1 His death,
2 Khurruk
3 Singh.
4 Nonehal
5 Singh.
6 Shere Singh,
7 4 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS.
8 have his powerful allies between him and Dost
9 Mohummud, whose’ rising power he dreaded ever ~
10 since the conquest obtained by the Affghans over
11 Hurree Singh at Jumrood in 1837. He received
12 daily accounts of the progress of the British
13 Troops under the command of Sir John Keane,
14 who, crossing the Indus, advanced through the
15 Bolan Pass, overcoming almost insurmountable
16 difficulties; but he did not live to hear of the ©
17 capture of Ghuznee, having expired on the 30th
18 June 1839. His death was not unlooked for, but
19 the event spread universal affliction thraughout
20 the Punjab, for he had left no successor worthy
21 of him or capable of maintaining his kingdom
22 entire.
23 The immediate successor of Runjeet Singh, was
24 his eldest son, Khurruk Singh, who possessed none
25 of his father’s qualifications for rule, though resem-
26 bling him strongly in feature; and it was soon
27 apparent, that Nonchal Singh, the son to the heir
28 of the throne of Lahore, wouid be, in reality, the
29 Ruler of the Punjab. There was another man who
30 had been extremely popular with the army, and,
31 though never acknowledged by Runjeet. Singh as
32 his real son, had still been treated as a prince; we
33 allude to Shere Singh. When Khurruk Singh
34 ascended the throne of Lahore, Shere Singh made
35 his willing submission as a subject, and received an
36 addition to his allowances of one lakh of rupees
37 annually.
38 The first act of the new ruler was an unpopu-