1 172 THE WAR WITH THE BRITISH.
2 many of the chiefs and deputies to come and head the troops in
3 person. It was not however till the 16th of December, that he
4 left the capital, and hastened the camp. The main body of the
5 army had already crossed the river at two or three different points
6 above Ferozepore, and was encamped on the left bank of the
7 stream, at some distance from that place. Rajah Lall Sing was
8 still encamped with hisc avalry, about six coss from Hurree-ka-
9 puttun, seemingly intent on continuing his march towards Loo-
10 diana. But Teja Sing, as also the officers and Punches, now
11 wrote to him entreating, or rather commanding him, to form
12 a junction with the infantry near Ferozepore.
13 It was now proposed that the army should advance by regular
14 marches on Umballa ; but Lall Sing seemed disposed to demur
15 to this arrangement, as he dreaded to be in the neighbourhood
16 of the infantry, by whom he was cordially hated. He was
17 however in a manner compelled by his troops to accede to it,
18 and he accordingly crossed at or near Hurree-ka-puttun,
19 taking care however to keep wide of the infantry.
20 The Seik force now on the British side of the Sutlej may
21 be computed at eighty thousand fighting men, but the number
22 was swelled up by followers and hangers-on to at least two
23 hundred thousand. Most of these followers, however, were
24 armed men and capable of doing much damage in an enemy's
25 country, or even in their own, by plundering and murdering.
26 The question of an attack on Ferozepore was now mooted.
27 Both Teja Sing and Lall Sing were in favour of an attempt
28 on the place, but the troops were irresolute. They had im-
29 bibed a belief that the fort was mined to a considerable distance
30 all round, and would be blown up on their taking possession
31 of it. They believed in short that it was a huge trap, baited
32 for their destruction with some lakhs of treasure ; and they
33 regarded the exhortations of their chiefs to proceed to the
34 assault as evidence of a desire for their slaughter and ruin.
35 Moreover the British garrison put on a bold front and astonish-