1 CIIAND KOUR. 503
2 pieces of artillery stationed around it. The panches of the army and most
3 of the sardars of the IKhélsdé soldiery now approached, and, having paid
4 their homage to him, publicly declared him the sovereign of the Panjab.
5 Crowds came from the city and welcomed his arrival by the national
6 cheer, “ Wéh Gurw jt kt Fateh,” long and continued. The intention of the
7 soldiery to support Shér Singh was further announced by the booming of
8 artillery, which now awakened the amazed citizens of Lahore from their
9 long slumber and roused them to a sense of their danger. The queen,
10 on being informed of the arrival of Shér Singh in the environs of Lahore,
11 ordered the gates of the city to be closed, and convened a council of her
12 ministers, consisting of Raja Guldb Singh, Jemaddér Khushdl Singh, Sardar
13 Teja Singh, and the sardars of the Sindhianwdld family. Gul&b Singh’s
14 own troops, who were at that time encamped at Shddera, across the Ravi,
15 were immediately ordered to march on Léhore, and were posted on the
16 parade ground north of the Summan Burj. It was intended to send them
17 to oppose Shér Singh’s troops, encamped in the immediate neighbourhood
18 of Lahore, but Guléb Singh suddenly changed his plan and_ located
19 = detachments in the fort, thus strengthening his own position for
20 efence.
21 The troops, under Jemaddr Kbushdl Singh, Sardar Tej4 Singh, and
22 other Sindhianwdlé Sardars, entered the fort, and the services of all were
23 placed at the disposal of Réj&4 Guldb Singh. Every bastion round the city,
24 as well as the gateway, was now strengthened. Guldb Singh was indefatiga-
25 able in his efforts to place the city in a state of defence, himself personally
26 inspecting each post and giving all necessary orders. As he visited the
27 different posts, he distributed money in handfuls to the soldiers, receiving
28 from them, in return, strong assurances of fidelity. The raja, on his return
29 to the fort, assembled all the sardars, officers and men of the army, and
30 personally administered an oath to each—to the Mahomedans on the Qurdn
31 and to the Hindus on the water of the Ganges—to stand firm in their
32 allegiance to the Mahardni Chand Kour and to resist Shér Singh to the
33 utmost of their power. Four months’ pay was then distributed to the
34 soldiers as a gratuity, with promises of further favours and promotion in the
35 event of the enemy being repulsed and the throne of Léhore secured for the
36 Maharani. .
37 While these events were in progress in the city and fortress, Sher Singh
38 was joined by Suchet Singh and General Ventura, who acknowledged him as
39 king. The troops under the prince now numbered 70,000, and their impe-
40 tuosity had reached such a pitch that Shér Singh was unable to restrain them.
41 He entered the city at eight o'clock at night, by a wicket gate which then eXx-
42 isted between Mewd Singh’s barracks and the western portion of the Béadshahi
43 Mosque, and soon afterwardshis artillery first entered the city by the Yakki
44 and Delhi gates, and afterwards by the Tak-sdli and other gates, the guards
45 and keepers of the gates, who had the day before sworn allegiance to Chand
46 Kour, after receiving large sums of money as rewards, having been won over
47 by Shér Singh, from whom they received rewards still richer and more
48 valuable. Thus, before daybreak, Shér Singh was master of the principal
49 parts of the town. He also arranged, by means of further bribes, to enter
50 the gate leading to the Haztri Bagh; and his troops occupied the palace
51 garden and quietly took possession of the Bédshahi Masjid, where a large
52 magazine, stored by the troops of Guléb Singh, fell into their hands.
53 The whole city was in a state of uproar and commotion throughout the
54 night. The enraged soldiery plundered all the principal bazars. The
55 shops of the merchants and traders, which were closed for the night, were
56 His arrival is wel-
57 comed by the residents
58 of Lahore,
59 Active measures of
60 Gu'db Singh,
61 Suchet Singh and
62 General Veutura join
63 Shér Singh.
64 The Prince oceupies
65 the city of Iabore.
66 Excesses committed
67 by the soldiers.
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