.248 SKETCH OV THE SIKHS: 



f orrdldabi© f o the fftiost weak and distra6ted governments. Such, mdeed, 

 was the character, till within a very late period, of all their neighbourSp 

 ^nd they continued to plunder, with impunity, the upper provinces of H/«« 

 diktdu, until the establishment of the power of Daulet Rao Sindia', 

 when &e regular brigades, commanded by Frejich of^cer^ , in the service 

 =@f that prince, not only checked . their inroads, but made all the Sikk 

 chiefs, to.the southward of the »S'a//f^j, acknowledge obedience and pay 

 -iribijte to.SiNDiA'; and it was in tlie contemplation of General Perron^ 

 iiai the war witli the English government not occurred, to have subdued 

 ^h^J^efijdb, and made the Indus the limit of his possession; and every 

 person acquakited with his means, and with the condition and resources of 

 the Sikhs, WMSt be satisfied, he would have accomplished this project , wit]i 

 ^reat ease, amd at a very early period. L>:!: . : 



When Holkar fied into the Penjdb, in 1805, and was pursued by that 

 lUastrious British commander, Lord Lake, a complete opportunity was 

 given of observing the a61ual state of tliis nation, which was found weak 

 laad distra^d, in a degree that could hardly have been imagined. It was 

 altogether destitute of union ; and though a Giird-matdy or national coun- 

 cil.^ was called, with a view to decide on those means by which they could 

 best avert the danger by which their country was threatened, from the 

 presence of the English and Mahrdta armies, it was attended by few 

 chiefs; and most of the absentees, who had any power, were bold and for- 

 .-ward in their offers to resist any resolution to which this council might 

 , 4iome» The intrigues and negotiations of all appeared, indeed, at this mo- 

 ment, to be entirely dire6led to objefts of personal resentment, or perso- 

 nal aggrandizement ; and every shadow of that concord, which once 

 , formed the stength of the Sikh nation^ seemed to be extinguished. 



