They evidently thought that British soldiers had gone never to return, and they swaggered about in swash-buckler fashion, as only Natives who think they have the upper hand can swagger.
It was clearly Lake's policy to keep on good terms with the Kapurthala people.

His position was much strengthened by the arrival of our column; but we were birds of passage, and might be off at any moment, so in order to pay a compliment to the officers and principal men with the Kapurthala troops, Lake asked Nicholson to meet them at his house.
Nicholson consented, and a durbar was arranged.

I was present on the occasion, and was witness of rather a curious scene, illustrative alike of Nicholson and Native character.
At the close of the ceremony Mehtab Sing, a general officer in the Kapurthala Army, took his leave, and, as the senior in rank at the durbar, was walking out of the room first, when I observed Nicholson stalk to the door, put himself in front of Mehtab Sing and, waving him back with an authoritative air, prevent him from leaving the room.

The rest of the company then passed out, and when they had gone, Nicholson said to Lake: 'Do you see that General Mehtab Sing has his shoes on ?'[8] Lake replied that he had noticed the fact, but tried to excuse it.

Nicholson, however, speaking in Hindustani, said: 'There is no possible excuse for such an act of gross impertinence.