Tempo:
^
HISTORY OF THE SIKHS
232
CHAP, vin
the high and fatal office of Wazir; but he was allpowerful for the moment; the Sindhianwala possessions were confiscated, and their dwellings razed to the ground nor did the youthful avenger stay until he Sept. 1843. had found out and put to death Bhai Gurmukh Singn and Missar Beli Ram, the former of whom was believed to have connived at the death of his confiding master, and to have instigated the assassination of the minister; and the latter of whom had always stood high in the favour of the great Maharaja, although strongly opposed to the aggrandizement of the Jammu family. Sardar Atar Singh Sindhianwala, who was hurrying to Lahore when he heard of the capture of the citadel, made a hasty attempt to rouse the village population in his favour through the influence of Bhai Bir Singh, a devotee of great repute; but the 'Khalsa' was almost wholly represented by the army, and he crossed at once into the British territories to avoid the emissaries of Hira Singh. The new minister added two rupees and a half, or The power of the army five shillings a month, to the pay of the common solincreases. diers, and he also discharged some arrears due to them. The army felt that it had become the master of the state, and it endeavoured to procure donatives, or to 1843.
Dalip Singh proclaimed Maharaja.
:
place itself right in public estimation, by threatening to eject the Jammu faction, and to make the Bhai Bir Singh, already mentioned, a king as well as a priest.^ Jawahir Singh, the maternal uncle of the boy Maharaja, already grasped the highest 'post he could occupy; nor was the minister's family united within itself. Suchet Singh's vanity was mortified by the ascendancy
Raja Gulab Singh.
of his nephew, a stripling, unacquainted with war, and inexperienced in business; and he endeavoured to form a party which should place him in power.^ The youthful Wazir naturally turned to his other uncle, Gulab Singh, for support, and that astute chief cared not who held titles so long as he was deferred to and left unrestrained; but the Sikhs were still averse to him personally, and jealous lest he should attempt to garrison every stronghold with his own followers. Gulab Singh was, therefore, cautious in his proceedings, and before he reached Lahore, on the 10th of November, he had sought to ingratiate himself with all parties, save Jawahir Singh, whom he Tnay have despised as of no 1 Lieut.-Col. Oct. 1843. 2 Ldeut.-Col. 3 Ldeut.-Col. Oct. 1843.
Richmond's
letters
from
21st
Sept.
to
2nd
Richmond to Government, 26th Sept. 1843. Richmond to Government, 16th and 22nd
^
HISTORY OF THE SIKHS
232
CHAP, vin
the high and fatal office of Wazir; but he was allpowerful for the moment; the Sindhianwala possessions were confiscated, and their dwellings razed to the ground nor did the youthful avenger stay until he Sept. 1843. had found out and put to death Bhai Gurmukh Singn and Missar Beli Ram, the former of whom was believed to have connived at the death of his confiding master, and to have instigated the assassination of the minister; and the latter of whom had always stood high in the favour of the great Maharaja, although strongly opposed to the aggrandizement of the Jammu family. Sardar Atar Singh Sindhianwala, who was hurrying to Lahore when he heard of the capture of the citadel, made a hasty attempt to rouse the village population in his favour through the influence of Bhai Bir Singh, a devotee of great repute; but the 'Khalsa' was almost wholly represented by the army, and he crossed at once into the British territories to avoid the emissaries of Hira Singh. The new minister added two rupees and a half, or The power of the army five shillings a month, to the pay of the common solincreases. diers, and he also discharged some arrears due to them. The army felt that it had become the master of the state, and it endeavoured to procure donatives, or to 1843.
Dalip Singh proclaimed Maharaja.
:
place itself right in public estimation, by threatening to eject the Jammu faction, and to make the Bhai Bir Singh, already mentioned, a king as well as a priest.^ Jawahir Singh, the maternal uncle of the boy Maharaja, already grasped the highest 'post he could occupy; nor was the minister's family united within itself. Suchet Singh's vanity was mortified by the ascendancy
Raja Gulab Singh.
of his nephew, a stripling, unacquainted with war, and inexperienced in business; and he endeavoured to form a party which should place him in power.^ The youthful Wazir naturally turned to his other uncle, Gulab Singh, for support, and that astute chief cared not who held titles so long as he was deferred to and left unrestrained; but the Sikhs were still averse to him personally, and jealous lest he should attempt to garrison every stronghold with his own followers. Gulab Singh was, therefore, cautious in his proceedings, and before he reached Lahore, on the 10th of November, he had sought to ingratiate himself with all parties, save Jawahir Singh, whom he Tnay have despised as of no 1 Lieut.-Col. Oct. 1843. 2 Ldeut.-Col. 3 Ldeut.-Col. Oct. 1843.
Richmond's
letters
from
21st
Sept.
to
2nd
Richmond to Government, 26th Sept. 1843. Richmond to Government, 16th and 22nd
^
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