1 HISTORY OF THE sixXHS. 287
2 been it is now difficult to say, but from the well-
3 known character of the Natives for prevarication,
4 cunning, and deceit, we are induced to believe that
5 the Ameers of Scinde would have proved faithless
6 to their engagements, and disastrous consequences
7 might have followed. We have been somewhat
8 unwillingly led to discuss the affairs of Scinde and
9 Cabul ; but in treating of the relative advantages of
10 vesting authority in diplomatists and soldiers, the
11 latest illustrations that presented themselves were
12 naturally adopted. We now repeat, we are war-
13 ranted, in so far as past experience can guide us,
14 to draw the conclusion, that in governing a country 4 mititary
15 whose inhabitants are decidedly hostile to us, and Rone preter-
16 only wait for an opportunity of expelling and des-
17 troying our servants and troops, surely military
18 power is the best adapted for preventing both
19 disasters.
20 Poor Burnes imagined he knew the Affghan
21 character sufficiently to make him despise the
22 tumult which resulted in the loss of his own life,
23 and eventually in our disasters in Cabul! And the
24 officer who conducts our political affairs at the
25 court of Lahore may see little in an emeute in the
26 bazaar to require more than a reference to the
27 Durbar. A recurrence of such an event, however,
28 must be put beyond the range of possibility, and
29 instead of referring to a weak and merely nominal
30 power, the resident should be in a position to
31 vindicate his own authority. The Durbar of
32 Lahore is certainly bound to punish the inmates of