1 DEATH OK JEWAHIR SING. 149
2 hiin set forth, quickly returned by a shorter road to the camp,
3 where they arrived before the Wuzeer had reached the spot.
4 He entered the camp shortly afterwards from the left of the
5 line, where one of Maun's battalions, actually received
6 him with the customary salute. This circumstance so en-
7 couraged and assured Jewahir Sing- that he directed his
8 mahout to take him nearer to this battalion, and then to move
9 forward. On this some Punches of the division of Lall Sing
10 Meralia, entreated him not to go further but to fix his quarters
11 in their lines, declaring that they would die to a man before
12 they would allow any injury or insult to be offered to him.
13 But the doomed Sirdar seemed confident in his belief that the
14 main body of the army would do him no injury since he came
15 among them in person, and had the young Maharajh with
16 him in the howdah, while his sister, the queen-mother, followed
17 on another elephant, scattering lavishly fair words and hard
18 coin, in the hope of inducing the troops to spare the life
19 of her brother. Thus he continued to move along in front
20 of the line, receiving and returning individual salutes, while
21 the whole Khalsa turned out to gaze on him as he passed.
22 As he arrived on the right of Meralia's division, that of
23 Court imbibed the idea that the former intended to assist
24 and protect him. Thereupon ensued a great tumult, the drums
25 on both sides beating to arms, and the artillery being dragged
26 into position for immediate battle. Jewahir Sing himself, how-
27 ever, did his utmost to convince the Meralia troops that no
28 harm was intended him, and entreated them not to cause
29 bloodshed on his account. Having done this he again moved
30 along the line until he came opposite the centre of Court's
31 division. Here the procession was stopped in its onward
32 progress, and directed towards the tents that had been pitched
33 some days before and were intended for the Zenana. They had
34 not, however, gone far from the lines, when Jewahir Sing's ele-
35 phant was suddenly and violently brought to a halt by the sol-