troops with those of the young Ranjít Singh, she besieged Sirdár Jassa Singh Rámgarhia in his fort at Miáni on the Beas river. After defending himself for some time, his provisions fell short, and he asked for help from Sáhib Singh Bedi, the high priest at Amritsar. The Bedi sent a message ordering Sada Kour to raise the siege, but she, seeing her enemy was at last in her power, refused obedience. Again Jassa Singh sent an urgent message to the priest, who replied 'They will not mind me, but God Himself will aid you.' That very night the river Beas came down in flood, and swept away a large portion of the Kanheya camp, men, horses and camels. Sada Kour and Ranjít Singh escaped with difficulty, and retired to Gujranwála.
With this expedition the warlike instincts of the young chief seemed to awake, and he determined to become his own master and shake off the tutelage which had been imposed upon him by both mother and mother-in-law. The former was disposed of in a summary fashion. She was a dissolute woman, and chief among her lovers was Diwán Lakhpat Rái, who was the general manager of the estates during the minority. Ranjít Singh caused this man to be despatched on a dangerous expedition to Kaithal, where he was killed, and as some say with the connivance of Ranjít Singh. The lady disappeared; according to one report her son killed her with his own hands; according to another, he caused poison to be administered to her. But these stories are opposed to what we
