Page:Ranjit Singh (Griffin).djvu/187

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THE CIS-SUTLEJ TERRITORY
181

from the northern districts of the province, and the reduction of Múltán, Kashmír and the Deraját. Whether he was serious in preparing for war in the early part of 1809 is doubtful. Mr. Metcalfe certainly believed him to be so; but at that time the great sagacity and shrewdness of the Mahárájá were only imperfectly known, and it is more probable that he was only playing a game of brag to the last, in the hope that the British Government might withdraw a portion of their demands. In this he was partially successful, for he was only compelled to restore the Cis-Sutlej districts seized during his last campaign. Those of former years which he had retained or given to his Sirdárs were left to him, though he was not permitted to claim allegiance from the Cis-Sutlej chiefs even for lands which he himself had given them.