574 



REPORT OF EXPEDITION 



and along the Punjab, through Yazeerabad and Amritsir, 

 and arrived in the territory at Loodianah on the 23rd 

 November, 1838. 



19. To this brief summary of my proceedings 1 shall add 

 a few remarks regarding the reception vrhich I met with in 

 the different States through which I passed, and mention 

 what I observed regarding the disposition evinced towards 

 the British in India. 



20. My best acknowledgments are due for the treatment 

 which I experienced during the whole time that I remained in 

 the Maharajah Runjeet Sing's territories. On all occasions, 

 where I was concerned, a strong desire was evinced in the 

 arrangements ordered by His Highness to mark, by the con- 

 sideration shown to one of its officers, his respect for the British 

 Government. In my tour aroiuid Cashmeer I had the unre- 

 strained power to go where I pleased ; and I readily received 

 from the Sikh authorities every assistance that I required to 

 facilitate my objects. I was never able to detect any indication 

 of that jealous concern with which the Maharajah has been 

 supposed to regard the visits of Europeans to Cashmeer. If 

 such existed, it was studiously concealed. 



21. The feelings displayed by the Sikh nation indicate no 

 friendly disposition towards the British ia India. It would 

 be surprising, perhaps, if the case were otherwise. A highly 

 military race — rude and unurformed— who have hitherto had 

 a career of success, could hardly be expected to look with 

 favour on a power which appears to them to have stood in 

 their way to more extensive conquests. 



22. The Mussulman tribes occupying the hill tracts along 

 the Punjab display a strong disposition in favour of the 



among them he is 



British, and whenever a European goes 



to be courted and caressed. The oppression to which 



sure 



they are subjected by the Sikhs leads them to an ardent 

 desire for the extension of the British rule over them ; and 

 there is a very general impression among them that it will 

 soon reach to the Indus. A similar belief is generally pre- 

 valent in Cashmeer, where the hateful misrule and tyranny 

 of the Sikhs have given rise to an idea that they themselves 

 consider their interest in the Valley to be but temporary, and 

 try to make the most of it while they may. 



23. My observation was limited in the countries north of 

 Cashmeer to Little Tibet. The friendly disposition of 

 Rajah Ahmud Shah has been long evinced in his communi- 

 cations with Lieutenant-Colonel Wade, and in the kind 



tion as BaJcass hi liar. The Sewalik 

 formation, you see, is more developed in 

 this direction than eastward in width.' 



— Extract from letter from Br. F. to 

 Captain Cautlcy, dated Ninqul, Novemlcr 

 12, 1838.— [Ed.] 



