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2 possession of the country, they would be personally benefitted.
3 Another reason which may have induced the ranee to place
4 herself under the protection of the English government, was
5 possibly lest her fate might resemble that of her predecessors,
6 should her adult son learn in what manner his father, and
7 also his grandfather, had destroyed their own mothers (vide
8 Major G. C. Smyth’s History of the Reigning Family of
9 Lahore). Thus she was between two fires, and thought her only
10 safety was in English protection. The difficulty was, how to carry
11 out their plot ; but they very soon found the means. At that time
12 Teja Sing was governor of Peshawur, having succeeded General
13 Avitabile, and was the only man who exercised a great influence
14 over the troops since the time of Runjeet Sing. The ranee
15 called on him for his advice. On his proposal, false documents
16 were drawn up, which were read in the durbar, the contents of
17 which were, that the English had confiscated the incomes of the
18 lands of the Sikhs on the other side of the river Sutlej, and had
19 committed numerous outrages, and that they were preparing for
20 war against the Sikhs ; therefore it was said to be necessary to
21 have revenge, and attack them.
22 Lall Sing was proclaimed wuzeer, and Teja Sing commander-
23 in-chief of the troops. The Sikhs received their guree pershaut
24 (consecrated bread) on the Summood (tomb of the royal family),
25 where they administered an oath to each individually ; the
26 Mahomedans on the Koran, and the Hindoos on the water of the
27 Ganges.
28 The astrologers having named an auspicious day, they went,
29 without any further diplomatic conferences, on their march. The
30 English, although well acquainted with all those disturbances
31 and confusions which happened in the neighbouring country,
32 yet had not the least idea of being attacked by their allies, and
33 were consequently not at all prepared for a war. On the other
34 side of the river Sutlej, the four battles were fought — at Moodkee,
35 Eerozeshahur, Aliwal, and Sobraon ; and the English, com-
36 pletely triumphing in the last battle, became masters of the