, under allegiance to the Maharajah Dhuleep Singh, of
Lahore. That chief took advantage of the revolt at Mooltan, and opened
correspondence with other chiefs for the purpose of tampering with the
Sikh soldiers in garrison in their different provinces. The government
of Lahore was guilty of complicity in these movements, although
affecting to be incensed against the refractory chiefs and provinces.
A knowledge of this circumstance soon spread among the Khalsa* soldiery
all over the Punjaub, and disposed them to follow any leader who had the
boldness to hoist the standard of rebellion.

* "Khalsa," or church. This name was assumed to express the
idea that the army was composed only of the faithful; the
Sikh religion being a sort of eclectic religion, chosen from
Mohammedanism, Brahminism, and other oriental systems.

Early in September the whole Hazareh country was in ostensible
insurrection, and an attack was made upon Attock. Happily Major Lawrence
was then, in the phraseology of the Indian political service, the
assistant at Peshawur. He sent Lieutenant Nicholson, at the head of a
detachment of cavalry and infantry, to take possession of: the fort. By
a forced marched this was effected before the arrival of the rebellious
sirdar's troops. Cabbot Abbot, the political agent in the Hazareh,
joined Lieutenant Nicholson, and their position was very precarious.
Major Lawrence, whose comprehensive mind was prepared for every
emergency, had troops moved to their assistance from Peshawur and
Jullundur. The revolt, however, spread in every direction. Peshawur was
begirt, with disciplined and fanatical enemies, and at last, early in
November, Major Lawrence and family had to fly for their lives from that
place, the troops in the garrison having mutinied on the approach of
Chuttur Singh and his army. Major and Mrs. Lawrence, with Lieutenant
Bowie, found refuge at Kohat, under the protection of Mahomed Khan.
Mahomed, either through fear or treachery, or both, gave them up as
prisoners to Chuttur Singh. The sirdar treated them with kindness, and
frequently conversed with them on the prospects of restoring the Sikh
ascendancy in the Punjaub; nor were the dissuasions of Major Lawrence of
any effect, for Chuttur believed in the Khalsa confederacy.

On the 18th of December, when Shere Singh was at the head of a numerous
force, Major Lawrence was brought to his camp with the object of using
him for negotiations with