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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[OCTOBER, 1890.
missed. On the other hand, the Raja Dhyan Singh, having wounded a jackal during the chase, found & pretence for remaining awake by watching for him all night from an ambash. About this time Lahpå Singh, who was on good terms with the family of Gulab Singh, had several times overheard the false assurances of friendship made to the latter by the Mahârâjâ, and knew that they were appreciated as such by him, sent him one day several vessels full of iced milk, but instead of sugar, put saltpetre into them. When Gulab Singh tasted the beverage, he expressed astonishment at its bitter flavour, but on the messenger's saying that it was symbolical of the present time, Gulab Singh ordered him to tell his master that he had fully understood the meaning of the gift. A few days afterwards Gulâb Singh departed to Jammûn to celebrate the wedding of Ranbir Singh, whom he afterwards adopted as his son.
All the preparations having been made for the festivity, Raņbîr Singh's wedding with the little daughter of Bijai Singh was solemnised, the Raja Dhyan Singh being present on behalf of the Mahů râjâ Sher Singh. After the rejoicings had terminated, Guláb Singh wished Dhyân Singh to remain longer in Jammûn, but he refused and departed to Lähôr, where the Mahârâjâ received him in the most friendly manner, but gave secret orders to Ajit Singh to kill him. The latter who was on good terms with Hira Singh, informed him of the orders, and proposed to kill the Mahârâjâ Shêr Singh instead of Dhyan Singh, but received no answer. Shêr Singh, who entertained no suspicions of the Sindhanwalia Sardars, sent an invitation to Lahna Singh and Ajit Singh to hold a review of the troops at Shah Bilâwal near Lâhôr, and they most gladly accepted it. When Ajit Singh was on this occasion passing in review with his troops before the Maharaja Shër Singh, he pretended to shew him a double-barrelled gun, but in the act of doing so discharged its contents into his body, and the Maharaja at once fell dead. Lahnâ Singh had meanwhile kept his troops ready in the garden of the Jam'adar Şâhib, and when he heard the tumult which ensued, and was informed of what had taken place, he forthwith cut off the head of the young prince Partab Singh, whom he had brought to witness the review, and started in the direction of the fort. It happened that the Raja Dhyan Singh, who knew nothing of what had taken place, had left his house in a buggy and was driving along the road. He was amazed at meeting a tumultuous crowd with Ajit Singh at its head, who told him that what was to be done had been done, and that for his own safety he ought to accompany him to the fort. Dhyan Singh, who had only three or four men with him, complied perforce, but when he arrived with the crowd in the haweli of the Kharpalias he was shot dead. Lahna Singh, who came afterwards, sharply reproved Ajît Singh for what had happened, told him to wrap the corpse in a shawl, send it to the Râjâ's house, and get ready for the impending fight.62
The population became greatly frightened at these disturbances, and the Rajâ Sachet Singh, who was in his own house, having been informed of the murder of the Maharaja Shêr Singh, and being most anxious to ascertain what had become of the Raja Dhyan Singh because his horse had arrived alone in the stable, sent the Sabahdar Isrt Singh to the fort to make enquiries. The messenger soon returned with the news, which was confirmed by the arrival of Dhyan Singh's corpse sent by Lahnâ Singh to the house. Suchêt Singh at once informed Hirà Singh, who was at Shah Bilawal, of what had taken place, and also sent a letter to Kêśri Singh with a request to inform the army of the murder of the Mahârâjâ Shêr Singh and Dhyan Singh, in order to excite it to take vengeance and to prepare it for fighting. Raja Hira Singh and Rai Kêśrt Siógh arrived near the fort at midnight with the army, with which the Sindhânwâliâ faction had tampered, but ineffectually, because it was entirely devoted to Hîrâ Singh. Nevertheless, nobody believed that hostilities would really take place till the artillery and musketry fire actually began. The fort was then assaulted and taken by storm. Both Ajit Singh and Lahna Singh perished in this contest. Of the former, however, it is said that he died like a coward, and of the latter that he fell fighting like a brave
These events are narrated somewhat differently at the end of Ch. 42 of the Zafurnama.
