1 THE EXPEDITION TO JUMMOO. 135
2 Ilohillas, who with one volley killed the three ambassadors and
3 seventeen of their small escort, only one foot soldier escaping*
4 to tell the news in the camp at Bobliana.
5 This treacherous murder of a favourite chief greatly incensed
6 the Seik troops, and made them so inveterate that the next
7 day they advanced, and breaking through all the outposts of
8 the Dogras, reached the Thavee, the river that runs under the
9 walls of Jummoo. Here, however, Goolaub Sing strove to
10 appease their anger by professions of sorrow for the death
11 of Futteh Sing Maun, in which he disclaimed all participa-
12 tions •. and he actually threw into prison some men who he said
13 were his worst enemies, and had effected the murder for the
14 purpose of widening the unfortunate breach betwixt him and
15 the Khalsa, so that Jummoo might be taken and sacked and
16 himself and his family involved in vain. Still however the troops
17 pressed him closely for two days longer and gained the advan-
18 tage in several small skirmishes. They had crossed the Thavee
19 in three divisions, thus investing the place on three sides j and
20 by this time Runjoor Sing Majeeteea had advanced from the
21 hills and taken up a position on the fourth side, so that now
22 the town was completely surrounded. Thus straitened, and
23 seeing that his men, whom he treated very ill, were daily
24 deserting in numbers, Goolaub again tried the effect of nego-
25 tiation. He now sent out Meean Jewahir Sing, his nephew,
26 and who as the son of Dehan Sing, was a great favourite with
27 the Khalsa. This young chief had a short interview with
28 Sultan Mahomed and Sham Sing, but he addressed himself
29 principally to the troops, who he knew were most accessible to
30 the arguments which he was instructed to offer, and with
31 whom, as he knew, rested the power to accept or reject his
32 conditions. It is to be observed too, that from the time when
33 hostilities commenced, Goolaub Sing had constantly a num-
34 ber of the Punches of the Khalsa with him in Jummoo, and