1 62 THE ARMY OF THE PUNJAUB.
2 and his distrust of their purposes was heightened
3 by the Punjaubee chieftains, who were naturally
4 jealous of the introduction of Europeans into
5 the military service ; but a submissiye and ju-
6 dicious letter from these officers removed the
7 apprehensions of the Maharajah, and he, with the
8 spirit and originality of a man of genius, ad-
9 mitted them into his service ; appointing them
10 instructors of his troops in the European system
11 of drill and warfare. The good conduct and
12 wise management of these gentlemen speedily
13 removed Runjeet Singh's prejudices against Eu-
14 ropeans ; and the door to emplojrment being
15 thrown open, several military men entered the
16 service of the Maharajah, and at the close of his
17 reign there were not less than a dozen receiving
18 his pay, and, to use an Indian expression, "eating
19 his salt." The successors of Runjeet Singh,
20 however, did not look with an eye of favour
21 upon men who were not to be bought, and whose
22 sense of personal dignity revolted at the treat-
23 ment to which the unbridled Sikh chieftains were
24 inclined to subject them. The greater part
25 accordingly resigned their commissions ; some
26 of them retiring with ample fortunes, and others
27 seeking honourable employment elsewhere.
28 The Sikh army, until lately, was considered
29 by many British officers, who had the oppor-
30 tunity of seeing it, to have been in a fair state