Tempo:
140 1815-16.
Various chiefs in
the
hills,
and various places to-
wards the Indus,
reduced, 1815-16.
HISTORY OF THE SIKHS
CHAP. VI
but he warned the Maharaja of the difficulties which would beset him as soon as the rains set in, and he almost urged the postponement of the expedition. But the necessary arrangements had been completed, and the approach was made in two columns. The more advanced division surmounted the lofty barrier, a detachment of the Afghan force was repulsed, and the town of Supain was attacked; but the assault failed, and the Sikhs retired to the mountain passes. Muhammad Azim Khan, the Governor, then fell on the main body of Ranjit Singh, which had been long in view on the skirts of the valley, and compelled the Maharaja The rainy season had to retreat with precipitation. fairly set in, the army became disorganized, a brave chief, Mit'h Singh Behrania, was slain, and Ranjit Singh reached his capital almost alone about the middle of August. The advanced detachment was spared by Muhammad Azim Khan, out of regard, he said, for Mohkam Chand, the grandfather of its commander; and as doubtless the aspiring brother of the Wazir Fateh Khan had views of his own amid the struggles then going on for power, he may have thought it prudent to improve ev.ery opportunity to the advantcapital,
age of his own reputation,^ The efforts made during the expedition to Kashmir had been great, and the Maharaja took some time to reorganize his means. Towards the middle of 1815 he sent detachments of troops to levy exactions arouna Multan, but he himself remained at Adinanagar, busy with internal arrangements, and perhaps intent upon the war then in progress between the British and the Nepalese, which, for a period of six months, was scarcely worthy of the English name. The end of the same year was employed in again reducing the Muhammadan tribes south-east of Kashmir, who had thrown off their allegiance during the retreat of the Sikhs. In the beginning of 1816 the refractory hill Raja of Nurpur sought poverty and an asylum in the British dominions, rather than resign his territories and accept a maintenance. The Muhammadan chiefship of Jhang was next finally confiscated, and Leiah, a dependency of Dera Ismail Khan, was laid under contribution. Uch on the Chenab, the seat of families of Saiyids, was temporarily occupied by Fateh Singh Ahluwalia, and the possessions of Jodh Singh Ramgarhia, lately deceased, the son of Jassa the Carpenter to
1 Murray, Ranjit Singh, pp. 104, 108, and Sir D. Ochterlony Government, 13th Aug., 1814. Diwan Mohkam Chand died
soon after Ranjit Singh's return.
Various chiefs in
the
hills,
and various places to-
wards the Indus,
reduced, 1815-16.
HISTORY OF THE SIKHS
CHAP. VI
but he warned the Maharaja of the difficulties which would beset him as soon as the rains set in, and he almost urged the postponement of the expedition. But the necessary arrangements had been completed, and the approach was made in two columns. The more advanced division surmounted the lofty barrier, a detachment of the Afghan force was repulsed, and the town of Supain was attacked; but the assault failed, and the Sikhs retired to the mountain passes. Muhammad Azim Khan, the Governor, then fell on the main body of Ranjit Singh, which had been long in view on the skirts of the valley, and compelled the Maharaja The rainy season had to retreat with precipitation. fairly set in, the army became disorganized, a brave chief, Mit'h Singh Behrania, was slain, and Ranjit Singh reached his capital almost alone about the middle of August. The advanced detachment was spared by Muhammad Azim Khan, out of regard, he said, for Mohkam Chand, the grandfather of its commander; and as doubtless the aspiring brother of the Wazir Fateh Khan had views of his own amid the struggles then going on for power, he may have thought it prudent to improve ev.ery opportunity to the advantcapital,
age of his own reputation,^ The efforts made during the expedition to Kashmir had been great, and the Maharaja took some time to reorganize his means. Towards the middle of 1815 he sent detachments of troops to levy exactions arouna Multan, but he himself remained at Adinanagar, busy with internal arrangements, and perhaps intent upon the war then in progress between the British and the Nepalese, which, for a period of six months, was scarcely worthy of the English name. The end of the same year was employed in again reducing the Muhammadan tribes south-east of Kashmir, who had thrown off their allegiance during the retreat of the Sikhs. In the beginning of 1816 the refractory hill Raja of Nurpur sought poverty and an asylum in the British dominions, rather than resign his territories and accept a maintenance. The Muhammadan chiefship of Jhang was next finally confiscated, and Leiah, a dependency of Dera Ismail Khan, was laid under contribution. Uch on the Chenab, the seat of families of Saiyids, was temporarily occupied by Fateh Singh Ahluwalia, and the possessions of Jodh Singh Ramgarhia, lately deceased, the son of Jassa the Carpenter to
1 Murray, Ranjit Singh, pp. 104, 108, and Sir D. Ochterlony Government, 13th Aug., 1814. Diwan Mohkam Chand died
soon after Ranjit Singh's return.
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