1 HISTORY OF THE SIKUS. 221
2 European soldiers by exposure to the heat of the the British
3 Punjab, or he must enable the government which *0"f4 {°
4 he had sanctioned to maintain itself, at least, for a Lahore and
5 the absolute
6 few months, when he could, if required, complete Resseauty of
7 the subjugation, and annexation of the Punjab."
8 By people undcquainted with the posture of affairs,
9 and living in the temperate climates of Europe,
10 the forbearance of the Governor general has been
11 already blamed, but his policy was founded on a
12 careful view of the difficulties which opposed the
13 complete annexation of a country which he had in
14 reality subjected to his sway, and whose govern- The Punjab
15 ment looked to him for advice and protection. Mel cea
16 There will, no doubt, be a numerous class of Leaving a
17 croakers, who might see, in thus leaving a garrison fre? to gar-
18 ws rison_ Lahore
19 in Lahore, the seeds of a repetition of the Cabul not italy to .
20 tragedy! But the parallel was in no respect simi- ty oat
21 lar; and with a force in the Jalindhur Doab ready :
22 to act with, and in fact forming a part of the La-
23 hore force, no sudden emergency, likely to be fol-
24 lowed by disastrous corfsequences, could be even
25 dreamt of by the most confirmed alarmists. The
26 only drawback to the efficiency of this force was
27 its containing but one European regiment, and
28 there were no others in the Doab.
29 The delight of the Ranee and her son may well The Ranee’s
30 be conceived when thus placed under the protec- the weltch
31 tion of a strong British force. They could now *™?*
32 repose in comfort in their own capital, a place which
33 they no longer considered one of safety unless
34 manavinaan har Bestich teAnanc