126 THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE EAST. 



was in ; "because," said he, "the same Sikhs who murdered 

 my brothers and sons, and who, under Jewahir's administra- 

 tion, attempted my own life, are now endeavouring to draw 

 me into the field, in order to fight against the English." I 

 advised him not to mingle with the affair. This agreed 

 with his views, the Sikhs having already lost three battles ; 

 and it was more than probable that the fourth, which must 

 decide the destiny of the country, would be their last. 

 The treacheries of the chiefs having been well known to 

 him, I made him aware how prudent it would be to demand 

 the eighteen English prisoners at Philoor, and to send them 

 to my house, which he did. Meanwhile, the news of the 

 defeat at Sobraon reached us, and that the English had 

 passed the Sutlej. They requested Gholab Sing to repair to 

 Kussoor. He despatched the English prisoners ( among 

 whom there was Doctor Benet ) on elephants into the 

 English camp, having previously made them presents at the 

 durbar ; and three days after, Gholab Sing followed them. 



He chose me to accompany him as a private counsellor ; 

 at the first station, Kanekatch, about fourteen miles from 

 Lahore, we received news from the city which intimidated 

 me.,' It was rumoured that the defeated Sikhs had collect- 

 ed the rest of their troops, and intended to kill their com- 

 mander, the traitor Teja Sing ; and having done so, that 

 they then intended to divide into two parties, one to march 

 towards Lahore, to plunder it, and take revenge on the 

 ranee and her paramour ; and the other to attack Gholab 

 Sing and his retinue, for having first promised them his 

 assistance, and instead of that, intending to go to Kussoor, 

 to surrender the country to the English. Fearing to be 

 attacked during the night, no one allowed himself any 

 rest. Gholab Sing placed four cannons which he had with 

 him, under the command of Captain Gardner, at some 

 distance from our camp, and he himself occupied the whole 

 of the night in going the round of the various outposts. 

 Happily the Sikhs did not execute either of their intended 

 movements, and the next day we arrived unmolested at the 

 English camp, in the vicinity of Kussoor. Gholab Sing with 



