1 PUNISHMENT OP THE MURDERERS.
2 Wuzeer to conduct the affairs of the state. For himself, he
3 said, he was unwilling' to undertake the office, assigning as his
4 reason that the enemies of himself and his family would impede
5 and obstruct his administration. Nothing but a solemn gua-
6 rantee on the part of the troops of their zealous and constant
7 attachment to him and obedience to his orders, would induce him,
8 he said, to accept an office so dangerous and unenviable. This
9 declaration had its desired and expected effect. The officers and
10 the deputies at once and unanimously declared that he and he
11 alone should be the Minister of their choice. Dulleep Sing, they
12 said, was their lawful sovereign, and only Heera Sing should be
13 his Wuzeer ; and they then and there promised and declared
14 that they would at his bidding destroy any one who might
15 venture to oppose or thwart him in any way whatsoever. His
16 for days the soldiers were seen going about hunting for their yictims who had
17 concealed themselves from their murderous rage. With such deadly enmity did
18 they pursue the moonshees in particular, that even in the streets of Lahore they
19 were heard to declare that they would kill every man, woman, and child, who could
20 either read or write Persian, the language in which the moonshees kept the pay ac-
21 counts. Thus in the very city any man who had the misfortune to look like a moon-
22 shee, if he appeared abroad was almost certain of being either shot or cut down with-
23 out inquiry as to who or what he was. In cases in which the pursuers were doubt-
24 ful as to the calling of their victim, they would search and examine him, and if
25 they found upon him writing implements, or if his hands were soft and silky
26 and fingers long and tapering, his doom was sealed, — without further parley he was put
27 to death. Nor did the families of the moonshees escape, their houses were sacked and
28 burnt, and their inmates tortured and ill used, in a manner that it is fearful to think
29 upon. This may serve to shew the state and condition of the Seik army at the
30 time when the Painches established themselves as its representatives. It may be
31 mentioned also, that only one of the two deputies from each company possessed,
32 much power or influence; these were called the head Painches, while the others
33 were styled Kurr Painches, and were looked on as mere assistants or tools of
34 their principals, and their business was chiefly to go among the soldiery and to
35 stir them up to any thing that their chiefs might desire. The head Painches
36 soon got into their own hands the virtual command of the army, and consequently
37 almost the entire power of the state; fo.' as they had the means of causing the
38 removal of obnoxious officers, the leaders of the army were entirely at their com-
39 mand. This power they turned to their own advantage on every opportunity,
40 selling appointments to the highest bidder, and receiving bribes from opposing
41 parties only to side with the strongest when the hour of trial came.
42 N