A history of the Sikhs, from the origin of the nation to the battles of the Sutlej.

CHAP. VII

DOST MUHAMMAD

209

quiring him to be an ally for purposes of their own, and 1835.
Dost Muhammad was simply assured that the son of Nawab
Jabbar Khan should be well taken care of on the eastern
side of the Sutlej. A direct reply to his solicitation was The
avoided, by enlarging on the partial truth that the Afghans English
decline inwere a commercial people equally with the English, and on terfering.
the favourite scheme of the great traffickers of the world,
the opening of the Indus to commerce. It was hoped, it
was added, that the new impulse given to trade would
better help the two governments to cultivate a profitable
friendship, and the wondering Amir, full of warlike schemes,
was naively asked, whether he had any suggestions to offer
about a direct route for merchandise between Kabul and
the great boundary river of the Afghans!1 The English
rulers had also to reply to Ranjit Singh, who was naturally
suspicious of the increasing intimacy between his allies and
his enemies, and who desired that the European lords might
appear rather as his than as Dost Muhammad's supporters;
but the Governor-General observed that any endeavours
to mediate would lead to consequences seriously embarrassing, and that Dost Muhammad would seem to have interpreted general professions of amity into promises of
assistance.2
The two parties were thus left to their own means. Ranjit
Ranjit Singh began by detaching Sultan Muhammad Khan Singh and
Dost Mufrom the Amir, with whom he had sought a refuge on the hammad in
occupation of Peshawar by the Sikhs; and the ejected force at
Peshawar,
tributary listened the more readily to the Maharaja's pro- 1835.
positions, as he apprehended that Dost Muhammad would
retain Peshawar for.himself, should Ranjit Singh be beaten.
Dost Muhammad came to the eastern entrance of the
Khaibar Pass, and Ranjit Singh amused him with proposals
until he had concentrated his forces. On the 11th of May
1835, the Amir was almost surrounded. He was to have Dost Muhammad
been attacked on the 12th, but he thought it prudent to retires
rather
1 Government to Capt. Wade, 19th April 1834, and 11th Feb. 1835. than risk a
Abdul Ghias Khan, the son of Jabbar Khan, reached Ludhiana in battle,llth
June 1834, and the original intention of sending him to study at May 1835.
Delhi was abandoned.
2 Government to Capt. Wade, 20th April 1835.
P