1 56 SECRET HISTORY OF THE LAHORE DURBAR.
2 the death of so many of their comrades. But Dehan Sing's
3 agents persuaded Shere Sing that this was but the pretext
4 of the Seik troops, whose real object was to take the fort by
5 assault, and to indulge their long-cherished desire to plunder
6 the treasury which it contained. These and similar persuasions
7 and advices induced Shere Sing to take the affair into his seri-
8 ous consideration ; and during the night he sent five hundred
9 of his best and most faithful Gorechars, or cavalry, to Dehan
10 Sing, accompanied by several chiefs, who in the most humble
11 manner and on behalf of Shere Sing, craved pardon for what
12 had been done amiss, and entreated Dehan Sing to accompany
13 them to the city, where Shere Sing was waiting his appearance
14 in the greatest anxiety and suspense. On receiving this humble
15 message, both the Dogra brothers, Dehan Sing and Suchet Sing,
16 with about five hundred of their own adherents, who had
17 accompanied them from Jummoo, and the body of cavalry sent
18 by Shere Sing, appoached Lahore on the sixth day of the
19 siege. As they came near the walls, Shere Sing with a strong
20 escort and numerous retinue went out in person to meet them
21 and to conduct them into the city, assigning as his reason for
22 guarding their persons so carefully, that the troops just now
23 entertained hostile feelings against every one who bore the designa-
24 tion of a Dogra. On meeting Dehan Sing, Shere Sing actu-
25 ally humbled himself so far as with bare feet and joined hands to
26 entreat forgiveness for what was past, which he declared again
27 was not through any fault of his. Dehan Sing, knowing well
28 how to treat the prince, at first affected a cold and haughty
29 demeanour ; and in a severe tone he told Shere Sing that he,
30 the prince, had more need to fear the Khalsa troops than himself
31 had. He remarked further that as Shere Sing acknowledged
32 that he could not manage the soldiery, he would show him what
33 he himself could do in that way. He then galloped off, attend-
34 ed by only ten or twelve horsemen into the midst of the Seik
35 multitude then collected outside the Tanksallee gateway to