Runjeet
at length waited on us and asked again for the Koh-i-nilr, which we
promised to deliver as soon as the treaty was agreed upon between us."
A
couple of days after this interchange of preliminaries, Runjeet
appeared in person, and was full of friendship and promises. He swore
by all manner of things to maintain inviolable a treaty to the
following effect:
"
That he delivered over certain provinces to us and our heirs forever,
also offering assistance in troops and treasure for the purpose of
again recovering our throne. He then proposed himself that we should
exchange turbans (ominous precedent!) which among the Sikhs is a pledge
of eternal friendship, and we then gave up to him the Koh-i-nur
diamond."
After which, let it be remarked, Runjeet broke all his promises.
The
actual ceremonial of the delivering up of the Koh-i-nur is graphically
described by an eye-witness of the scene, who says that the behavior
of Shah Shuja throughout the entire proceeding was dignified and
impressive.
