g6g SKETCH OF-THE SISMS^ .^ 



offenjsjve race | and, though they do not acknowledge the institutions of - 

 Gu'ru' G6vine>, they are greatly revered by his followers, who hold it 

 sacrilege to injure the race of their founder; and, under the advantage 

 which this general veneration affords them, the J^dnac P antra pursue 

 their occupations ; whichi if t^ey are notjriendicants, is generally that of 

 travelling merchants. They do not carry arms; and profess, .agreeably 



to the do6lrine of NaVac, to be at peace* with all mankind. 



^iion r,i:^3'd 3V''i[ ,, '• ',v,V-'. h^'S. y.'\\-':'- ,;<:V--.\, . • '.: -^ ' , . ': :'. ' 

 The SiM j^onyerts, it has been before stated, continue, after they have., 



quitted their original religion, all those civil usages and customs, of the 



tribes to which they belonged, that they can pra6lise, without infringing . 



the tenets of Na'nac, or.the institutions of Gu iiu Govind. They are.. 



,b7sgrinTta > . :: ./ . ■-. b(p-: ,. • ■ ' ■ - ' - ■ ■- ■ ■' '■ I. 



most particular with regard to their intermarriages •and, on .this point, 



-noa cA cfiicq ^^v: .'. -■•:>; Y-^^^ ''■■■ ' - '-'-• '^"'--'-' ■' ' ■''■■'-''> ' '■■ ■ ■■ 

 &M5 descended from Hindu? , ajmost invariably copfprm to Hinaii customSj 



Sncirt S'-''-'^ ^-.,::^^.; '■.-'-■:;■.: ;;;;i.iOr; .rr; '■'■■'■:■■.',,. '.■- . ■■ . '■ ■ .. . . '^ 



every tribe intermarrying within itself. The H/;zJzi usage, regarding diet, 

 Is also held equally sacred; no iS/^ft, descended from a Hindu family, 

 ever violating it, except upon particular occasions, such as a Gurii-matd^ 

 ^vbenrtfeyvaxe obliged^ by their tenets and instirulioh^, to eat promiscu- 

 ously, b 'The gtri6¥(&servance of these usages has enable<i many of the 

 Sikksy particularly of the Jii-f and GM/ar| tribes, which include almost 



'*^ Wlieh Lord jLake' entered (he Penjdb^ in 1805, ,a genera! protectioa was requested, by 

 several principar chiefs, for the Ndnac Pautra, on the ground of the veneration ia whicH 

 they were I>:eldj wliick enabled tUem, it was stated, to travel all over the country witlicut , 

 molestation ; even when the most violent wars existed.. It was, of course, granted. 



f The Juts are Hindus^ of a low tribe, who, taking advantage of the decline of the Mo" 

 ghul emp'ue^ have, by their courage an4 eotei-prise, reused themselves into some consequence 

 on tfie north-western parts oi Hindustan^ and many of the strongest .forts of that part «f 

 Jwii/fi! are still in their possession. , 



;|: The Gujars^ .who are also Hindus^ liave raised thernselves to power by means not dis- 

 sisallir io tlio^g Ksed bj ilae Juts. Almost all the thieveiE m Mmdustan are of this tribe. 



