Tempo:
CHAP. VIII
LORD ELLENBOROUGH: SHER SINGH 229
Lord Ellenborough justly took offence at a slight i842. which, however unwittingly, had been really offered to him; he was not easily appeased; and when the personal apologies of the minister, accompanied by the young heir-apparent, had removed every ground of displeasure, the appointed time, the beginning of January 1843, for the breaking-up of the large army had arrived, and the Governor-General did not care to detain his war-worn regiments any longer from their distant stations. No interview thus took place with Sher Singh; but the boy prince, Pertab Singh, was visited by Lord Ellenborough; and the rapidity with which a large escort of Sikh troops was crossed over the Sutlej when swollen with rain, and the alacrity and precision with which they manoeuvred, deserved to have been well noted by the English captains, proud as they had reason to be of the numbers and achievements of their own troops. The prince likewise reviewed the Anglo-Indian forces, and the Sikh chiefs looked with interest upon the defenders of Jalalabad, and with unmixed admiration upon General Nott followed by his valiant and compact band. At last the armed host broke up; the plains of Ferozepore were no longer white with numerous camps; and the relieved Sher Singh hastened, or was hurried, to Amritsar to return thanks to God that a great danger had passed away. This being over, he received Dost Muhammad ^ost muKhan with distinction at Lahore, and in February hammad (1843) entered into a formal treaty of friendship with returns to ^abui. the released Amir, which said nothing about the English gift of Jalalabad.^
was simply as follows; The Sardar had been sent to wait upon the Governor-General on his arrival on the frontier, according to ordinary ceremonial. It was arranged that the Sardar should be received by his lordship at Ludhiana, and the day and hour were fixed, and preparations duly made. Mr. Clerk went in person to meet the chief, and conduct him to the Governor-General's presence, his understanding being that he was to go half the distance or so towards the Sikh encampment. The Sardar understood or held that Mr. Clerk should or would come to his tent, and thus he sat still while Mr. Clerk rested half-way for two hours or more, i^ord Ellenborough thought the excuse of the Sardar frivolous, and that offence was wantonly given, and he accordingly required an explanation to be afforded. (Government to Mr. Clerk, 15th Dec. 1842.) There is some reason to believe that the Lahore Vakil, who was in the interest of Raja Dhian Singh, misled the obnoxious t.ahna Singh about the arrangements for conducting him to the Governor-General's tents, with the view of discrediting him both with his own master and with the English. a party
1
Government' to Mr. Clerk. 15th Feb. and 17th Mar. 1843.
LORD ELLENBOROUGH: SHER SINGH 229
Lord Ellenborough justly took offence at a slight i842. which, however unwittingly, had been really offered to him; he was not easily appeased; and when the personal apologies of the minister, accompanied by the young heir-apparent, had removed every ground of displeasure, the appointed time, the beginning of January 1843, for the breaking-up of the large army had arrived, and the Governor-General did not care to detain his war-worn regiments any longer from their distant stations. No interview thus took place with Sher Singh; but the boy prince, Pertab Singh, was visited by Lord Ellenborough; and the rapidity with which a large escort of Sikh troops was crossed over the Sutlej when swollen with rain, and the alacrity and precision with which they manoeuvred, deserved to have been well noted by the English captains, proud as they had reason to be of the numbers and achievements of their own troops. The prince likewise reviewed the Anglo-Indian forces, and the Sikh chiefs looked with interest upon the defenders of Jalalabad, and with unmixed admiration upon General Nott followed by his valiant and compact band. At last the armed host broke up; the plains of Ferozepore were no longer white with numerous camps; and the relieved Sher Singh hastened, or was hurried, to Amritsar to return thanks to God that a great danger had passed away. This being over, he received Dost Muhammad ^ost muKhan with distinction at Lahore, and in February hammad (1843) entered into a formal treaty of friendship with returns to ^abui. the released Amir, which said nothing about the English gift of Jalalabad.^
was simply as follows; The Sardar had been sent to wait upon the Governor-General on his arrival on the frontier, according to ordinary ceremonial. It was arranged that the Sardar should be received by his lordship at Ludhiana, and the day and hour were fixed, and preparations duly made. Mr. Clerk went in person to meet the chief, and conduct him to the Governor-General's presence, his understanding being that he was to go half the distance or so towards the Sikh encampment. The Sardar understood or held that Mr. Clerk should or would come to his tent, and thus he sat still while Mr. Clerk rested half-way for two hours or more, i^ord Ellenborough thought the excuse of the Sardar frivolous, and that offence was wantonly given, and he accordingly required an explanation to be afforded. (Government to Mr. Clerk, 15th Dec. 1842.) There is some reason to believe that the Lahore Vakil, who was in the interest of Raja Dhian Singh, misled the obnoxious t.ahna Singh about the arrangements for conducting him to the Governor-General's tents, with the view of discrediting him both with his own master and with the English. a party
1
Government' to Mr. Clerk. 15th Feb. and 17th Mar. 1843.
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