1 40 SECRET HISTORY OF THE LAHORE DURBAR.
2 attack so surprize the city as to make it an easy conquest,
3 while Chund Kour and her adherents, panic struck by the
4 revolt of the army, would be glad to give up the keys of the
5 fortress even before Dehan Sing* could possibly arrive. Shere
6 Sing- accordingly sent emissaries to the army then encamp-
7 ed at Meean Meer to acquaint them with his arrival and
8 immediate intentions. On this the troops sent him word to
9 come the next day, and publicly to encamp at Buddhoo-ka-
10 ava — an old brick kiln, on the top of which General Avitabile
11 has erected a Bara Deree or house surrounded by a defen-
12 sive wall. This house had for some time been considered
13 and employed as the rendezvous of the Punches* of the
14 army in general, whenever any assembly was convened for
15 the purposes of business. This spot was now considered
16 the most fit for Shere Sing to encamp on, as he would there
17 be in the midst of the troops, and his right and title to the
18 guddee could be fearlessly proclaimed, and if necessary, means
19 be taken to enforce his immediate enthronement. There was,
20 however, a party in the army who desired the presence of Rajah
21 Dehan, he having in a measure become the security for the
22 fulfilment of all the promises made to the troops — and being
23 known as a man of wealth and interest — qualities which Shere
24 Sing did not possess at all. Jewalla Sing soon managed,
25 however, to satisfy, or at all events silence, this party, and
26 accordingly on the next morning Shere Sing took up his
27 position at Baddhoo-ka-ava — where the whole of the Pun-
28 ches and a large number of the officers of the Khalsa army
29 came and paid their respects to him, and then publicly pro-
30 -claimed him as the sovereign of the country. To insure his
31 * These Punches or deputies of the troops were men who by superior ability
32 or cunning had secured an influence over their comrades, and who were encou-
33 raged to undertake the office as much by the expectation of the numerous presents
34 which fell to their share, as by the importance which it gave them in the eyes of
35 •others. Their anger being dreaded by all, their favour, individually and collectively,
36 svas courted bv high and low alike.