1 The firming of the
2 revenues.
3 Expeditions to Maho-
4 medan districts
5 The Jhang tribute
6 raised to Re 1,20,000,
7 Second expedition
8 to Multan, 1805
9 Holhar the Mahratta
10 fugitive, in the
11 Panjab, 18u5
12 Ne asks the Maha-
13 raju's aid against the
14 British,
15 Hes hotly pursued
16 by General Like.
17 362 WISTORY OF THE PANJAB.
18 He returned from his pious pilgrimage early in June, just as the rainy season
19 began to set in, and immediately set about the management of his finan-
20 cial affairs. He farmed out the revenues to the highest bidders, who were
21 always sure of collecting sufficient for his coffers, as the lives of defaulters
22 were at their mercy.
23 Ranjit’s next expedition was into the districts which had been conquered
24 by Ahmad Shah in Hindostdén. By this time Shah Zamén had had his eyes
25 put out, and had been deposed by Shah Mahmud, who, in his turn, was
26 supplanted by Shah Shujd,a third brother, afterward the well-known exile
27 of Ludhidnd. Ranjit made a good impression on the Durrdni governors of
28 districts, and they, for the most part, elected to make their submission to
29 him. He then led his army into the Mahomedan country between the
30 Chinab and the Indus, and the nawdb of Jhang was again pressed to settle
31 an annual tribute, which was now raised to 1,20,000 rupees. A fresh attack
32 on Multdn was resolved upon; but when the Mahardjd’s advanced guards
33 had reached Mohdtma, a village 20 miles north of Multan, the nawdb, who
34 had no wish to fight with the Sikhs, paid 70,000 rupees as ransom to Ranjit
35 Singh, who then departed, after having bestowed a valuable khilat on the
36 nawéb. In the midst of this career of victory, he was, however, recalled by
37 intelligence that a large body of fugitive Mahrattas, hotly pursued by the
38 British army, under General Lake, was approaching his eastern frontier.
39 This was no welcome news for the ruler of Lahore, who had no interest in
40 seeing the Panjab converted into a battle field for two foreign nations. The
41 Mahratta chief, Jaswant Rao Holkdr, having been utterly routed by
42 Generals Lake and Fraser, at Fattehgarh and Dig, and, after in vain attempt-
43 ing to raise a new army south of the Jamna, set out for the Panjéb, in the
44 expectation of obtaining assistance from the Sikhs against the British. His
45 hopes were probably strengthened by the fact that certain minor Sikh chiefs
46 of the Trans-Sutlej, such as Gurdit Singh, Laddwa, Bhanga Singh of Thanesar,
47 and others, had already fought on the side of the Mahrattas at Delhi
48 against the English. There was also this circumstance to be taken into
49 consideration that, during his stay at Patiala, he had obtained large contri-
50 butions from R4jé Sahib Singh and Rani Aus Kour. Forgetful, however,
51 that Ranjit Singh was a totally different person to deal with, he reached
52 the neighbourhood of Amritsar at the head of an army of 15,000* men,
53 accompanied by Amir Khan, the Rohilla chief, after successfully evading
54 the detachment of the British army that had been sent to intercept
55 him. But General Lake, who was in his rear, pursued him into the Panjab
56 with five regiments of cavalry and four of infantry. On hearing of this,
57 Ranjit first summoned Fatteh Singh, and then hastened to Lahore, where
58 Holkar’s agents met him with presents from their master, and explained to
59 him the objects of the Mahratta chief's visit. Ranjit Singh repaired to
60 Amritsar + in person, and had an interview with the fugitive, who asked for
61 help against the British, and threatened to continue his march to Kabul, if
62 he obtained no help from the Panjdéb. Lord Lake had, in the meantime,
63 crossed the Bids, and encamped at Jalldldbdd. Great was the contrast
64 between the Hyphasis of that day and the Hyphasis of two thousand one
65 hundred years previously. The river then formed a barrier to the further
66 advance of Alexander the Great, whose Macedonians erected twelve massive
67 * Native historians have very much exaggerated the strength of Holkar’s troops on this
68 occasion, Rai Kanhia Lal has put down the number at 40,000, and Dewan Amar Nath at
69 two lakhs. The number, however, did not exceed 15,000.—Major Thorn’s Memoirs of War, ke.
70 + Smyth says Ranjit Singh received the Mahratta chief, Jaswant Rao, at Léhore. It is,
71 however, certain that the Mahratta chief never visited Lahore. Compare Murray and Can-
72 ningham’s Histories with those of Kanhia Lal and Amar Nath.
73 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com