1 78 SECRET HISTORY OF THE LAHORE DURBAR.
2 Minister's name, but the Rajahs and their advisers, the princi-
3 pal of whom was Rae Kisseree Sing, who afterwards fell gal-
4 lantly fighting by the side of Rajah Suchet Sing-7 were too
5 cunning to be easily deceived. They therefore sent answer that
6 they would be very happy to obey the summons, but that it
7 should come in the Minister's own hand-writing or bearing
8 his signature. Thus failing to entrap them by subtlety, the
9 Scindawallas sent five hundred horsemen to bring them by
10 force. This measure, however, and the absence of the required
11 written summons from Dehan Sing, had only the effect of con-
12 firming the suspicions of the Rajahs, that evil was intended; and
13 therefore collecting around them as many of the troops as they
14 could, they presented such a threatening front to the cavalry
15 sent by the Scindawallas, that these latter deemed it prudent to
16 return to the fort as they went.
17 In another hour the death of the Maharajh and his Minis-
18 ter became publicly known by means of some of those who had
19 escaped and spread the news. On the receipt of this intelli-
20 gence, Rajah Heera Sing and the Pundit Jella displayed the
21 most contemptible pusillanimity, the former in particular ;
22 he threw himself on the ground in despair, crying like a child,
23 until he was brought to a sense of propriety by the upbraidings
24 of the brave Kisseree Sing. A consultation was now held as to
25 the course to be pursued, and the result was that the chiefs pre-
26 sent separated, and went among the troops to excite them to take
27 vengeance on the murderers of their sovereign and his Wuzeer.
28 So well did they play their parts on this emergency, that they
29 speedily induced the whole Khalsa force to side with them.
30 As a specimen of the manner in which this was done, the con-
31 duct of Rajah Heera Sing may be described. Assembling the
32 troops he placed himself in their front, and unbuckling his
33 sword and shield addressed them thus : — " I was brought up
34 from my infancy by the great Maharajh Runjeet Sing, as
35 his adopted son, and I am now about to be slain as my