1 216
2 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS.
3 II is bravery.
4 II is dress.
5 in every thing connected with military feats. He
6 was ever the foremost in battle, and the last in
7 retreat; there is no instance of his being even em¬
8 barrassed, or evincing any tiling like fear, on record.
9 His whole life has been spent in warfare, and he
10 even now prefers a tent, or any temporary resi-
11 for S horm. CSS denee » t0 < he gilded palace. He is doatingly fond
12 of horses ; and it is no uncommon tiling for him, to
13 have a couple of .them saddled and bridled in his
14 durbar; this I remarked at Umritsir, where one of
15 the horses was standing close to him, while the
16 other, he said, was merely concealed by a curtain.
17 In the article of dress, he is now exceedingly plain,
18 except on great occasions, when he dresses, with
19 taste and elegance, displaying a magnificent
20 diamond, called the koh-i-noor> or mountain of
21 light; this precious stone was once the property of
22 Shall Soojah Ool Moolk, the unfortunate ex-king of
23 Cabul. A visitor to the court of Rmajeet, is as¬
24 tonished at the rich and costly dresses of his
25 courtiers; in fact, an ill-dressed person is not
26 allowed to approach him while in durbar; and his
27 is, I believe, the only native court where the.most
28 rigid attention is paid to this piece of etiquette.
29 He generally converses inPunj-ab.ee with his own
30 people^ and only employs the Hindostanee in talk¬
31 ing with his European visitors; though in this
32 instance, he for the most part prefers an interpreter
33 who knows both languages ; which are the only ones
34 with which he himself is acquainted, as his time has
35 been too much occupied with military nifctters.to