Maun Sing sent confidential persons to him to say, that he had been ordered by the Court of Lucknow to confer upon him a dress of honour or condolence, on the death of his two lamented brothers, and should do so in person the next day.  Hurpaul Sing was considered one of the bravest men in Oude, but he was then sick on his bed, and unable to move.  He received the message without suspicion, being anxious for some small interval of repose; and willing to believe that common interests and pursuits had united him and Maun Sing in something like bonds of friendship.

Maun Sing came in the afternoon, and rested under a banyan-tree, which stood opposite the gateway of the fort.  He apologized for not entering the fort, on the ground, that it might lead to some collision between their followers, or that his friend might not wish any of the King’s servants, who attended with the dress of honour, to enter his fortress.  Hurpaul Sing left all his followers inside the gate, and was brought out to Maun Sing in a litter, unable to sit up without support.  The two friends embraced and conversed together with seeming cordiality till long after sunset, when Maun Sing, after investing his friend with the dress of honour, took leave and mounted his horse.  This was the concerted signal for his followers to despatch his sick friend, Hurpaul.  As he cantered off, at the sound of his kettle-drum and the other instruments of music, used by the Nazims of districts, his armed followers, who had by degrees gathered round the tree, without awakening any suspicion, seized the sick man, dragged him on the ground, a distance of about thirty paces, and then put him to death.  He was first shot through the chest, and then stabbed with spears, cut to pieces with swords, and left on the ground.  They were fired upon from the fort, while engaged in this foul murder, but all escaped unhurt.  Maun Sing had sworn by the holy Ganges, and still more holy head of Mahadeo, that his friend should suffer no personal hurt in this interview; and the credulous and no less cruel and rapacious Gurgbunsies were lulled into security.  The three persons who murdered Hurpaul, were Nujeeb Khan, who has left Mann Sing’s service, Benee Sing, who still serves him, and Jeskurun Sing, who has since died.  Sadik Hoseyn and many others aided them in dragging their victim to the place where he was murdered, but the wounds which killed him were inflicted by the above-named persons.

The family fled, the fort was seized and plundered of all that could be found, and the estate seized and put under the management of Government officers.  Maun Sing had collected half the revenues of 1847, when he was superseded in the contract by Wajid Allee Khan, who re-established the Lady Sogura in the possession of all that remained of her estate.  He, at the same time, reinstated the family of Hurpaul Sing, in the possession of their now large estate—­that is, the widow of Nihal Sing, to Seheepoor, comprising