Page:Ranjit Singh (Griffin).djvu/209

Rh Jhang, Leiah and Chuniot. He exacted a ransom of Rs. 60,000 a year from Ahmad Khán, the chief, and three years later seized the country, farming it to Sirdár Fateh Singh Kálianwala. The Tiwánas were too strong to be openly attacked at this time, though, in this same campaign of 1803, the Mahárájá treacherously entrapped Khán Beg Khán, one of the tribal chiefs, and made him over to his brother, who put him to death, Ranjít Singh taking a lakh of rupees as the price of blood. It was not till 1817 that he seriously attacked the Tiwána chief at Núrpur and took the fort; and though Ahmad Yár Khán, the then chief, regained his territory, it was only for a short time, and with the aid of the Nawáb of Mankerá, a rival and enemy, he was compelled to make final submission to Ranjít Singh. An opportunity for revenge on Nawáb Háfiz Ahmad Khán of Mankerá soon arrived, when the Mahárájá attacked him in 1821. The Tiwánas joined in this expedition with enthusiasm. It was a difficult work, for Mankerá was situated in the true desert, and was surrounded by a cordon of twelve forts, within which no wells had been sunk. But the perseverance of the Mahárájá, who commanded in person, overcame all the physical difficulties of the undertaking. He moved steadily on, sinking wells as he advanced, and at last invested the fort, which, after a siege of twenty-five days, surrendered; the Nawáb being allowed to retain the governorship of Dera Ismáil Khán, a most troublesome district, which the Sikhs were unable to control.