1 114 MOOLTAN ATTACKED, A. D. 1817-18.
2 or pretended vengeance on his chamberlain, by remov-
3 ing him from oflBce, and placing him under restraint.
4 Ram Lal returned for his brother's sake, and ultimately
5 received the Pahul or Sikh initiation, and changed his
6 name to Ram Singh.
7 The following season was employed in preparation for
8 an expedition against Mooltan, of which the resources had
9 been annually drained by forced contributions, ravage,
10 and waste, so as to lead Runjeet Singh to hope that
11 MozuFFUR Khan's means of defence and preparation
12 were now so impaired, as to make the city and fort an easy
13 conquest. Before undertaking this enterprize, however,
14 Runjeet Singh gave liberty to Ahmed Khan of
15 Jhung, whom he had held in close confinement for nine
16 months. A small Jageer was assigned to him for subsist-
17 ence. The Sikh army had been ordered to rendezvous
18 in the beginning of the year 1818 on the south-west
19 frontier of the Sikh dominion. KooNWUR Khuruk
20 Singh was now appointed to the nominal command,
21 aided by MisUR Dewan Chund, who had risen
22 by his merit and activity from a low situation to be
23 Commandant of the Artillery, and who undertook for
24 the reduction of the fort of Mooltan, if vested with the
25 chief command during the siege. The jealousy of the
26 Jageerdars, who objected to serve under a man of yester-
27 day, obliged Runjeet Singh to adopt the plan of send-
28 ing his heir-apparent in nominal command of the whole.
29 All the boats on the Ravee and Chunab were put in
30 requisition to carry supplies and stores for the army, and
31 the march was commenced in January 1818. A demand
32 was made of an exorbitant sum in cash and of five of
33 MozuFFUR Khan's best horses, and this not being