1 36 FROM THE DEATH OF NOO . NEHAL SINGH
2 Rajah Heera Singh recovered from the grief and
3 stupor in which the murder of his father had
4 plunged him, than he called upon the army to
5 avenge the twofold murder. His orders were
6 promptly obeyed by the troops and European
7 officers, then at Lahore, and the citadel being
8 invested, a heavy fire of artillery was opened
9 upon the walls, which soon began to crumble
10 before it; and a practicable breach being ef-
11 fected, it was immediately carried by assault,
12 and the greater part of Ajeet Singh's followers
13 massacred. In the mean time, Ajeet Singh,
14 foreseeing the result, endeavoured to escape by
15 lowering himself by a rope from an unfrequented
16 part, but being seen and recognised by a party
17 of soldiers, he was pursued and put to death,
18 his head severed from his body and taken to
19 Heera Singh, who rewarded the soldiers with
20 ten thousand rupees. Tranquillity being again
21 temporarily restored, a council, with Heera Singh
22 at its head, was held, at which it was determined
23 to place a reputed son of the late Runjeet Singh,
24 Dhuleeb Singh, the present Maharajah, a boy
25 about ten years of age, upon the throne, with
26 the Rajah Heera Singh as minister, which was
27 accordingly carried into efiect immediately. But
28 a very short time elapsed before the uncon-
29 trollable soldiery renewed their preposterous
30 demands for increase of pay (upon the same