1 100 THE ARMY OF THE PUNJAUB.
2 several days in succession (the author having on
3 one occasion marched with his regiment a dis-
4 tance of 300 miles within twelve days), and are,
5 generally speaking, so hardy that exposure to
6 oppressive heats or heavy rains has little effect
7 upon them. In a great measure this is the result
8 of custom. Excepting in the vicinity of Lahore
9 and Peshawur, there are few regular quarters or
10 cantonments; the men occupy small tents, or
11 bivouac in ruined Mahomedan mosques or cara-
12 vanserais.
13 The drum and fife and bugle are in general
14 use in the Sikh infantry regiments, and in some
15 of the favourite royal corps of Runjeet Singh
16 an attempt was made to introduce a band of
17 music, but a graft of European melody upon
18 Punjaubee discord did not produce, as may be
19 imagined, a very harmonious result.
20 The cavalry of the Sikh army is very inferior
21 in every respect to the infantry. While the
22 latter are carefully picked from large bodies of
23 candidates for service, the former are composed
24 of men of all sorts and sizes and ages, who get
25 appointed solely through the interest of the diffe-
26 rent sirdars. They are mean-looking, ill dressed,
27 and, as already stated, wretchedly mounted.
28 Their horse trappings are of leather of the worst
29 quality, and their saddles are of the same miser-
30 able material, and badly constructed. When the