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giance. But now a new obftacle arofe, which not only prevented for the present a continuance of the Rannee's tranquillity, but plunged her into still deeper misfortunes than those she had before experienced.

CHAPTER XIII.

Singular account of an impoftor among the SeiksHis pretenfions; he is detected by a Seik chief-Threatens Mr. Thomas-is compelled to fly-reduction of Kanhori-attack of Sefeedoo-termination of the campaign.

IN

N the Seik army was a man of the Cuttry tribe, ambitious, artful, and intriguing, and whofe knowledge of mankind, from long and deep reflection, had convinced him it was no difficult matter to render his countrymen the dupes of his own artifices: this man, who pretended to trace his lineage from the great prophet Nanick, the founder and lawgiver of the Seiks, had a regular correfpondence with fome of his creatures in the Abdali camp, and from time to time received intelligence of the motions and intentions of Zemaun Shah. Informed by his emiffaries that the Shah had determined to return to his own dominions, and the exact time being specified for his fetting qut,

this artful impoftor affembled the chiefs of the Seik army, and pretending to the gift of infpiration, acquainted them that during the preceding night he had been favoured with a vifit from their prophet; who after lamenting the hardships under which his favourite tribe had laboured by the invafion of Abdallis, he had, through the permiffion of the Almighty, been enabled to prevail on Zemaun Shah to return to his own country, and that at the moment they were now difcourfing that prince had actually commenced his march.

Surprised at the apparent abfurdity of this declaration, many of the chiefs treated the information with deferved ridicule; but when at three o'clock in the afternoon of the fame day, intelligence arrived of the actual march of the Shah, as predicted by the impoftor, the whole army appeared ftruck with contrition for their error, and infifted on their chiefs deprecating the anger of this defcendant of Nanick, by expiatory offerings, and prefents of all kinds.

Fully fatisfied with the fuccess of his stratagem, he now affected a lofty deportment, and

it was with great difficulty that the chiefs prevailed on him to accept the proffered offerings; nor did he wholly relent until they offered to return with an army to Lodhana, and put him in poffeffion of the country of the unfortunate Roy Elias; to this he not only yielded a ready affent, but added a falfehood to his former deceit, by informing the chiefs that the late invafion of the Shah had been folely owing to the intrigues of the Rannee, aided by the machinations of her neighbour the Patan chief of Malhere, who had invited the Abdalli Prince to take poffeffion of the Punjab.

The Seik army daily increafing in numbers by acceffions of the peafantry, who joined them from all quarters, now directed their march to Malhere, and refolved to begin their operations with the fiege of that place.

The Patans who were in Malhere came out of the city to encounter the Seiks on the plain, but the presence of their pretended prophet inspiring them with more than usual confidence, the Patans were repulfed, and driven

from the field with great flaughter; and the Seiks entering the town along with the fugitives, the place was quickly taken, while the few who remained, having quitted the city, fought refuge in the fort of Kotelah.

The Seiks prepared to follow up their victory by laying fiege to that place; and fo great was the confternation of the Patans, that though it was defended by a very high wall, a ditch, and contained a garrifon of 600 men, they were utterly unable to resist; and had it not been for the affiftance of their ally, the rajah of Pattialah, who fent a body of his own troops for their protection, they must have furrendered at difcretion.

This addition of force however rendered abortive all attempts of the Seiks to reduce Kotelah; they therefore feparated, though a confiderable body, who to all appearance still adhered to the impoftor, difperfed themfelves over the Rannee's country, of which, after much predatory warfare, they got poffeffion.

Reduced to a fituation truly deplorable, that

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