1 66 RUNJEET AGAIN CROSSES THE SUTLEJ. A. D. 1808.
2 over to SuDA Koonwur in ejection of Goolab Singh,
3 and RuNJEET then proceeded ag-ainst the Moosulman
4 possession of Muler Kolila. The Puthan family hold-
5 ing it was reduced to extremity, and agreed to a large
6 money payment, giving abend of a lakh of rupees, to which
7 the Puteeala Raja was induced, by the deposit of some
8 strongholds, to be security. Mr. Metcalfe accompanied
9 RuNJEET Singh to Fureed-Kot, but refused to counte-
10 nance any military operations east of theSutlej. He ac-
11 cordingly remained near that river until his Govern-
12 ment should determine what to do in the juncture, and
13 addressed in the interval a strong remonstrance against
14 such aggressions, committed in the very face of his
15 proposition to make the matter the subject of discussion
16 and negociation between the Governments. In the mean
17 time RuNJEET Singh continued his progress to Umbala,
18 which with its dependencies, he seized, and made over to
19 the Naba and Kythul chiefs. He then exacted tribute
20 from Shahabad and Thanesur, and returning by Puteeala,
21 made a brotherly exchange of turbands with the weak
22 Raja Saheb Singh. After this expedition he again
23 gave Mr. Metcalfe the meeting at Umritsur. The
24 Government at Calcutta had in October determined on
25 its course, and the envoy was now instructed to avow,
26 that the country between the Sutlej and the Jumna was
27 under British protection, and although that Government
28 had no design to require the surrender of possessions
29 occupied before its interposition, it must insist on the
30 restoration of all that had been seized during the late expe-
31 dition of RuNJEET Singh. To enforce this demand, and
32 support the negociation, a body of troops was advanced to
33 the frontier under Colonel, afterwards Sir David Och-
34 TERLONY, andauarmy of reserve was formed and placed