1 serious that the gates of the city were ordered to he shut. The
2 residency vus still in the city; and at this critical moment, the
3 resolute Resident, accompanied by Major Edwardes and a few
4 sowars (mounted soldiers), appeared ori the spot where the
5 tumult of the mob wrs raging, in order to establish tranquillity;
6 but they were welcomed by the mob with a volley of stones;
7 Major Edwardes received a slight wound on iiis forehead, and
8 one or the sowars a sabre wound. On the request of the Resident,
9 Lall Sing caused the ringleaders to be captured ; and one ol
10 them,Brahmin, was hung before the city gate, without cere¬
11 mony or hesitation.
12 The principal cause of this by no means insignilicant riot, was
13 said to be that an English soldier of the garrison gave a cut
14 with his sword to an ox, which is esteemed by the Brahmins as a
15 sacred animal. Since then, however, oxen are not only killed at
16 Lahore, but at Umritsir, the holy city, and the meat is publicly
17 sold at the bazaars. The Sikhs and Hindoos, who consider the
18 killing of oxen and cost. to be a capital sin. can do nothing but
19 grieve at the sacrilege, and weep at their inability to prevent it.
20 Their feelings on this point, however, would sometimes take a
21 more active and dangerous turn; and on one occasion, when
22 the Resident gave, an entertainment in the royal gardens, called
23 Shallenmr, to which many ladies and gentlemen, ard their
24 children were invited, and I also happened to be among the
25 number of the guests, we were hear falling victims to the
26 people’s vengeance. By good torture, however, the Resident was
27 apprised of the conspiracy, and all preparations were made for
28 our security, otherwise it would, 1 am afraid, have gone hardly
29 with us, as the qviarters of the troops were at A mirk hall, five
30 miles from the gardens.
31 Rad health inducts! the Resident to accompany the Governor-
32 General, Lord Hardinge, to England, and Sir F. Currie replaced
33 him; but ns he treated the Sikhs with more indulgence, not being
34 so well acquainted with oriental policy as Sir H. Lawrence, the
35 people soon began to abuse bis kindness. Two officers also,
36 named A grew and Anderson, both of them unacquainted with