included a population of seven million, with an army of eighty thousand men, possessing three hundred guns.
It must not be supposed that this army was of the ordinary character of Oriental forces in general. On the contrary, it had been carefully drilled by French and Italian officers, so that it was in a high state of efficiency even when judged by the European standard. In addition to this regular force the whole country contained a warrior people, and with its entire strength called out, it could put more than a quarter of a million fighting men in the field. The Sikhs are tall, robust, brave, and full of military ardor; they are the best native soldiers in Asia, and would be more than a match for any other native troops which the cradle of the world could bring to oppose them. In the cavalry and artillery arms they are particularly distinguished, but this remark should not lead the reader to infer that they are inefficient as infantry. Their country is known as the Punjaub (Land of the Five Rivers), and it has been celebrated through many centuries for its richness and fertility. The rivers from which it takes its name are the Indus, Jhelum, Ravee, Chenab, and Sutlej. These rivers with their tributaries are available for purposes of irrigation over a wide extent of country, whose capital is Lahore, and chief city Umritzur. In the time of Runjeet Singh, the province of Lahore contained four million inhabitants, Mooltan one million four hundred thousand; Cashmere, six hundred thousand; and portions of Afghanistan which that fierce warrior had subdued had a population of at least one million.
The British government in India, realized that it had a dangerous neighbor on the north, but during the lifetime of Runjeet Singh there was no disturbance, and the British were on the most friendly terms with "The Lion of the Punjaub." His army clamored to be led against the English, but the clamor was totally disregarded by the
