254 AFOOT THROUGH THE 



uneasily together, then borne from side to side as the 

 wheels bounded over stone and clods. I gave praise 

 to my sun-topee that saved the battering of my skull 

 against the iron support of the cover, though it must 

 somewhat seriously have incommoded the driver when 

 as happened at frequent intervals, it hurtled against 

 him, his high white pagri only protecting him partially. 

 I was aroused to taking a more active interest in 

 the surroundings by the conversation of my fellow- 

 travellers a khaki-clad sergeant of a British regiment, 

 and a trooper of a Bengal Lancer corps in the usual 

 white mufti. When I first listened the latter 

 was stating with some pride that he was a 

 Sikh, the sergeant was not interested, still he 

 was polite, and evidently considered that time 

 passes quicker if you make conversation with your 

 companions, even if they are " a rum lot," the usual 

 epithet bestowed by Thomas Atkins on natives 

 of all ranks and kinds. " I don't think I know 

 rightly what the Sikhs are," said he, which 

 answer led to an explanation and history of that notable 

 folk, delivered with a fluency and vivacity few inhabi- 

 tants of our tongue-tied isles could accomplish in his 

 own language let alone a foreign tongue; and 

 he gave details of Nanah Shah and his Bible 

 called the Granth, and of his famous successor 

 of the sixteenth century, the Guru, Govind Singh. 

 The sergeant was surprised into interest; these 

 people evidently made a religion of what was 

 to him the A B C of life's conduct ; he obeyed commands, 

 kept himself clean, had his own code of morals, because 

 well, because any one who was a " decent sort " 

 did the same. This chap, to arrive at the same 



