POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY 249
claiming descent from the sun and the moon, and if the
chief represents a dynasty which has governed for 2000
years, there are many of the leading families amongst the
people who can boast a descent no less ancient. Jaipur,
Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Rewah are the greatest Rajput
states, and it may be said of all of them that their
loyalty is unquestioned.
Chief amongst Hindu states is Mysore (Maisur), with
a population of 4,000,000 souls. Mysore, equally with
Rajput and Sikh states, owes its existence to the British
Government. During the last century Haidar Ali dispossessed
 its Hindu Rajas, and it remained under his rule
and that of his successor, Tippu Sultan, till Seringapatam
was taken in 1799. Then it was restored (like another
Hindu state in Southern India—Travancore) to its former
Hindu owners, and has remained Hindu ever since.
The native states of the Punjab (thirty-six in number,
with a population of 4,000,000) would have been swept by
Ranjit Sing into one comprehensive net fifty years ago had
we not intervened. These Sikh states (amongst which
Patiala and Kapurthala are pre-eminent) are always loyal,
and their administration is usually fairly good. Thus the
modern construction of all the native states in India is
more or less due to the break-up of the power of Maratha
and Sikh by the British. There is not one of them that
has a right to claim that it would have maintained its
present vitality had English arms not supported it
through the struggles which closed the last century and
lasted through the beginning of this.
On the borders of North-Western India are three great
Muhammadan states to which we have already referred,
te. Afghanistan, Baluchistan, and Kashmir. Although
Afghanistan and Baluchistan are not usually included
amongst the feudatory native states, they are both of
them subject to British political control, Baluchistan
being administered by an agent to the Governor-General,
assisted by a staff of political officers, exactly in the same
way as Rajputana or Central India. A portion of
Baluchistan has been leased to the Government of India