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2 remained unhurt, only the ringleaders, Ajeet Sing, Lena Sing,
3 Baii Goormuck Sing, Misser Belee Ram, and a few others, were
4 destroyed in the melee. Ajeet Sing’s head was delivered to
5 Heera Sing, as a trophy, but his body, and that of his uncle,
6 Lena Sing, were hung up on the outside of the city gates. Who
7 would have imagined that the victorious Heera Sing should so
8 soon have met with a similar fate !
9 With the body of Dhyan Sing, thirteen wives and female
10 slaves were burnt. Heera Sing, his son, had been educated by
11 Runjeet Sing, was endowed with wit and genius, and had received
12 a good education, being able to read and write well ; and know-
13 ing also how to treat the troops ; which latter accomplishment he
14 learned from his father. The young king (eight years old) had
15 therefore a young minister (twenty-five years of age), who might
16 have occupied his post for a long time, had he not been too much
17 under the control of his guardian, whom he regarded as a deitv.
18 This guardian was a fanatic Brahmin, from the mountains, of
19 the name of Jellah Pundit, who frequently induced Heera Sing
20 to take false measures, by influencing his mind with astrological
21 dreams and false prophesies, to the injury of the country. In
22 fact, he only did that which pleased him, and ordered only what
23 agreed with his extravagant ideas ; this caused considerable
24 confusion, and in consequence there was general dissatisfaction ;
25 so it was thought prudent to remove Jellah Pundit. The
26 troops themselves, with the king's uncle at their head, insisted on
27 his being delivered over to them, to which Heera Sing manifested
28 no inclination ; this caused the flight of the latter, with his
29 guardian, which they performed on elephants, laden with their
30 riches. But scarcely had they gone a few miles from the capital,
31 and crossed the river Ravee, on their way to the moun-
32 tains, when they were overtaken by their persecutors, whilst
33 stopping at a village for a few minutes repose. They were
34 overwhelmed, in spite of the brave resistance of Heera Sing’s
35 retinue ; the village became a prey to the flames ; and he and his
36 escort were killed to the last man. Among those who perished
37 in that affair was Meean Son Sing (a son of the maharajah