1 Wazir Fateh Khan'g
2 progress towar
3 Derajat on the Indus
4 and Multan checked,
5 Annexation of
6 Makhad territory,
7 1813.
8 Capture of Haripur,
9 1813.
10 The Mahardja invites
11 Pandit Ganga Ram, of
12 Delhi, to Lahore, 1813
13 The Pandit is
14 appointed head of the
15 military office.
16 Ranjit Singh extorts
17 the Xohinur
18 diamond from Shah
19 Shuja, 1813.
20 398 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB.
21 It was during the operations in the hills beyond Rajauri that the Maha-
22 rajé was informed of the appearance of Wazir Fatteh Khan at Kala Bagh in
23 the Derajét, west of the Indus. Nawdb Sar Buland Khan, of Dera Ismail
24 Khan, had already welcomed the advent of the wazir by presenting him
25 with a number of horses and camels, while Abdul Jabbér Khan, the Nazim
26 of Dera Ghazi Khan, had placed 80 boats at his disposal on the Indus. The
27 wazir had designs on Multdn, and Nawab Muzaffar Khan, fearing an attack,
28 sent his vakil, Ghulam Muhammad, to the Léhore Darbar, to ask for aid against
29 the Kabul wazir. Kanwar Kharak Singh was immediately sent to Serae,
30 in the neighbourhood of Multan, at the head of a large body of troops, with
31 instructions to march to Multan as soon as the Kabul wazir should cross at
32 Trimu Ghat. These opportune measures had the effect of checking the pro-
33 gress of the wazir in the direction of Multan, and of inducing him to retrace
34 his steps to Kabul.
35 About this time, reports having been received by the Mahardj4 of the
36 excesses committed by Wali Khan, the Afghan chief of Makhad, Dewan
37 Mokham Chand was ordered to proceed thither, to bring the refractory chief
38 to his senses. The dewan, accompanied by Sardars Jodh Singh, Ramgarhia,
39 DalSingh and Pahar Singh, M4n, marched to Makhad, and Wali Khan
40 engaged to pay a nuzrana of Rs. 50,000; but, finding, subsequently, that
41 his means would not allow him to fulfil the promise, he retired from the fort
42 of Atak, and the whole of his territory was annexed to the Léhore
43 State. Dal Sing having been left to settle the country, the dewan returned
44 to Lahore. Soon after this, the Mahardjé received the joyful news
45 of the capture of the Haripur hill territory by Dewan Bhawdni Das, who
46 had been sent on an expedition against that State. A royal salute was
47 fired at Ldéhore in honour of the victory, and Bhip Singh, the chief, who
48 had been treacherously seized some time before, was now released from
49 confinement and received a small jdgir for his support.
50 In March 1813, the Maharaja, having heard of the talented politician,
51 Gangdé Ram, invited him, on the recommendation of Bhéi Lal Singh aad
52 Sardar Himmat Singh, Jallawasia, to come from Delhi to Léhore with the
53 offer of an appointment. Gangd Ram’s father, Kishan Das, was a native
54 of Kashmir, and had emigrated to Hindostdn during the commotions which
55 had followed Ahmad Shah’s conquest of Kashmir, in 1752. Gangé Ram
56 had greatly distinguished himself under Colonel Louis Burquinen, a French
57 officer in the service of Mahardjd Sindhia of Gwalior, and his intimate
58 knowledge of the politics of the Cis-Sutlej] States was of great use to
59 General Sir David Ochterlony, when that officer arranged the relations
60 of the chiefs of those States with the British Government in 1809. Gangd
61 Ram, on arriving at Lahore, presented the Mahardjd with Ganges water,
62 and, having been entrusted with the Mahardjd’s seal, was placed at the
63 head of the military office and mude paymaster of the irregular forces,
64 the head of the department being Bhawdni Das.
65 We now come to an incident in Ranjit Singh’s life, which has left a stain
66 on his memory, as one of the most avaricious, uncivil and selfish of monarchs
67 that have ruled over the destinies of this country. It has already been related
68 that, during the operations against Kdshmir, Shah Shujé-ul-Mulk, the
69 ex-king of Kabul, was brought to Lé&hore by Dewdn Mokham Chand.
70 He was received by the Mahardjé with all the honours due to his rank
71 the heir apparent, Kanwar Kharak Singh, having been sent to Shahdara
72 to receive his majesty. The house in the city, known as the Mubarak
73 Haveli, was placed at the disposal of the king, his family and followers.
74 Sri Satgdrd |SeaR Siig asceRe taken up hisiepideadelibrdhp@igmatheane demand