A history of the Sikhs, from the origin of the nation to the battles of the Sutlej.

CHAP. VIII

MAI CHAND KAUR

283

or executive minister. The compromise was a mere ter- 1840.
porary expedient, and Dhian Singh and Sher Singh soon
afterwards began to absent themselves for varying periods
from Lahore: the one partly in the hope that the mass of
business which had arisen with the English, and with which
he was familiar, would show to all that his aid was essential
to the government; and the other, or indeed both of them,
to silently take measures for gaining over the army with
promises of donatives and increased pay, so that force might
be resorted to at a fitting time. But the scorn with which
Sher Singh's hereditary claim was treated made the minister
doubtful whether a more suitable instrument might not be
necessary, and the English authorities were accordingly
reminded of what perhaps they had never known, viz. that
Rani Jindan, a favourite wife or concubine of Ranjit Singh, Dalip
had borne to him a son named Dallp, a few months before irth and
the conferences took place about reseating Shah Shuja on pretensions
the throne of Kabul.1 made
known.
The British viceroy did not acknowledge Mai Chand Kaur TheEnglish
as the undoubted successor of her husband and son, or as remain
the sovereign of the country; but he treated her govern. theal ati
ment as one de facto, so far as to carry on business as usual
through the accredited agents of eitherpower. The Governor- Dost Muhammad
General's anxiety for the preservation of order in the Punjab Khan atwas nevertheless considerable; and it was increased by the tempts
state of affairs in Afghanistan, for the attempts of Dost eventually
Muhammad and the resolution of meeting him with English surrenders
to the
means alone, rendered the dispatch of additional troops English.
necessary, and before Kharak Singh's death three thousand
men had reached Ferozepore on their way to Kabul.2 The
progress of this strong brigade was not delayed by the contentions at Lahore; it pursued its march without interruption, and on its arrival at Peshawar it found Dost Muhammad a prisoner instead of a victor. The ex-Amir journeyed
1 Cf. Mr. Clerk to Government, of dates between the 10th Nov.
1840, and 2nd Jan. 1841, inclusive, particularly of the 11th and 24th
Nov. and 11th Dec., besides those specified. It seems almost certain
that the existence of the boy Dalip was not before known to the
British authorities.
2 Government to Mr. Clerk, 1st and 2nd Nov. 1840, and other
letters to and from that functionary.