1 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS. 223
2 eVeii fatal accidents occur. During these encoun¬
3 ters, instances of personal courage are not un¬
4 common ; and several of Runjeefs followers owe
5 their rise to the valour displayed in killing a tiger
6 single handed. When a man has been wounded
7 by a tiger, he is not allowed to sleep for several
8 days and nights, from an idea that he would see a
9 tiger m lps dreams, and thus become alarmed
10 and die of fright 1 The hunting of the wild hog,
11 is a favourite amusement with the Sikhs; they do
12 not use the spear as we do, but kill the animal
13 either with the sword or matchlock. The flesh of
14 the. wild hog is in great esteem among them ; and
15 I recollect the Rajah Dhyan Singh, who is a keen
16 sportsman, being very anxious to know by what
17 process lie might preserve it. Runjeefc was amused
18 at our mode of hog hunting, which he disapproved
19 of,.from the difficulty of riding down the animal;
20 and the remark was perhaps just, so far as regards
21 the thick jungles which the wild hog inhabits in
22 the Punjab. Some of the Sikh sirdars are good
23 marksmen, and excellent riders ; their saddles are
24 of a peculiar shape, having a high circular peak in
25 front ; these, as well as the bridles, are often richly
26 ornamented with gold and precious stones. Run-
27 jeet’s own horse-equipments are very gorgeous,
28 the holster pipes being covered with gold tinsel,
29 and studded w ith precious stones, particularly
30 emeralds and topazes; while the bridle reins are
31 formed of pieces of gold or silver, connected to¬
32 gether over the leather which is thus concealed.