1 XXVIII INTRODUCTION.
2 us and Cabul ! What a nation to form an alliance with, —
3 who were on the brink of a revolution, and whose Govern-
4 ment depended on the life of a decrepit debauchee !
5 How could we look to such people for support ?
6 How could we expect succour from the Seiks ?
7 Regarding this nation, I observe in Frazer's Magazine for
8 April, 1846, some account of their rise and progress ; and
9 the writer, I perceive, has not only followed the erroneous
10 statements in Major Lawrence's book, and Colonel Stein-
11 bach's, for the death of No Nehal Sing, but has taken
12 quite a false view of the cause of* Sheer Sing-'s death ! He
13 says, u The refusal of Sheer Sing to fall upon the rear of
14 General Pollock's army, and cut off its convoys, cost that
15 individual his life." Now the Sirdar who put Sheer Sing to
16 death, — and it must be remembered that he was not em-
17 ployed by Dehan Sing, but, on the contrary, proposed the
18 thing himself to the minister, and made all the arrange-
19 ments ! — this very Sirdar, so far from wishing Sheer Sing
20 to fall upon the rear of General Pollock's army, gave infor-
21 mation to the British Government, that such was the intention
22 of Rajah Goolaub Sing ! I happen to be aware of this, as
23 Ajeet Sing sent a confidential servant of his own to me at
24 Kurnaul, to inform me that the Sirdar had received intelli-
25 gence from Peshawar of the greatest importance j and also
26 to let me know he was anxious I should communicate the
27 same to Mr. Clerk, with whom, he was aware, I was intimate-
28 ly acquainted. I replied, that if it was of such consequence, I
29 thought it would be much better for the Sirdar to give his
30 information to the magistrate, who would then write a public
31 letter to Mr. Clerk upon the subject. The Sirdar objected,
32 however, to make his appearance at the house of the magis-
33 trate ; but, when I proposed that Mr. Woodcock should come
34 to my house, he agreed, and there gave the evidence I have
35 stated, which Mr. Woodcock communicated to Mr. Clerk ;