1 166 APPENDIX.
2 venient nor wise to permit operations of the kind that must
3 ensue to be carried on in the Punjaub. On the other hand,
4 Runjeet Singh, though he would have proved an useful
5 auxiliary to either party, was sensible of his inability to offer
6 open resistance. In this state of things, the relations he
7 maintained with Juswant Rao Holkar were friendly but not
8 encouraging, and that chief, being disappointed in the hope
9 of raising the Sikh nation to a co-operation in hostility with
10 him against the British, yielded to the difficulties by which
11 he was surrounded, and made his terms with Lord Lake in
12 a treaty concluded on’the 24th December, 1805. Friendly
13 engagements were further exchanged by the British com-
14 mander with Runjeet Singh and the Aloowala Sirdar; and,
15 in the course of January, 1806, the two armies which had
16 inspired so much alarm in the Punjaub, returned to Hin-
17 dostan.
18 In 1808, the alarm of an invasion of India being meditated
19 by the French emperor, Napoleon Buonaparte, becoming
20 rife, Lord Minto determined to send missions to ascertain
21 the condition of the countries intervening, and the feeling of
22 the rulers, chiefs, and people. The growing power of Run-
23 jeet Singh, whose authority was now completely established
24 in the Punjaub, made it essential to include his court, and
25 the collision threatened by the recent proceedings and known
26 designs of Runjeet, east of the Sutlege, formed an additional
27 motive for deputing a British agent to Lahore. Mr. (now
28 Lord) Metcalfe was the negotiator selected on this occasion,
29 and the announcement of the intended deputation was re-
30 ceived by Runjeet Singh, while the Jheend and Kythul
31 chiefs were in attendance on him. To them the contents of
32 the despatch were communicated, and the matter formed the
33 subject of much anxious conference and deliberation. It
34 was determined to receive Mr. Metcalfe at Kasoor, whither
35 Runjeet marched for the purpose in September 1808. On
36 the envoy’s arrival, he was received with the usual attention,
37 but had scarcely found the opportunity to enter on the
38 subjects proposed for discussion with the Sikh chief, when