1 188 GENERAL REFLECTIONS.
2 And let not those, who are disposed to give to RuN-
3 JEET Singh the credit due to him as founder of a king-
4 dom and dynasty, take exception at the circumscribed
5 limit of his dominion, as lowering his merit in comparison
6 with others, The circumstances of his position, with the
7 British Government on one side, — fresh risen to a majes-
8 ty of power, that it would have been madness for him to
9 think of encountering, and with the prejudiced and fanatic
10 Moosulraan population of Afghanistan upon every other
11 frontier, have been barriers against extension, which it
12 was impossible to overcome, and effectually forbad the
13 hope of carrying the Sikh dominion beyond its present
14 limits. The gain that has already been made upon the
15 latter, and the manner in which the brave and bigotted
16 Mohummedans, have, in many instances, been reconciled
17 to the sway of a hated, and even despised sect, are
18 amongst the most creditable features of the policy, and
19 career of Uunjeet Singh.
20 Towards the British Government his conduct has been
21 marked with equal sagacity. Careful not to oH'end to the
22 point leading to actual rupture, he contrived to make his
23 gain of the juncture, at the very moment when the British
24 Government stept forward to confine his dominion to the
25 Sutlej, and to wrest from his grasp, the valuable tract
26 between that river and the Jumna, which was all held
27 by Sikhs, and regarded by him therefore as his legitimate
28 and certain prey. When the ill-will and suspicion,
29 engendered by this interference, had subsided, and he
30 felt assured that the interposing Government had no
31 desire to push its conquests, or further to interfere with
32 his ambitious views, he cultivated the friendship of its
33 oflicers, and has since desired to exhibit himself to the