1 THE WAR WITH THE BRITISH. 173
2 ed the Seiks with the sight of a handful of men with fortifica-
3 tions at their command, turning' out to offer battle to over-
4 whelming numbers in the open field.
5 Thus Ferozepore and its garrison remained unmolested by
6 the Khalsa force, which lay encamped in the neighbourhood
7 for several days. Early on the morning of the 17th December,
8 however, news reached Lall Sing's camp of the approach
9 of a British force of no great strength, with the intention
10 of joining that already at Ferozepore. On this the entire body
11 of Gorechars immediately prepared to advance, supported by
12 sixteen horse artillery guns, ordered from the camp of
13 Teja Sing*, those with Lall Sing being all heavy ordnance,
14 drawn by bullocks. Thus the cavalry and artillery advanced
15 some ten or twelve coss, and again came to a halt in the forenoon
16 of the 17th December. Lall Sing evidently had much difficul-
17 ty in making up his mind to attack the British force that was
18 approaching his position; and it was not until the Seiks
19 had reproached him with cowardice, and declared their deter-
20 mination to fight whether he led them or not, that he advanc-
21 ed to meet the British column, which was then drawing near
22 to Moodkee, about five coss in his front. In the afternoon
23 of the 18th, as the Seiks came within two coss of the
24 main body of the enemy, they stumbled on a picquet of about
25 a hundred horse, which retreated before them with great cool-
26 ness and regularity, although attacked by the Gorechars with
27 much impetuosity, and vigorously followed in their retreat.
28 The Seik cavalry was thus lured on until it came close to the
29 main body of the British, when the picquet which acted as
30 a decoy galloped forward and joined the advancing ranks.
31 On finding himself in front of the enemy, Lall Sing commenced
32 a fire of round shot from fourteen of his guns, the other two
33 having been left on the road. The British troops then formed
34 in columns with their artillery in front, and first slowly and
35 then at a rapid pace advanced upon the Seik line, which, by