1 SHER SINGH, 519
2 that lay on the pile, that if the opportunity were now refused to her of des-
3 troying her life with that of her mistress, she would immediately after end
4 her life by some other means. Seeing that the little girl was resolutely bent
5 on sacrificing herself, the Ranf allowed her to share her own and her compa-
6 nions’ fate, on which the girl joyfully mounted the funeral pile, occupying
7 the place at the feet of her mistress, who now closed her eyes, with the
8 head of her husband in her lap.
9 After the fight was over and the pillage had ceased, under the orders
10 of Hird Singh, a search was made for Lahnd Singh, Sindhianwdla, whose
11 body was not found among the slain, and who had disappeared.
12 Every nook and corner in the fort and around it was examined, but in
13 vain. At length a sepoy, peeping through a subterranean drain, with the
14 aid of a torch, discovered the sardar hidden in a dark cell, attended by a
15 faithful follower, named Rah Singh, a strong and muscular man, aboub
16 fifty years of age. The sardar was found with a broken thigh, and was
17 guarded by his gallant attendant, who stood at the entrance of the cell
18 with a drawn sword. The infuriated soldiers rushed on this man; but he
19 cut down thirteen with his own sword before he feli, covered with wounds, and
20 shortly after expired. His dying request was that his master might not be
21 molested, and the Sikhs, honouring his bravery, were inclined to take Lahna
22 Singh alive; but one of their own number shot the sardar dead on the spot,
23 observing: “ Are we going to lose 10,000 rupees?” The sardar’s head was
24 immediately severed from his body and taken to Raja Hird Singh, who gave
25 the soldiers the promised reward. The murder of Lahnd Singh was the
26 last event of the day, at the close of which the victorious soldiery returned
27 to their quarters.* When the fort was completely in the possession of
28 Raj&é Hird Singh, he first went to the young Mahardjé Dulip Singh, and
29 kissed his feet in token of submission, He next went to the Hazari Bagh,
30 and, having seated himself in the marble bardéduré, ordered all the friends
31 aud relations of the Sindhianwaldés then present at the capital, and who
32 had taken part against him in the fight which had just closed, to be brought
33 into his presence. The youthful avenger had them all murdered in cold
34 blood, or shot in his presence, one by one. Among them were Bhdi Girmukh
35 Singh, the Granthi of the great Mahardjd, and Miser Beli Ram, the treasurer,
36 the latter of whom had instigated the late minister’s assassination, and was
37 believed to have connived at the death of ‘his royal master, whilst the
38 former had always been conspicuous in his opposition to the Dogrd family,
39 though he stood high in the favour of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.f One of the
40 Sindhianwélds, who had concealed himself in a ditch or drain, was dragged
41 out and his belly ripped up. The bodies of Ajit Singh and Lahnd Singh
42 were dragged through the city, and then mutilated and exhibited to the
43 public gaze on the gates. The possessions and jagirs of the Sindhian-
44 walds in Rajd Sansi and elsewhere were confiscated, and their houses
45 razed to the ground. Attar Singh, who was coming to the aid of his
46 brother and nephew, having heard of their defeat and death, retreated pre-
47 cipitately and sought the protection of Baba Bir Singh, a celebrated Sikh
48 priest. Hird Singh’s men pursued him, but Attar-Singh, being apprised of,
49 * McGregor makes Lahné Singh’s death to have taken place prior to that of Ajit Singh.
50 He mentions that ‘‘ Lahné Singh was observed coming from the Hazuri Bigh and going to-
51 wards the Badshahi Masjid for ammunition. JKesri Singh took aim and the sardar fell mortally
52 wounded, but was dragged through the gate into the sleeping apartments, where he died two
53 days after.” This account is wholly unconfirmed. Compare Smyth’s History of the Reign-
54 ing Family of Lahore with Rai Kanhia Lal’s History of the Panjab.
55 + Both, being religious men (one a Granthi or a reader of the holy Granth, and the other a
56 Brahmin), were murdered concealed from the public view to avoid the excitement of the Sikh
57 public. Miser Beli Ram wag made over to Sheikh Imam-ud-din, who despatched him privately.
58 The murder of
59 Lahné Singh.
60 Yr
61 Punishment of the
62 ebels,
63 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com