1 112 SECRET HISTORY OF THE LAHORE DURBAR.
2 Sing. He first came upon that of Rai Kissera Sing-, who was
3 well known at court as one of the best soldiers in the country,
4 and who had that day cut clown about twenty of the foe ere
5 he fell. Several times had this strong and valiant man been
6 struck down, but as often had he risen to renew the slaughter
7 which marked his progress. At length with two mortal stabs
8 of the bayonet he went down for the last time, but not before
9 he had killed the authors of his death wounds. When
10 Rajah Heera Sing visited the scene of butchery, Rai Kissera
11 was still alive, and on seeing the Wuzeer attempted to utter
12 the Rajpoot salutation " Jye deb" after which he made signs for
13 water, when Rajah Heera Sing brutally answered his mute re-
14 quest by telling him it would have been well had he remained in
15 the hills, where there was plenty of clear cold water. Rai Kissera
16 Sing died shortly after. At the sight of his uncle's body, Heera
17 Sing seemed much affected, and actually shed tears. He or-
18 dered that the corpse should be carried from the field in his own
19 palanquin; and the like honour was paid to the bodies of
20 Rai Kissera Sing, and of Bheem Sein, the principal mooktear
21 of Rajah Suchet Sing. The rest were disposed of according
22 to their rank and condition. That same day Heera Sing
23 was present at the funeral obsequies of his uncle, whose body
24 was burnt near the mausoleum of Meean Oottum Sing, the
25 eldest son of Goolaub Sing, who was killed with No Nehal
26 Sing.
27 It is believed that had it not been for the presence and
28 influence of the Pundit Jellah, this affair would not have had
29 so fatal a termination. But Rajah Heera Sing believed the
30 Pundit to be an infallible astrologer, and when this worthy
31 assured him that should he spare his uncle, he himself would
32 not be alive to see the sun set that evening, the credulous
33 Wuzeer fancied that his uncle's life alone could redeem his own.
34 He was persuaded by his counsellor that one of the two must
35 die that day, and that the troops were marching and would