1 CHAPTER II.
2 THE SIEGE OP LAHORE BY SHERE SING.
3 On hearing that Shere Sing* had arrived at Shalimar,
4 Goolaub Sins; consulted with Chund Kour and the chiefs
5 who supported her cause, namely, Jemadar Khoosheeal Sing,
6 Sirdar Teja Sing-, and the several members of the Scin-
7 dawalla family, most of whom he had probably himself
8 gained and enlisted on her side, that they might be caught
9 in the snare which was laid for their destruction. After this
10 consultation he sent orders for all his own household troops,
11 then encamped at Shahdera, to cross the river immediately and
12 to encamp on the parade ground adjacent to and to the north
13 of the Soomun Boorj of the fort. These troops had scarcely
14 reached the spot appointed, when they received further orders
15 to march to the attack of Shere Sing and his partizans in their
16 position at Shalimar. The force sent on this service was com-
17 posed chiefly of Rajah Dehan Sing's own troops ! It consisted
18 of two small battalions, with ten Horse Artillery guns, belonging
19 to that chief, one battalion belonging to his brother and avowed
20 confederate Rajah Suchet Sing-, and one belonging to his other
21 brother and concealed ally Rajah Goolaub Sing, in all about two
22 thousand men and ten guns ! This Dogra force had not proceeded
23 half a mile towards Shalimar, when Goolaub himself, attended by
24 about a hundred horse, gallopedup to them, ordered them instantly
25 to countermarch, and returning with them at a rapid pace, hur-
26 ried the whole into the Hazooree Bagh or palace garden, and