Tempo:
CHAP. VI
APPA SAHIB OF NAGPUR
149
The Punjab was not included; but it did not transpire ^^^^that either Ranjit Singh, or Sansar Chand, or the two ex-kings of Kabul, were privy to the design, and, as soon as the circumstance became known, Sansar Chand compelled his guest to proceed elsewhere. Appa Sahib repaired, in 1822, to Mandi, jvhich lies between Kangra and the Sutlej; but he wandered to Amritsar about 1828, and only finally quitted the country during the following year; to find an asylum with the Raja of Jodhpur. That state had become an English dependency, and the ex-Raja's surrender was required; bu;t the strong objections of the Rajput induced the Government to be satisfied with a promise of his safe custody, and he died almost forgotten in the year 1840.^ As has been mentioned, the Raja Bir Singh, of The petty Nurpur, in the hills, had been dispossessed of his chief- ^^'^p^^ ship in the year 1816. He sought refuge to the south causes Ranof the Sutlej, and immediately made proposals to Shah jit smgh Shuja, who had just reached Ludhiana, to enter into a some combination against Ranjit Singh. The Maharaja had anxiety not altogether despised similar tenders of allegiance ^]^^"esort from various discontented chiefs, when the Shah was to the his prisoner-guest in Lahore; he remembered the treaty EngUsh. between the Shah and the English, and he knew how readily dethroned kings might be made use of by the ambitious. He wished to ascertain the views of the English authorities, but he veiled his suspicions of them in terms of apprehension of the Nurpur Raja. His troops, he said, were absent in the neighbourhood of Multan, and Bir Singh might cross the Sutlej and raise disturbances. The reception of emissaries by Shah Shuja was then discountenanced, and the residence of the exiled Raja at Ludhiana was discouraged; but Ranjit Singh was told that his right to attempt the recovery of his chiefship was admitted, although he would not be allowed to organize the means of doing so within the British limits. The Maharaja seemed satisfied that Lahore would be safe while he was absent in the south or west, and he said no more.^ Cf. Murray, Ranjit Sing}\ p. 126; Moorcroft, Travels, i. and the quasi-official authority, the Bengal and Agra Gazetteer for 1841, 1842 (articles 'Nagpur' and 'Jodhpur'). See also Capt. Murray, letters to Resident at Delhi, 24th Nov. and 22nd Dec. 1821, the 13th Jan. 1822, and 16th June 1824; and 1
109;
likewise Capt. Wade to Resident at Delhi, 15th March 1828. 2 The public correspondence generally of 1816 17 has here been referred to, and especially the letter of Government In 1826 Bir Singh to Resident at Delhi, dated 11th April 1817.
—
made another attempt to recover his principality; but he was seized
and imprisoned.
(Mvirray, Ranjit Singh, p.
145,
and
APPA SAHIB OF NAGPUR
149
The Punjab was not included; but it did not transpire ^^^^that either Ranjit Singh, or Sansar Chand, or the two ex-kings of Kabul, were privy to the design, and, as soon as the circumstance became known, Sansar Chand compelled his guest to proceed elsewhere. Appa Sahib repaired, in 1822, to Mandi, jvhich lies between Kangra and the Sutlej; but he wandered to Amritsar about 1828, and only finally quitted the country during the following year; to find an asylum with the Raja of Jodhpur. That state had become an English dependency, and the ex-Raja's surrender was required; bu;t the strong objections of the Rajput induced the Government to be satisfied with a promise of his safe custody, and he died almost forgotten in the year 1840.^ As has been mentioned, the Raja Bir Singh, of The petty Nurpur, in the hills, had been dispossessed of his chief- ^^'^p^^ ship in the year 1816. He sought refuge to the south causes Ranof the Sutlej, and immediately made proposals to Shah jit smgh Shuja, who had just reached Ludhiana, to enter into a some combination against Ranjit Singh. The Maharaja had anxiety not altogether despised similar tenders of allegiance ^]^^"esort from various discontented chiefs, when the Shah was to the his prisoner-guest in Lahore; he remembered the treaty EngUsh. between the Shah and the English, and he knew how readily dethroned kings might be made use of by the ambitious. He wished to ascertain the views of the English authorities, but he veiled his suspicions of them in terms of apprehension of the Nurpur Raja. His troops, he said, were absent in the neighbourhood of Multan, and Bir Singh might cross the Sutlej and raise disturbances. The reception of emissaries by Shah Shuja was then discountenanced, and the residence of the exiled Raja at Ludhiana was discouraged; but Ranjit Singh was told that his right to attempt the recovery of his chiefship was admitted, although he would not be allowed to organize the means of doing so within the British limits. The Maharaja seemed satisfied that Lahore would be safe while he was absent in the south or west, and he said no more.^ Cf. Murray, Ranjit Sing}\ p. 126; Moorcroft, Travels, i. and the quasi-official authority, the Bengal and Agra Gazetteer for 1841, 1842 (articles 'Nagpur' and 'Jodhpur'). See also Capt. Murray, letters to Resident at Delhi, 24th Nov. and 22nd Dec. 1821, the 13th Jan. 1822, and 16th June 1824; and 1
109;
likewise Capt. Wade to Resident at Delhi, 15th March 1828. 2 The public correspondence generally of 1816 17 has here been referred to, and especially the letter of Government In 1826 Bir Singh to Resident at Delhi, dated 11th April 1817.
—
made another attempt to recover his principality; but he was seized
and imprisoned.
(Mvirray, Ranjit Singh, p.
145,
and
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