1 SECRET HISTORY OF THE LAHORE DURBAR. 39
2 that they might place his master on the throne without the
3 aid of the Dogra faction. His object in pursuing this line
4 of policy was the hope that b)r this means he himself might attain
5 to the Wuzeership. Shere Sing himself considered this to be
6 the best and most feasible plan for attainiug his purpose;
7 but yet he stood in too great a dread of the Rajah's interest
8 and power, not to natter him by the most solemn protestations
9 that he considered the object in view could only be attained
10 through his instrumentality. Thus while on the one hand he
11 was assuring the minister of his reliance upon him alone —
12 he had on the other hand actually given Jewalla Sing a written
13 promise, that in case the Khalsa troops agreed to and succeeded
14 in the capture of Lahore and the ejection of Chund Kour and
15 her party, without the aid of Rajah Dehan Sing, he (Jewalla
16 Sing) should be appointed Wuzeer. While matters were thus
17 progressing, Dehan Sing sent a notice to Shere Sing that
18 every thing had now been so far settled with the army as to
19 warrant his at once proceeding to Lahore, at the same time
20 advising him to approach the city by the Shalimar Gardens,
21 at which place the minister agreed to meet him. This step
22 however he deemed it prudent not to take, certainly not until he
23 knew how the Seik army was disposed towards Shere Sing on
24 his approach to the city.
25 Not suspecting the Rajah's intentions, Shere Sing, with about
26 three hundred of his followers, left Koonoowan (his usual sport-
27 ing residence) and marched for the city. On his arrival at the
28 Shalimar Gardens, he felt at first somewhat disappointed and
29 astonished to learn that Rajah Dehan Sing had (up to that
30 moment) not even left Jummoo. This suspicious conduct of
31 the Rajah's was immediately regarded by Jewalla Sing and his
32 friends as furnishing a good opportunity for Shere Sing to
33 induce the Khalsa troops to march against the city without
34 loss of time. The plan was supported by the argument that
35 Shere Sing could now, by a quick movement and a vigorous