the accessible sources of infor. mation.

We believe, however, that it may be regarded as quite certain that Maharajah Shere Singh, the ruler of the Punjab, and putative son of Runjeet Singh, has been treacherously murdered; that his son, Purtab Singh, has fallen a victim to the same fate, and that more than one of the principal assassins have also perished. The following seems to be the most trustworthy account which has been received in this country, but we must forewarn our readers that no account can be said at present to be entitled to implicit credit. We will first state a few facts respecting the murdered Rajah.

Shere Singh was not at first acknowledged by Runjeet Singh as his son. When the latter, in 1807, returned to Lahore, after a lengthened absence, one of his wives presented him with two twin children, Shere Singh and Tara Singh. Runjeet Singh for some time refused to own them, as he suspected his wife's fidelity, but afterwards he permitted Shere Singh to sit in his presence as a prince of the Royal house, as well as Kurruck Singh, who was his heir apparent. After Kurruck Singh's death, and the accident which proved fatal to his son, Nao or Nou Nehal Singh (narrated in a preceding volume),* Shere Singh succeeded to the Throne, and Dhyan Singh became his most powerful minister. This man possessed vast wealth and extensive landed estates among the hills near Little Thibet, and had great influence over the Sikh population. In the course of this year he had withdrawn from court upon the

⚫ See vol, lxxxiii. 276.

pretext of visiting his estates, and on his return had upbraided Shere Singh on account of his sensual and voluptuous habits. Before the perpetration of the dreadful crime which has covered his name with infamy, he had carried the reputation of an upright and virtuous minister. The following account of him is given by an English traveller.* “With enormous wealth and property, and a large tract of country which he rules with mildness and justice, he presents a singular instance of a favorite and a man in power, whose talents and virtues are more appreciated than his power and influence are envied." A short time before the dreadful event which we are about to relate, Shere Singh had had a stroke of palsy. It seems that the conspiracy was concerted between Dhyan Sing and Sirdar Ajeet Sing, and it fell to the lot of the latter to be the actual murderer.

On the 14th of September a proposal was made to the Maharajah to inspect Ajeet Singh's troops, which he agreed to do on the following morning. When he arrived on the parade ground early the next day, he had occasion to find fault with the appearance of some horsemen who had been placed there purposely to attract his attention, and an altercation ensued betwen him and Ajeet Singh, who suddenly drew a pistol from his breast and shot Shere Singh through the head. Ajeet Singh was immediately attacked by General Ventura (a French or Italian officer in the service of the Maharajah), and the troops under his command, but they were opposed by so strong a body of sol

• See Hon. W. G. Osborne's "Court and Camp of Runjeet Singh."

diers in the interest of the assassin, that they could make no impression. Ajeet Singh cut off the Maharajah's head, and having fixed it on a spear was entering the town, when he happened to meet Prince Purtab Singh, the eldest son of Shere Singh, and having attacked his escort, killed him on the spot. Ajeet Singh was returning to the fort when he met Dhyan Singh; he told him that he had perpetrated the murder, and asked him to return with him; he then got into Dhyan Singh's carriage, and when they were near the gate of the fort, Ajeet Singh stabbed the latter, and sent his body to his brother, Soochet Singh, and his son, Heera Singh. These two immediately surrounded the city with their troops, and an universal tumult arose. Next morning (the 16th), Heera Singh effected an entrance into the fort, and having seized Ajeet Singh and others put them to death, and exposed their heads publicly on the plain near the city. When Ajeet Singh first gained possession of the palace, he proclaimed as king, Dhuleep Singh, a boy not more than ten years old, and the only surviving son of Runjeet Singh. Heera Singh allowed this puppet to remain in the musnud while he constituted himself Vuzeer or Prime Minister.

Another account differing from the above in several important particulars is contained in an official purwannah or State paper publicly addressed by Dhuleep Singh to a Vakeel at Ferozepore. We give the document entire. "On the of Asooj of the year 1900, Sirdars Lena Singh and Ajeet Singh went to announce the muster of their troops to Maharajah Shere Singh, who was in the

The

garden of Shah Belaval. Sirdars were accompanied by a number of Sikhs and other troops, that being the day of the Sunerat, and the same being kept as a holiday at the durbar, the Maharajah had gone to the garden to amuse himself on the river, and to enjoy the fresh air. As my elder brother (Akhwan Saheb) was sitting in the garden, the Sirdars Ajeet Singh and Lena Singh presented themselves, and offered a case, containing a rifle, to the Maharajah. While engaged in examining the rifle, Ajeet Singh drew forth a pistol and fired at him. My elder brother was wounded in the face by the pistol being discharged so close to him; and the faithless men instantly struck off his head. Several Sirdars were killed at the same time, amongst them Bhood Singh, Gunga Singh, of the Toshuh-khanah, &c. Afterwards Lena Singh went accidentally to the garden of Tej Singh, situated near the garden of Shah Belaval, and there killed the son of my elder brother, Purtab Sing, who was celebrating the day there and bestowing charity, and beheaded him. They then proceeded towards Lahore, and on the road met Rajah Dhyan Sing-Jee, the great Wuzeer, who was coming alone in his buggy. The Sirdars said to him that there was a row among the Sikhs in the garden, that Maharajah Shere Singh had been killed, that it would be dangerous to go alone to the garden, and that it would be better to go back and make arrangements about the succession. The Rajah, igno rant of the wicked act of the Sirdar, complied, and accompanied the Sirdar to the fort. Sirdar to the fort. They proceeded as far as the Kureeanee gate, when the faithless Ajeet Singh

took out his pistol and fired it towards Rajah Dhyan Singh. The Rajah called out, "Oh, Sirdar, what a foul deed!" and laid his hand on his sword. By this time some followers of Ajeet Singh also fired pistols at Dhyan Singh, who fell from his horse. His body was taken to the place where guns were made, and here one of his attendants, named Ahmed Khan, was also killed. The sirdars then proceeded to make arrangements regarding the succession. On proceeding into the city, they approached the house of Rajah Soochet Singh, who was reviewing such of his troops as were at hand, and accompanied by the following chiefs, viz.:- Rajah Heera Singh, Deena Singh, Prithee Singh, and others. These persons were discussing the subject of Maharajah Shere Singh's death, and, having heard of the murder of Dhyan Singh, rose from their seats and proceeded to the Boodhoo Barradurree, and there communicated the facts to the troops of the Khalsa. The troops were loud in their murmurs, and protested they would not sit down to a meal until they had served the faithless Sirdars in the same manner as had been done to the Maharajah and his son. The city was accordingly besieged towards the evening, and having opened a heavy fire they destroyed the walls of the city. The city was taken, and the heads of the faithless men carried to the Sirdars. Now, thanks to Providence, the Sirdars have succeeded in establishing peace and quiet."

The following is the account given by an European resident at Lahore:-"With regard to the murder of Shere Singh, the Maharajah was at the time standing at the window of a small garden house, in the Shah Belavel, about the height of a man from the ground. Ajeet Singh was outside, and having brought his troops for review, presented the Maharajah with a carbine or rifle, which he had previously loaded. The Maharajah had no sooner reached his hand for the present, than Ajeet Singh touched the trigger and shot the Maharajah through the head, on which he fell backwards. The whole of the courtiers immediately took to flight, and the only Sirdars who were not fortunate enough to escape were Boodh Singh and Nika Singh."

In the space of less than five years since the death of Runjeet Singh, there have been four sovereigns or Maharajahs of the Punjab; Kurruck Singh, Nao Nehal Singh, Shere Singh, and the present boy-ruler Dhuleep Singh ; and the kingdom which that able chieftain consolidated with so much care, has fallen a prey to intestine convulsions and anarchy which threaten its instant dissolution, and may render British interference necessary, however anxious we may be to avoid a meddling policy, since it is impossible that we can remain unconcerned spectators of such scenes of violence in a country adjoining our own dominions in the North West of India.

and power of regent during the minority of the Maharaja upon the Mama Sahib. The British Government communicated to the durbar its entire approval of this measure; and the British resident, in the presence of the chiefs, explained to the regent that he was recognised as the responsible head of the Gwalior State, and, as such, would receive the support of the British Government.

"This declaration appeared to give general satisfaction. Nevertheless, after a short time, the Mama Sahib was violently compelled to quit the Gwalior State, in despite of the remonstrance of the British resident. The Dada Khasgee Walla succeeded to the confidence of the Maharanee without possessing generally that of the chiefs, and by his influence various acts were committed, insulting and injurious to the British Government. Persons, heretofore in compliance with its representations, deprived of offices in which their conduct had been injurious to both Governments, were restored to power, and others were removed who were known to be favourable to the maintenance of order, and to the continuance of the friendship which had so long subsisted between the two States. The British resident could not remain a spectator of transactions of which he vainly disapproved. On the expulsion of the Mama Sahib, he was instructed to withdraw from Gwalior.

"When the subsequent acts of the Dada, offensive to the British Government, and indicative of the substitution of hostile feelings for those friendly dispositions which had so long connected the two States, became known, the resident intimated to the Maharanee the

opinion of the British Government, that it had become necessary to inflict some signal punishment upon that chief; and it was suggested, that in preference to any other punishment, he should be delivered as a prisoner into the charge of the British Government. It was not thereby intended to derogate from the honour of the Gwalior State, but solely to provide effectually for the security of the person of the Dada, for which, under the circumstances of the Gwalior State, it did not appear to be possible sufficiently to provide within the Gwalior territory. When afterwards it became known to the resident, that the Dada had withheld from the knowledge of the Maharanee and of the Durbar, a letter, addressed to the maharanee, conveying the sentiments of the British Government, the resident then peremptorily insisted upon the delivery of the Dada as a necessary preliminary to the reestablishment of the customary relations with the Gwalior State. That act on the part of the Dada could not be regarded otherwise than as a virtual usurpation of the sovereign authority in the Gwalior State, which the British Government is bound to maintain in the house of Scindia. With this last requisition the Maharanee at last has complied.

"The Governor. General regards with satisfaction this act of her highness, however long deferred, as an indication of the desire of her highness, and of the durbar, to re-establish on their accustomed footing the friendly relations be tween the two States. It could not but be felt, that while the late occurrences at Gwalior were an offence to the British Government, they, at the same time, created