266 PECULIAR HINDOO TRIBES. 



rounding clansmen might see their master carried off withou- 

 daring to attempt his rescue. 



: Jesswint conveyed his captive to the Mogul court, to intro- 

 duce him to Aurengzebe. Soortan was accordingly in- 

 structed in regard to those prostrations required of all who 

 were ushered into the presence of the gieat ruler of India. 

 But he said "his life was in the king's hands, his honour 

 in his own ; he had never bowed the head to mortal man, 

 and never would." Jesswint was considerably embarrassed, 

 having given him a solemn pledge of honourable treatment, 

 which he could now scarcely expect to have the power of 

 redeeming. The master of the ceremonies, however, endeav- 

 oured to obviate the difficulty, by preparing for the chief's 

 entrance into the presence-hall a species of wicket raised a 

 little from the ground, and so small, that it was thought he 

 could not passlhrough it except in such a position as might 

 be interpreted into an expression of homage. Soortan, 

 however, advancing his feet first, effected his entry, so that 

 the head appeared last, and in a position the reverse of that 

 which he was desired to assume. Aurengzebe, who had 

 no mean vanity, was so pleased with his noble bearing, and 

 so amused with his ingenious disrespect, that he offered 

 him a gift of lands to attach him to his service : but Soortan 

 desired^ only to he restored to the wild hills that surrounded 

 his castle of Aboo ; and his wish was gratified. 



These features, though bold, are somewhat rude; yet 

 there are others in which the Rajpoots appear under a more 

 polished aspect than the barons of the feudal ages. There 

 exists, in Colonel Tod's apprehension, no period of their 

 history in which the chief could not have written his name, 

 and even celebrated his own achievements in verse. The 

 t hnruns, or bards, sometimes are venerated as beings more 

 than human. The donations presented to them are im- 

 mense : on one occasion six "lords of verse" received 10,000/. 

 each. A caravan placed under their protection may pass 

 in safety through countries that are the theatre of the most 

 bloody war and devastation. If an attack is threatened, 

 they inflict on themselves a wound, and, showing the blood, 

 menace a dreadful vengeance on the adversary who dares 

 to persevere. A similar expedient is often employed at 

 weddings or festivals, to extort extravagant gifts. 



The Rajpoots do not subject the female sex to that thral- 



