were utterly routed by Generals Lake and Fraser, with great slaughter, while their leader Holkar, left without an army and after vain attempts to create one south of the Sutlej, went northwards to seek among the Sikh chieftains more trusty if not more efficient help than he could obtain from Sindhia, who hated him while he was compelled to appear his friend. Holkar remained at Patiála for some months, but its Mahárájá would not risk much to aid him, and the other Cis-Sutlej chiefs, seeing that his cause was hopeless, were equally discreet. At last, in October, 1805, Lord Lake having again taken the field against Holkar, he fled to Amritsar and endeavoured to obtain the alliance of Ranjít Singh, who was much inclined to assist him. But he was dissuaded from this step, which would have at once brought him into collision with the English, by his advisers Fateh Singh Ahluwalia and the Rájá of Jínd. Lord Lake pursued Holkar as far as the Beas, and had not the only thought of the Governor-General been to conclude a speedy peace, one of the most inveterate enemies the English have ever had in India would have been utterly destroyed. At this time the periodical fit of timidity had seized on the Court of Directors in London. They had been frightened at the bold policy of Lord Wellesley, the most eminent of all Governors-General, and the feeble Cornwallis had been despatched to reverse it.
Conciliation was foolishly considered to be wisdom. A treaty was made with Holkar which restored to him
