1 INTRODUCTION. XXI
2 evil deeds of such wretches as Kara Ran and Yar Mahomed,
3 his Vizier, with whom the British Government, to their cost,
4 at one time, were connected.
5 Regarding' the Punjaub war; I am neither of opinion,
6 that the Seiks made an unprovoked attach, nor that we have
7 acted towards them with great forbearance ; my opinion is,
8 that we should, as the paramount authority, long ago have
9 adopted coercive measures with the Seiks, and have assumed
10 what kings call " a commanding attitude,"* but if this poli-
11 cy was disapproved of, no half measures should have been
12 pursued, no middle course should have been taken; for, if
13 the Seiks were to be considered entirely an independent
14 own by conquest, or by the terror of his name. He has overrun the whole district
15 between Kashmeer and Attok ; and inflicted such terrible vengeance on the people
16 of Sudan, (a large district south-east of Mozaffarabad,) cutting up, maiming, flaying
17 to the amount, is is said, of twelve thousand persons, that the men of Dundi
18 and Satti, two adjoining territories, sent in their submission, but begged not to
19 see his face. Of course, the brothers must unite in this barbarous policy, though
20 it is difficult to believe such horrors of either, seeing their mild and winning
21 demeanor. They are alike too in their boundless ambition and fathomless
22 duplicity ; as wary as they are daring, as little disposed to use force where
23 cunning will succeed, as they are unscrupulous in the employment of violent
24 measures where such seem called for. Of Gulab Singh I have heard tales which
25 I can hardly believe myself, and therefore, will not task my reader's credence
26 with. His information, like that of his brother, is considerable ; and though not
27 a very accurate geographer, nor with clear ideas as to the direction in which his
28 lieutenant, Zorawar Sing, went to push his conquests, he has a good estimate of
29 the wealth and products of China, as well as of Europe. In manner, Gulab Singh
30 is highly mild and affable: his features are good, nose aquiline, and expression
31 pleasing, though rather heavy. Indefatigable in business, he sees after every thing
32 himself; hardly able to sign his name, he looks after his own accounts, and often
33 has the very gram for his horses weighed out before him. Since the death of Runjit
34 Singh, the Rajah has been in bad odour with the durbar, for holding out against
35 the present monarch ; and with the army, from the numbers killed in his famous
36 defence of the Suman-burj, in the commencement of 1841, as well as from the
37 summary punishment inflicted on the mutineers in Kashmir. Both Gulab Sing and
38 his brother are, therefore, always surrounded by regiments of their own Dogur clan,
39 who serve them in fear and trembling, having their families in the Rajah's hands,
40 and knowing that any dereliction from duty would entail torture on them."
41 * Surely after having deposed Dost Mahomed merely because Captain Vickovitch
42 paid him a visit, we need not have stood upon such ceremony with the Seiks.