^:^ SKETCH , OF THE ;SlKHSr: 



to seS; a Sinh soldier^ after sunset, quite sober. . Their drink is an ardent 



sprit,*, imade' in'; the Penjdb; but they have no bbje6lions to either the^ 

 wine or -spirits of E.uropey,^ when they can obtain the:m.. 



The usebf opiliiM','to ihtdxicatte, is very common with the Sikhs, zs with 

 most of the military^ tribe's of /wia^ii. They also take B'tiakg^ another in- 



The condu^ 6f thfe Sikhs 'to their women, differ^, in'ho material res- 

 pe6l, from that of the tribes of Hindus, or Mulidmmedans, from whom 

 they are descended; their moral character, with regard to women, and 

 indeed in most other points, may, from the freedom of their habits, gene- 

 rally be considered as much more lax than that of their ancestors, who 

 lived under the restraint of Sfever^ restrictions, and whose fear of excora- 

 munication from their cast, at least obliged them to cover their sins with 

 the veil of decency. This the emancipated 5/^5 despise ; and there is 

 hardly an infamy which this debauched and dissolute race are not accused, 

 and I heUeve with justice, of committing, in the most open and shameful 



The Sikhs are almost all horsemen, and they take great delight in 

 rMing^Jf/lTheir horses were, a few years ago, famous; and those bred in 



favor of tills drinking to excess. Durga', agreeably to the SzM quotations, used to drink,, 

 because liquor inspires courage; and this goddess, they say, was drunk when she glew Maui'- 

 sha'sur. 



* When Fateh Sinh of y^/wtwa^, who was quite a young man, was with the British ax^ 

 my, Lord Lake gratified him by a Held review. He was upon an elephant, and I attended 

 Mm upon another, A little before sun-set, he became low and uneasy. I observed it, and 

 B'ha'g Sink, an old chief, of frank, rough manners, at once said, " Fateh Sinh wants his- 

 *' dram, but is ashamed to drink before you." I requested he would follow his custom^ 

 which he did, by drinking a large cup of spirits^ 



t Cannabis Sativa, . .; , , 



