1 174 THE WAR WITH THE BRITISH.
2 order of Lall Sing", awaited their attack. Presently, however^
3 the British began to fire shells, which did great execution, and
4 caused much confusion in the ranks of the Gorechars. The Seik
5 artillery now began to fire grape, but without the expected effect
6 of checking the onward progress of the enemy, who still
7 continued steadily and rapidly to advance. On coming within
8 range of small arms, the Gorechars commenced a desultory fire,
9 but on the fierce attack of the British they gave way and fled,
10 leaving most of their guns behind them, — Lall Sing, their
11 leader, being one of the first to turn his horse's head towards
12 theSutlej. The British force did not pursue the fugitive Seiks,
13 but encamped on the ground. During the whole of that night,
14 the Gorechars came dropping into their camp from the different
15 directions in which they had fled. Lall Sing himself did not
16 make his appearance till after clay break the next morning,
17 having, it was reported, been hid in a bush for some time.
18 The next day, the 19th, the gallant Rajah sent to Teja Sing
19 for a reinforcement of twelve battalions, whereupon the
20 French division (late General Ventura's) was ordered to join
21 him, as also those of Mathaub Sing and the Misser, or in all
22 the required twelve battalions, with fifty-two guns.
23 By the 21st December, Lall Sing had again screwed up
24 his courage for another attempt to arrest the progress of
25 the British force. He therefore advanced in front of his
26 entrenched camp at Ferozeshuhur for nearly a mile, but
27 thinking better of the matter, he then, partly by commands
28 and partly by persuasion, induced the troops to turn back
29 and re-enter the camp. On arriving within their entrench-
30 ments again the soldiers got leave to take off their regimentals
31 and accoutrements, and to cook and eat their victuals.
32 While thus engaged and thus unprepared, the British force
33 was seen coming down upon them in column from the right.
34 On this the drums beat to arms and the troops were promptly
35 in line. They were scarcely in their ranks, however, when