1 106 A Short History of the Sikhs.
2 there been any chance of relief from Kabul, deserted
3 his charge, and the Sikhs took possession of the
4 city almost without striking a blow.
5 The Maharaja had had quite enough of tributary
6 governors. Peshawar was made a part of the
7 kingdom of Lahore, and Sirdar Hari Singh was left
8 in command of the town and province. But Dost
9 Muhammad had no intention of leaving the Sikh
10 lion in peaceful possession of his prey, and from
11 that time forward the recovery of Peshawar was an
12 object for which he never ceased to strive. His
13 first invasion of the district took place in 1835, and
14 might have been successful but for the skilful part
15 played by Azziz-ud-din, Ranjit Singh's most trusted
16 counsellor, who contrived to open negotiations with
17 Amir Dost Muhammad and thereby delay his advance.
18 This gave the Sikhs time for preparation ; and they
19 mustered so formidable a force that the Amir deemed
20 discretion the better part of valour, and withdrew
21 his army to Kabul. To guard against a second
22 surprise, the Sikhs the following year established a
23 fortress at Jamriid, at the entrance to the Khaibar.
24 This was more than Dost Muhammad could stand ;
25 and in April 1837 he dispatched his son, Muham-
26 mad Akbar Khan, with a force of over 30,000
27 men for its reduction. Sirdar Hari Singh lay ill
28 at Peshawar, but the garrison of Jamriid, only 800
29 strong, managed to hold out until he was able to
30 march to its relief. Meanwhile, reinforcements had
31 been sent for from Lahore, where the Maharaja was
32 engaged in celebrating with great pomp the marriage
33 of his grandson, Prince Nao Nihal Singh. All