1 THE WUZEERUT OF HEERA SING. 115
2 expected, and it was the Minister's intention, should the former
3 suffer any reverses, to cross the Sutlej with the whole army.
4 There was one Goolaub Sing, commonly styled Calcutteea,
5 from his having- commanded the escort of Gujer Sing, brother
6 of Lena Sing Majeeteea, when that chief was some years before
7 sent on a friendly mission to the Governor-General at Calcutta.
8 This Goolaub Sing Caleutteea was known, for some private
9 reason, to hold the Scindawalla family in the greatest abhor-
10 rence. He was now treated much as General Mathaub Sing
11 had been, and the same disclosures were made to him But
12 as from his known hatred of the Scindawallas he could not
13 pretend to write friendly letters to Uttur Sing in his own name,
14 he was instructed to forge as many as he required for his pur-
15 pose, which was to induce the chief to cross the river and
16 to join Baba Beer Sing's camp with a view to a reconciliation
17 betwixt him and the Minister. Thus this General, having taken
18 an oath of secrecy, was induced to march for Kussoor with his
19 troops, the same reasons having given him for this movement
20 as in the case of Mathaub Sing. These preliminary arrange-
21 ments being completed, numerous letters, bearing the forged
22 signatures of various Sirdars, Chiefs, Generals, Colonels, and
23 other officers, were addressed to Baba Beer Sing, the purport
24 of all being the same, entreaties that the holy man would
25 exercise his influence to induce Uttur Sing to cross the river
26 and join his camp, when he was assured that the writers would
27 join heart and hand to procure the Scindawalla' s restoration to
28 his former rank and power, perhaps to raise him above his former
29 position. The credulous Bii was thus induced to open a private
30 correspondence with Uttur Sing, and, to assure him of what was
31 promised, sent some of these letters to him. The Scindawalla
32 was duped as completely as the Baba, and unwisely determined
33 once more to try his fortune across the Sutlej. All his
34 movements and intentions were, however, well known to Heera
35 Sing, and through the instrumentality of the Generals above