'sword pkactice. 109 



skilful Mogul had no chance with him, and by 

 constant practice his chargers were so highly 

 trained, that he could longe them in the small- 

 est possible space. I am myself a pretty good 

 swordsman, and have practised cutting at a 

 mud wall as much as most men, but I could 

 not cut anything like as deep as Sutherland 

 Sahib, who used the drawing cut as we do, 

 with a stiff wrist, not in the European fasliion." 

 ''Yes," I replied, ''and his expertness with the 

 S23ear was perfectly astonishing, for he never 

 failed to extract the tent-pin when he practised 

 that exercise, and it is a feat that many of your 

 best spearmen fail to accomplish." " He was 

 indeed," responded the Hukeem, " a fine soldier ; 

 and you must not be vexed at my saying it, 

 but I do not think much of the skill of your 

 Lancers in general, though he was an exception 

 certainly, for I once saw him pitted against 

 some of the finest BircJiee Wallahs at Jhodepoor, 

 and not one of them could touch him. His man- 

 ner too of using the spear when attacked from 

 the rear was peculiarly dexterous, for he turned 

 well round to the left, and, holding the point of 

 his spear low, met the assailant's spear with a 

 slight turn of the wrist, which at once threw up 



