negotiations at Lahore meanwhile progressed slowly. The Envoy was persuaded that the Mahárájá, who talked of joining his army on the Sutlej, had determined on war, and he advised the Commander-in-Chief to invade the Punjab as the best way of terminating a situation which was becoming intolerable. But wiser counsels at last prevailed with the Mahárájá, who saw that further resistance was hopeless, and on the 2nd April, 1809, he evacuated Farídkot and withdrew his Ambála garrison to the north of the Sutlej. No further difficulties were raised to the conclusion of the treaty, which was signed on the 25th April and ratified by the Governor-General on the 30th May following. By it the British Government agreed to abstain from any interference with the territories and subjects of the Mahárájá north of the Sutlej, while he agreed to respect the territories of the chiefs south of the river, who, in a supplementary proclamation, were assured of British protection, without interference in their rights and authority and without payment of tribute, subject to certain obligations of aid and assistance against any common enemy.
The history of the Cis-Sutlej States from this time until the first Sikh War was distinct from that of Lahore. The Mahárájá honourably observed his engagements, and, recognising that the power of the English was invincible, he frankly and for ever abandoned his dream of Cis-Sutlej supremacy and turned his attention to the expulsion of the Afgháns
