Mahommed resistance in the field. His site scale; and how to make the balance military strength was broken, and himself hang evenly, puzzled him much. He mana fugitive; but he managed to ingratiate aged matters, however, with consummate himself into the good graces of the Aff- address. Affecting good will to both parghan, and gathered up, by little and little, ties, and seeking only to reconcile them, he the fragments of his principality. At last, managed to get rid of both without a colwhen Mahommed, after his insane march lision, and marked his delight at their deupon Delhi, returned in 1798, if not defeat-parture by committing such fearful excesses, ed, at all events baffled, to his own land, in the course of the great religious festival Runjeet contrived to lay the victor under of the Hoolee, that for four months he was an obligation, and made the most of it. not able to mount his horse. While crossing the Indus, eight or ten of The fame of Runjeet Singh was now the Affghan guns were upset, and sank spread throughout the whole of the couninto the river. There was no time to raise try of the five rivers; and most of the them, for Persia was up, and the Doorannee chiefs having become his tributaries, the empire-very imperfectly consolidated, at Missuls, or tribes, were absorbed and conthe best-could not be exposed to invasion solidated into a kingdom. He aspired in any of its faces without imminent haz- next, at the subjugation of the sirdars, to ard. Whereupon, Mahommed commis- the left of the Sutlej, and gave out that the sioned his friend Runjeet to recover and Jumna was the proper line of demarkation send him back his artillery; and Runjeet between his dominions and those of the obtained, as the reward of his service, a English. But he had not pushed his congrant of Lahore. Let us do the old Lion quests far (though wherever he went Vicjustice. He raised the guns-if we recol-tory followed in his footsteps), ere the lect right, twelve in number-and retain-chiefs sent to implore the protection of the ing only four for his own use, sent the British government; and, in 1807, Mr., now other eight to Peshawur.

Lord Metcalfe, set out upon the mission, Having thus tasted the sweets of com- which first established between the Sikhs mand, and feeling the growth of ambition and ourselves specific relations. At first, within him, Runjeet proceeded, with equal Runjeet exhibited little disposition to listen boldness and address, to extend the limits to the counsels of moderation which the of his empire. Sometimes by a skilful di- English envoy conveyed to him. He was in plomacy, sometimes by violence, he gained the full tide of conquest, and conquerors an ascendency over his neighbors, till both are seldom willing to stop in their career in the Punjaub and in the territories east and to go backwards. But Runjeet was of the Sutlej they paid him tribute. So too prudent to hold otherwise than in proearly as 1802 he had assumed a command- found respect a power which, in half a ing position among the Sikh sirdars, and century, had supplanted that of the Mogul, appeared nowise disposed to rest contented and become masters of the very empire with it; and the dissensions which soon where, at first, its representatives had craved after arose in the royal family of Cabul for leave to carry on trade, and submitted presented an opening to his spirit of enter- to all manner of contumelies and insults prise, of which it took immediate advan- for the purpose of securing it. Moreover,.. tage. He marched into Mooltan, and an event occurred in the heart of his though unsuccessful at first, ceased not to camp, which gave the Sikh monarch a renew his attempts till he had subdued it. very exalted opinion of the qualities of the Eastward and northward, likewise, his vic- Company's toops. Mr. Metcalfe was attorious banners were borne; and he was tended in his mission by an escort of Sepoys, looking with a covetous eye upon the prov-two or three companies of a regiment of inces beyond the Indus, when, in 1805, the irruption of the Mahrattas, bringing Lord Lake and an English army in their train, recalled him. The part which Runjeet was now required to play proved both difficult and delicate. His respect for the power of England would have led him to refuse an asylum to the Mahrattas, had not the religious prejudices of his subjects, and in some sort his own, fallen into the oppo

infantry, and, either by accident or designedly, the soldiers composing them were Mussulmans,

The season of a Mussulman festival came round while the envoy's tents were pitched in Runjeet's camp; and the Sepoys, attending to the requirements of their religion, proceeded to keep the feast as their law directed. The proceeding gave mortal offence to the Sikhs, who, being lashed to fury by the declama

3. That the slightest violation of the engagements thus entered into on both sides with good faith, should put an end to the treaty, whether the provocation came from the Sikhs or from the English.

tions of some bigoted priests, seized their rights of the chiefs, whom the British govarms and attacked the mission camp. No- ernment had taken under its protection. thing could exceed the discipline and good conduct of the guard. They formed, met the assailants, and, after a sharp encounter, drove them back with loss, though the numbers which acted directly against them could not fall short of 2000 or 3000. Runjeet Singh was an eye-witness to the battle, and the impression which it made upon him operated beyond the period when, with some difficulty, he caused the tumult to

cease.

Having arranged this important business, the British Minister, with his escort, withdrew; and Runjeet falling back behind the Sulej, a proclamation was, by authority of the governor-general, put forth for the guidance of the protected chiefs. The Beyond all question the proof which he document in question explained, "That the semed to have received of the immeasura- territories of Terhend and Matooa (for ble superiority of English disciplined troops such was the designation assumed by the over his own irregular levies, induced Run- Sikhs of Puteeala, Naba, Keend, and Kyjeet to listen with a more favorable ear kul) being taken under British protection, to the remonstrance of the envoy. He de- Runjeet Singh was prohibited and had clined, indeed, to relinquish the conquests agreed not to interfere, after the 6th of which he had actually achieved, and seem- May, 1809, in any way with the people or ed loth to come under any engagement their ruler. At the same time the British never to push them farther. But when a government set up no claim to supremacy British army, under Colonel Ochterlony, or rule. It demanded no tribute, nor any took the field, and advanced from Delhi other mark of dependence, but left the for the avowed purpose of supporting the chiefs at liberty to exercise, each within the arguments of the minister, Ruujeet became limits of his own dominions, plenary auconvinced that they were unanswerable. thority as heretofore. The chiefs, on the One by one his garrisons withdrew from other hand, were required to facilitate, by the posts of which he had put them in oc- every means in their power, the movements* cupation, while the English advanced, and of such British troops as might, from time established themselves in force at Umbala. to time, be employed in insuring to them It is marvellous how much weight a few and their subjects invasion from the Punbatteries of nine-pounders, especially if bay- jaub. Moreover, in the event of an invaonets and sabres in adequate numbers be sion actually taking place, the chiefs were beside them, carry in the controversies of informed that the British government would nations. Runjeet admitted, at length, that expect them to join the British army, with the Sutlej, not the Jumna, would make the as many armed followers as they might rebest boundary on the south-eastern part of spectively be able to muster. Again, cerhis dominions; and, on the 25th of April, tain posts, and among others Loodiana, 1809, a treaty was ratified on both sides, were surrendered to the English, in order of which it is not necessary to give in this that garrisons being stationed there, the place more than the substance. means might be at hand of overawing the Punjaubees, and a base of operations, in the event of war, established. The protected chiefs were to grant free egress from these posts, and ingress, to all merchants and others passing to and fro on their lawful business; and were not to impose any tribute on horses while proceeding through their territories for the purpose of being used by the British cavalry. Finally, the protecting power claimed the right to decide in all questions of disputed succession, and declared itself entitled to occupy in the event of a failure of rightful heirs. It does not appear that against the different clauses of this proclamation any remonstrance was, from any quarter, sent in; and when in

The treaty in question determined,

1. That there should be perpetual amity between the British government in India and the court and nation of his highness Maha Rajah Runjeet Singh; that the British and Sikh nations should deal with each other on terms of reciprocal good-will; that the former should never interfere with the proceedings of the latter, so long as they confined themselves to the north-west bank of the Sutlej.

2. In return for this the Maha Rajah agreed to maintain no more troops on the left of the Sutlej than should be absolutely necessary for self-defence; and to abstain from all encroachments on the

process of time, one or more reigning his views of policy as he was energetic in
members became extinct, the sovereignty war. It happened that one of the protect-
over their possessions passed into our ed chiefs, whose residence and capital lay on
hands; no one presuming to deny the jus- the left of the Sutlej, had estates or territo-
tice of an arrangement which, among a ries from which he drew rents, on the right
people where the privilege of adoption is bank of the river. Runjeet, interpreting his
never conceded, is both, by rich and poor, treaty with us somewhat favorably for him-
admitted to be legitimate.
self, demanded tribute from this rajah for the
Shut out, by these means, from schemes lands which he held north-west of the boun-
of conquest on one side of the Sutlej, Run- dary; and the tribute not being immediate-
jeet Singh forthwith devoted his energies to ly paid, he sent an armed force to compel
the extension and consolidation of his pow-it. The Rajah complained to the protect-
er on the other; and the better to insure ing power, and a British corps took the
its permanency, he began in this same field. Runjeet had no wish to force on a
year, 1809, to regiment, and in some sort war with England; he therefore ordered
discipline his troops, after the European his armed collectors to retire from the dis-
fashion. His admiration of Mr. Metcalfe's puted territory, and sacrifice the tribute.
body-guard led him into this; and though It was in the month of March, 1822, that
he employed to accomplish his purpose a couple of European military adventurers
only deserters from the English native re- presented themselves, for the first time, at
giments, with Hindus, who had served the durbar of the Maha Rajah. These
and earned their pensions, the progress were MM. Ventura and Allard; the former
which his men made was very creditable. an Italian, the latter a Frenchman by birth,
His battalions of foot he fixed at 400 rank but both officers who had served with dis-
and file each. He had likewise his regular, tinction in the French army under Napole-
as well as irregular cavalry; while his ar- on. M. Ventura had obtained the rank of
tillery he placed under a distinct command, colonel of infantry, M. Allard a similar
and took infinite pains to increase both its rank in the cavalry; and both had fought
weight and its efficiency. Thus supported, in many battles, including the last, and, to
he soon made himself master of the whole the empire, the most fatal of them all, the
of the Punjaub; and renewed, with greater great fight at Waterloo. Seeing their for-
success than formerly, the invasion of tunes marred in Europe, they sought em-
Mooltan; while events were already in ployment in Persia; there they do not
progress at Cabul, and throughout the ex-seem to have been very well treated, nor
tent of the Doorannee empire, which opened
for him further and not less important con-
quests elsewhere.

In 1809, Shah Sujah-ool-Mulk, our unhappy puppet of 1839, was driven from his throne. In 1817 he sought shelter at Lahore, where Runjeet, under circumstances of peculiar cruelty and wrong, forced him to give up the Koh-i-noor, the largest diamond in the world. This done, he marched an army into Kashmere, of which, though repulsed at the beginning, he succeeded, in the course of time, in making himself master. Mooltan also was effectually subdued; and, in 1818, partly by guile, partly by hard fighting, Peshawur fell into his hands. Whithersoever he went, in short, victory attended him; not always in the first instance, nor without frequent reverses; but always crowning his efforts in the end, except when he came in contact with the English. And this he did in 1819, under circumstances of which, perhaps, he might have had some reason to complain, had he not been as far-sighted in

much to have improved the state of the
shah's army. But however this may be,
they grew weary of the sort of life which
they led at Tehran, and making their way
through Affghanistan, they came to Lahore,
and desired to enter into the service of the
king. Runjeet appears to have been sus-
picious, at the outset, of their motives.
Ile could not understand either their posi-
tion or their views; and the Sikhs being a
jealous and prejudiced people, perhaps he
might not feel that it would be altogether
safe to take them into his confidence. He
proceeded, therefore, with great caution;
and getting them to write in French a lit-
tle statement of their past career and fu
ture purposes, he sent it to parties in Loodi-
ana, whom he could trust, and got it faith-
fully translated. The experiment seemed
to satisfy him. He took them at once into
his service, as military instructors; and,
committing his infantry to the one, and his
cavalry to the other, saw with equal wonder
and admiration, the rapid progress which
both arms made in their knowledge of mil-

From the ratification of the treaty in 1809 up to 1819 there was little or no di

itary movements and exercises. By and Moreover, their capability of sustaining faby another French gentleman, M. Court, tigue is great. Long of limb, and thin and who had been well educated in the Poly- spare in their figures, they accomplish technic School, arrived; and he, on the marches which, in respect to their extent, recommendation of his predecessors, under- would sorely try an Englishman. They took the training of the Sikh artillery. have repeatedly compassed 300 miles in We need not stop to explain what remark- eleven days, a feat seldom surpassed even able progress the Sikhs make under their in a temperate climate, and gigantic where European teachers. Moreover others, such the thermometer stands at 112° in the as M. Avitabile, came; and the result of shade. their combined efforts was to give to the Maha Rajah an army, before which none throughout the East, except that of Eng-rect or diplomatic intercourse between the land, could stand. Of the exact amount, in point of numbers, to which it was raised, we cannot speak with accuracy; but this much is certain, that Sir John Kean, on his return from Cabul, reviewed about 40,000 of them; and declared in London that he had seldom looked upon a finer body of men, or inspected a cavalry or an artillery better mounted, equipped, and worked even in Europe.

supreme government and the court of Lahore. At the latter of these dates Sir Alexander Burns arrived at Runjeet's durbar, bringing with him, as a gift from the princeregent, four enormous dray-horses, and having carried back some valuable information to Calcutta, was again in 1831 employed on a similar errand, and the move was followed up not long afterwards by a personal interview between the Maha Rajah and the

British government made him aware that no such scheme of conquest could be permitted; and that if he ventured to cross the line that separated his present dominions from those of the Ameers, an army from Bombay would forthwith compel him to return.

If we take the amount of Runjeet's force, Governor-general. It took place at Ruper, when it stood the highest, at 150,000 of all and ended in a solemn renewal of the enarms, we shall probably not go much be- gagements of 1809, of which, having some yond the mark. He himself called it 200,- notable plans under consideration, Runjeet 000 regular and irregular; the former con- contrived in due time to obtain the written sisting of disciplined infantry, the latter of minutes. The next thing heard of him was matchlock men, fantastically dressed ac- that he had assembled a large army and cording to their own taste. His regular was about to march into Scinde. And cavalry, about 15,000 strong, carried very much surprised was he when the swords, carabines, and some of them lances; wearing casques, or steel helmets, with shawls wrapped round them; and armor over their quilted jackets, either mail or cuirasses. The artillery cannot be said to have been formed into a distinct corps; for though it numbered 400 pieces, there were but 4000 gunners drilled to use Runjeet Singh was very indignant on rethem, the working of each piece being en-ceiving this announcement. He contrived, trusted to the regiment to which it was at- however, though not without sending the tached. All accounts unite, however, in de- British envoy away, to hide his chagrin, scribing the guns as excellent; and the skill and being as prudent as he was bold, yieldof the gunners, whether with shot or shell, as ed with a good grace where resistance highly creditable. The muskets and bayo- seemed to be hopeless. And partly, pernets with which the regular infantry were haps, because his conduct on the occasion armed, come, like their cannon, from the was appreciated, partly because his good great foundry of Lahore. They are much will was worth more than the cost, Lord inferior to those in use with European ar- Auckland, in the treaty of 1838, secured to mies; and the troops that wield them are him for ever the province swhich he had described by Mr. Osborne and others, as wrested from the Affghans. Nevertheless, slow in their manner of working. it is now well understood that his chiefs looked with much disfavor on his acquiescence in the policy of England at that time, and scarcely had he paid Nature's great debt ere the hostile feeling which the natives cherished towards the English connexion showed itself.

It may be so as far as parade manœuvres are concerned, but the Sikhs have shown themselves rapid marchers, and so they will again in the event of a prolongation of the war, which the bloody battles of Mootkee and Ferozeshah seem only to have begun.

We have already explained that, from the moment that the Sikhs devoted themselves "to steel," all the humane and pure moral teaching of Nanac Shah ceased to be remembered. Instead of abjuring war, they waged it incessantly, and indulged besides in vices of every sort, as well those which brutalize amid their tendency to render theperpetrator effeminate, as in crimes of violence and an utter disregard to human life. The court of Noo Nehal soon became a perfect sink of debauchery, while his father was understood to be wasting away in his seclusion by a disease which common report attributed to poison. At last the ill-fated Kurruck Singh died, and his body was," with great pomp, consumed to ashes. But Noo Nehal reaped no accession to his honors from the event, for, returning on his elephant from his father's obsequies, the animal backed against the gateway of the palace and brought down a mass of brickwork upon the head of its rider. An unworthy favorite, who occupied the same houdah with him, was killed upon the spot, while the skull of Noo Nehal received so severe a fracture that, after lingering a few hours insensible, he expired.

The Lion of the Punjaub died at a very critical moment for the interests and influence of the English in India. We had entered upon our insane expedition to Cabul, and were already involved in difficulties which seem most unaccountably to have taken us by surprise, when the old man, feeling his end approach, gathered the whole of his principal officers about him and caused them, in his presence, European as well as native, to take the oath of allegiance to his son, Kurruk Singh. This ceremony took place on the 28th of June, 1839, and in a few days subsequently the Maha Rajah expired. Now Kurruck Singh was a very weak man, altogether incapable of sustaining the burden of such an empire as was thus laid upon his shoulders, and though he received it peacably enough, but a short time elapsed ere difficulties began to gather round him. He found in office men whom his father had trusted, Rajah Dhejan Singh, with his son the Rajah Mera Singh, and his brothers Goolab Singh and Soochet Singh, and naturally gave to them the confidence which they appear never in the previous reign to have abused. But though able men and sprung from a good family, they had been born poor, and So sudden a death to the young monarch worked their way from the station of pri- occasioned a great sensation among the vate troopers in one of Runjeet's regiments Sikhs. It dissolved, moreover, the whole of regular cavalry. Success appears to frame-work of society, for there was no be as fruitful of animosities among the direct heir to claim the throne-none, at Sikhs as among ourselves, and the four least, possessing personal weight enough to adventurers, envied at every stage, now ensure a ready acquiescence in the demand. found that they were hated. Other great As far as England is concerned, however, men conspired to supplant them in their the probabilities are that the death of Noo master's councils, and succeeded. They Nehal is not much to be regretted. He were wroth, and entered, without delay, never made any secret of his hatred of us, into schemes of vengeance. They found and had planned, and would have doubtless, also in Noo Nehal Singh, the son of the sooner or later, carried it out, a project for new sovereign, and a brave and clever involving us simultaneously in a war with youth, a not unwilling instrument where- the Punjaub, with Nepaul, Birmah, and with to work. Under the pretext of forcing Cabul. At the same time, there is no the Maha Rajah from the presence of a dangerous favorite, they broke into the palace with armed men, slew their rival, Cheyt Singh, in the king's presence, and cast into prison a whole family of nobles. Then followed a proclamation, which set forth that Kurruck Singh was, from mental imbecility, incapable of carrying on the affairs of government. Then was Noo Nehal placed as regent on the throne, and Rajah Mera Singh, though he conceded to his father the foremost place in regard to rank, became, in the exercise of a paramount influence in the palace, at once a rival and eye-sore to his nearest of kin.

denying that his death has precipitated the struggle. The revolutions which followed it in the Punjaub, fruitful as they have been of evil to the natives of that state, never shook the hatred wherewith the chiefs and soldiery regard us. Indeed, so implacable is this feeling, that the refusal of his temporary successor, Shere Singh by name, to fall upon the rear of General Pollock's army and cut off its convoys, cost the individual his life. But we are anticipating.

When Noo Nehal's fate was announced to the minister Dhejan Singh, he cast his eyes at once upon Shere Singh, one of twin sons whom Mehtab, one of Runjeet's wives,