1 THE MURDER OF PESHORA SING. 143
2 Punt and unwilling- to injure the reputed son of Runject, went
3 reluctantly, and did not act vigorously, and so nothing came of
4 their expedition. In the meantime Peshora Sing- was gaining
5 ground in the minds of the great body of the Khalsa at Lahore,
6 who now declared that the}'' would avenge any injury done to
7 him ; and the chief conspirator saw that if his purpose was to
8 be effected other means must be employed. He, therefore,
9 assured Jewahir Sing that it was now obvious that no man in
10 the service of the Lahore state would act willingly or with
11 energy against the prince, but that if he were to send Chuttur
12 Sing Attaree walla and Futteh Khan, tools of his own, they
13 would execute whatever orders were given them. Orders were
14 accordingly issued for their proceeding against Attock, with
15 the troops under their command. When these instructions
16 reached them, Futteh Khan was at Kalabngh on the Indus,
17 and Chuttur Sing was in the hill-country about Naoshera and
18 Rajouri, settling some disturbances among the people, but acting
19 rather as the agent of Goolaub Sing than as the servant of the
20 Lahore Durbar. Having in some degree effected the purpose
21 of his expedition, he was ordered off to Attock, which place he
22 quickly reached. There he joined his troops with those of
23 Futteh Khan, and with their combined force they made prepa-
24 rations for an attack upon the fort in which Peshora Sing- with
25 his small force had shut himself up. But Peshora Sing was daily
26 becoming so popular among the people of the country, Patans,
27 and the Khalsa troops who continued encamped in the neio-h-
28 bourhood showed such an interest in the prince's cause, that the
29 chiefs saw there was little likelihood of much success in an
30 assault upon the place. They therefore resorted to negotiation,
31 and making large and seemingly sincere promises to the prince,
32 they after about twelve days spent in discussing the terms of
33 capitulation, induced him to evacuate the place. The condi-
34 tions for wThich he stipulated and to which they consented
35 were, that he should be treated with all proper respect, and that