RUMNA, s. Hind. ramnā, Skt. ramaṇa, 'causing pleasure,' a chase, or reserved hunting-ground.
1760.—"Abdal Chab Cawn murdered at the Rumna in the month of March, 1760, by some of the Hercarahs...."—Van Sittart, i. 63.
1792.—"The Peshwa having invited me to a novel spectacle at his runma (read rumna), or park, about four miles from Poonah...."—Sir C. Malet, in Forbes, Or. Mem. [2nd ed. ii. 82]. (See also verses quoted under [PAWNEE].)
RUNN (OF CUTCH), n.p. Hind. raṇ. This name, applied to the singular extent of sand-flat and salt-waste, often covered by high tides, or by land-floods, which extends between the Peninsula of Cutch and the mainland, is a corruption of the Skt. iriṇa or īriṇa, 'a salt-swamp, a desert,' [or of araṇya, 'a wilderness']. The Runn is first mentioned in the Periplus, in which a true indication is given of this tract and its dangers.
c. A.D. 80-90.—"But after passing the Sinthus R. there is another gulph running to the north, not easily seen, which is called Irinon, and is distinguished into the Great and the Little. And there is an expanse of shallow water on both sides, and swift continual eddies extending far from the land."—Periplus, § 40.
c. 1370.—"The guides had maliciously misled them into a place called the Kúnchiran. In this place all the land is impregnated with salt, to a degree impossible to describe."—Shams-i-Síráj-Afíf, in Elliot, iii. 324.
1583.—"Muzaffar fled, and crossed the Ran, which is an inlet of the sea, and took the road to Jessalmír. In some places the breadth of the water of the Ran is 10 kos and 20 kos. He went into the country which they call Kach, on the other side of the water."—Tabaḳāt-i-Akbarī, Ibid. v. 440.
c. 1590.—"Between Chalwaneh, Sircar Ahmedabad, Putten, and Surat, is a low tract of country, 90 cose in length, and in breadth from 7 to 30 cose, which is called Run. Before the commencement of the periodical rains, the sea swells and inundates this spot, and leaves by degrees after the rainy season."—Ayeen, ed. Gladwin, 1800, ii. 71; [ed. Jarrett, ii. 249].
1849.—"On the morning of the 24th I embarked and landed about 6 p.m. in the Runn of Sindh.
"... a boggie syrtis, neither sea