1 80 MOOLTAN BESIEGED. A. D. 1810.
2 entire amount agreed upon (80,000 rupees,) that town
3 was invested on the 7th February. Futeh Khan, the
4 Sirdar, surrendered; but upon some demur in giving- up
5 a dependency of Saheewal, named Lukhomut, he was sent
6 in irons to Labor, and kept there in close confinement
7 with all his family, the whole of his estate being seques-
8 tered. On the 15th February, Runjeet's army was
9 before Ooch,h, the proprietors of which place, Seyuds of
10 Geelan and Bokhara, waited on the Sikh with horses, and
11 this conduct, added to the estimation in which their tribe
12 is held for sanctity by both Hindoos and Mohummedans,
13 propitiated the chief, and they were left in possession
14 under an engagement to pay tribute. On the 20th Febru-
15 ary, such was the rapidity with which RuNJEET Singh
16 prosecuted his measures, the whole Sikh army was before
17 Mooltan ravaging the surrounding territory, consequent-
18 ly upon a refusal by Mozuffur Khan to pay the sum
19 of three lakhs of rupees, which had been demanded from
20 him: RuNJEET Singh now demanded the fort of Mool-
21 tan, declaring that he desired it for Shah Shooja, to
22 whom Mozuffur Khan was bound, and had engaged
23 to render it. This specious pretext made no change in
24 Mozuffur Khan's resolution to defend the place to the
25 utmost. RuNJEET Singh reconnoitred, and marked out
26 ground for different batteries, and lines of approach,
27 assigning them to diflerent chiefs, with the promise of
28 rich Jageers to those who made the quickest advance, and
29 most impression. Arrangements were made to secure
30 the transmission of supplies by water, as well as by land,
31 from Labor and Umritsur, and every thing betokened a
32 determination in the Sikh chief to master this important
33 possession. The garrison was not disheartened, but
34 made the best dispositions possible for defence. A large