1 CHAPTER III.
2 EARLY STRUGGLES OF THE KHlLSA.
3 On the death of the last of the gurus, Banda assumed
4 the arms of his master, and the leadership of the Sikh
5 community. Acting in accordance with the instruc-
6 tions he had received from Govind Singh, he at once
7 set out for the north ; and at Buria, to the east of
8 Ambala, he was joined by the main body of the Sikh
9 army. The soldiers promised allegiance to their new
10 commander on condition that they should receive
11 the arrears of pay due to them. To satisfy this
12 demand, Banda took the only course open to him,
13 that of plundering the surrounding villages, a course
14 which his troops appreciated more than the villagers,
15 who dispatched an urgent appeal for protection to
16 the Governor of Mustafabad. The latter immediately
17 set out to their assistance with two thousand imperial
18 troops ; but his march had scarcely commenced when
19 it was intercepted by Banda and his army. The
20 governor's force was dispersed with great slaughter,
21 and his capital was entered and sacked by the vic-
22 torious Sikhs. Banda next laid siege to and captured
23 Samana in the Patiala district, and then proceeded to
24 Sirhind. On approaching the city, he was met by a