Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-07
RULED THE sIKHs
An American Who Became Gov.
ernor Of Gularat, In India.
A REAL SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
Picturesque Career Of Or Harlan Of
PHILADELPHIA, Who For Years Was
the Power. nsbInd the Throne Of Ran.
IIt Singh. King Of the Punjab.

Y
the Power. nsbInd the Throne Of Ran.
iIt Singh. King of the Punjab.
The sikhs Of indin are a religious
scot that have como 10 DO a really dis.
tinct race and have developed into u
military people They are bravo and
stalwart soldiers and have the rcputa.
ton Of being absolutely fearless In
battle.
II IL interesting 10 know that an
American was once ruler over these
people. as governor under Ranjlt
Singh, tho great sikh king OF the Pun.
jab. This American was Dr. Harlan
Of Philadelphia. and hia career In In.
dia was surely m picturesque as that
OF any adycnturcr who ever set forth
from the United States 10 win fame
IN far distant lands.
In the year 1925 pr. Harlan sailed
from Boston as surgeon apothecary In
one OF the old Eas, Indian ships. lie
arrived In India at the time OF the first
Burmese war. WHEN surgeons were
badly needed for tho British expedi'
tionary force. and he jumped at the
chance to nee something OF little
known country.
AZ the end OF tho campaign he was
discharged. That offended his sense OF
justice and perhaps moved him 10 take
the side of the Indian princes In their
conflicts with the British. Il was the
period OF the downfall of the Mogui
Empire and the carving up OF II into
several independent kingdoma. There
were big chances for man OF adven
turous spirit. No Harlan went w eoun'
try aud offered his services to RanJii
Singh. tho sikh king Of the runjab.
RanJIt Singh had confederatcd the
Sikh states Into q single nationality
under his power at Lahore. organized
well trained army under some OF Ma
poleon's former French officers. ana
was bent on extending his sway over
most OF the crumbling Mogul empire
Il was nj this moment TINT Harlan
turned NJ IN Lahore. II II said he
currd the sikh king Of some Illness
and won his friendship,
Re that IN Il may. by the year 1877
Hnrlnn had risen 10 such high favor
that hc was appointed governor OF the
great province Of GuJarut. There for
ten years he ruled, but at last he came
10 a parting NJ the ways with Ranjit
Singh. either because he hnd quarrelcd
with the king over his severity In pun
ishing criminals. or because tho Brit.
ish interests In lndia did not approve
Of an American 10 so important IN
office. aud automatically suggested his
removal. AZ all events, he resigned
and made for Kabul. IN Afehanistnn
There Dost Mohammcd. the ameer.
wns preparing for war with the Brit
ish.
The journey was perilous one In
those days. but Harlan made II sue
cessfully. ana either by reason of his
Impressive appearance or the informn
tion he could give Dost Mohammed
he soon came TO stand high In the
amcer's confidence.
Hut when war actually broke out
Dost Mohammcd showed complete
incapacity to conduct II intelligently.
He seems TO have taken Harlan for a
rcgcnade EnglIshmnn, whose advice
could not be safely trusted. lie failed
TO tnke the prccaution Of fortifying the
Bolan pass an Harlan urged. and the
British marched through II to enter
Kabul.
Dost Mohnmmed's stupidity seems to
have disgusted Harlan with the Asint.
ics, for he " next found M the friend
and guest Of Sir Henry Lawrence, high
commissioner OF the PunJab. While
visiting Sir Henry one OF tho servants
stole 100 rupees from him Harlan told
Sir Henry and asked permission to bc
allowed to get II back In his own way.
So Sir Henry consented. but stipulated
that he should not injure any Of the
servants.
Hprlnn hhd nll the servnnts IN tue
honse called to his room. the door Of
which he locked; then. drawing his
sword and looking as fierce as he could.
he told them he would cut the head
or every man In the room II the thief
did not confess and restore the mon,
ey. The fellows, knowing Harlan's
reputation. were badly frightened, and
the guilty mnn confessed.
Dr Harlan returned to New York In
the forties and lived there until his
death. about 1850 but before that time
the Sikh power was swept away at the
decisive Battle OF Gnjarat Dhulip
Singh. the son and successor Of Ranjit
Singh. was sent into exile, and the
province over which Harlan ruled was
Incorporated In the British Indian err
pirc. Youths Companion.