1 58 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS.
2 the Sikh troops retiring into camp; who shall de-
3 scribe then the prisoner’s feelings? 1 cannot.
4 “Morning at last came, and I soon perceived
5 that the boastful pride of our enemy had greatly
6 abated, their tone was altered and my condition
7 seemed better. Another day, another night, suc-
8 ceeded ; the third I was suddenly summoned to the
9 Chief Beharie Ally Khan, and on my way to‘him, a
10 smith appeared, and my irons were taken off. On
11 entering the chief’s tent, he spoke kindly, gave me
12 water to wash, and said he would get me released.
13 Some conversation ensued, and an Affghan Sirdar,
14 who had visited me the day before, evidently in-
15 terested himself in my behalf; we started for Lall
16 Singh’s quarters, but on the way there I was sent
17 back to my gun. Some anxious hours passed, and
18 when the unruly multitude heard I was likely to
19 be released, a row commenced ; my friends of the
20 artillery stood to their guns, and declared they
21 would fire if I were touched ; by degrees matters
22 smoothed down, and the crowd dispersed. Sud-
23 denly, I was told Imight go! I desired the messen-
24 ger to make my grateful acknowledgements to the
25 chiefs, and took leave of my Bhaiees, the artillery-
26 men, but I said, ‘I shall be cut down directly I
27 leave your lines.’ Two of them offered to accom-
28 pany me, and though their authority was not much
29 to protect me, the risk must be run; off we set,
30 and the sun never seemed to me to shine so cheer-
31 fully before. ‘Then a brother of the artillery chief's
32 ran after us, and said he would get me through
33 their outposts; he sent the two artillery-men back.