1 THE MUTINY IN CASHMERE. 19.'J
2 THE MUTINY IN CASHMERE.
3 About a month after the accession of Shere Sing, and when
4 intelligence reached Cashmere that the troops at Lahore had
5 mutinied and were murdering their officers, the two Seik batta-
6 lions there under the command of Meean Sing, the Governor, made
7 a demand for their arrears of pay. This demand not being im-
8 mediately complied with, the troops conspired together to put the
9 Governor, Meean Sing, to death, and to set up a member of their
10 own body in his place. They believed that they could hold
11 possession of the valley, and prevent any force that might be
12 sent against them from entering, by opposing it in the passes
13 through which it must advance.
14 Meean Sing was warned of this conspiracy, and informed
15 that it would actually break out in an open mutiny if measures
16 were not promptly used for its suppression. He, however, heeded
17 not the warning and advice, regarding the danger described
18 by his friends as purely imaginary. Thus he remained in
19 false security, until one night he was rudely aroused from his
20 sleep by a band of about fifty Seik soldiers, who had broken
21 into his house, even into his chamber, and who told him,
22 in terms which he could not misunderstand or disbelieve, that
23 they had come for the purpose of putting him to death. They
24 bade him rise and dress himself, promising him a short time to
25 prepare for death by reading a few passages from the holy book.
26 On this, Meean Sing calmly replied, that as they were consider-
27 ate enough to give him time to read the Grunth, it would
28 be only a necessary indulgence that they should allow him
29 a light for the purpose. His request was granted, a light was
30 brought, and he composedly read some appropriate passages
31 from the Seik scriptures. Having thus prepared himself,
32 he told his murderers that he was now ready to die, and was
33 B B