1 Conquest of the Punjab. 99
2 that thereby the importance of her own position
3 would be assured. When, however, years passed by
4 without the desired development taking place, she
5 resolved to take matters into her own hands ; and,
6 during one of her son-in-law's military expeditions,
7 she procured a boy, whom she named Sher Singh, and
8 passed him off as her daughter's child. Ranjit Singh
9 was anxious at that time to avoid a breach with
10 Sada Kour; and on his return to Lahore, though
11 fully aware of the fraud that had been practised on
12 him, treated Sher Singh like a son, and allowed him
13 the title of prince.
14 In 1820, when the so-called prince had reached his
15 twelfth year, Sada Kour requested that an estate
16 suitable to his rank might be granted him. The
17 Maharaja was not unwilling to promote the welfare of
18 a youth whose good looks and high spirits had already
19 won his favour, but he was by no means disposed to
20 advance the position and influence of his ambitious
21 mother-in-law. He accordingly suggested to her that
22 she should relinquish the management of her own
23 lands (the remains of the Kanheya estates), and make
24 them over to her grandson. This the old lady
25 resolutely declined to do; and then, in fear of the
26 consequences of her refusal, she left Lahore by night
27 in a covered litter, and endeavoured to make her way
28 into Cis-Sutlej territory. The troopers of the Maha-
29 raja were soon in pursuit, and before she had covered
30 half the distance to the Sutlej, Sada Kour was
31 captured and brought back to Lahore. A few days
32 later she was confined in a neighbouring fortress,
33 where she passed the remainder of her days. Ranjit