Page:Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Volume 1 (2nd edition).djvu/254

226 satin, lined with some warmer material, and quilted with cotton. Meer Mahommed wore a surcoat of flowered pink satin. The turbans worn by the great men of Sinde contain some of them upwards of eighty yards in length of gauze, and are from two to three and a half feet in diameter.

The brilliant collection of jewels and armour in the possession of the Ameers of Sinde is calculated to excite the surprise of a stranger. They adorn their daggers, swords, and matchlocks with rubies, diamonds, pearls, and emeralds, many of which they wear as rings and clasps in different parts of their dress. Colonel Pottinger mentions an emerald larger than a pigeon's egg, and Dr. Burnes alludes to one which was cut in the shape of a parroquet as large as life. Their sword-blades are extremely valuable, and worth sometimes, even when plain and unornamented, half a lac of rupees. One which was presented to Dr. Burnes by Kurim Ali bore the Mahommedan date, 1122 (A.D. 1708), and was valued in Sinde at two thousand rupees. The armoury of their highnesses is graced with swords which have been worn by almost every prince renowned in Asiatic story. Their swords do not appear heavier than common English sabres, but are differently balanced; and the above-mentioned gentleman saw one of the young princes with a single stroke cut a large sheep in two.

In their religious creed the Sindians, like the Beloches, are generally Soonees. The family of the Ameers is very religious. The Talpoors were also originally Soonees, but their connexion with Persia has infected the court with the doctrines of that kingdom, and, with the exception of Mourad All and Sobdar, they have become Sheahs or followers of Ali. The two faiths, it is said, cannot exist in concord, though, according to Sir John Malcolm, the difference consists more in matter of opinion than practice; and Pottinger says, that it would be more dangerous to appear in Belochistan as a Scheah than even as a Christian. Religious toleration is not a virtue of the Sinde government. The Hindoos suffer many indignities. and are forced to wear the Mahommedan dress and to wear beards; few are allowed the privilege of riding horses or of having saddles; and circumcision is performed upon them on the slightest pretences. The Seyuds, or descendants of the prophet, are looked upon with the most unbounded and superstitious respect. Faqueers, or religious mendicants, infest the public highways at Hyderabad, demanding aims in tones of overbearing insolence. They also sound horns and trumpets, and continued near the British envoy's tent, in the mission of Mr. Smith, for days at a time.

The system of jurisprudence is taken from the Koran. The Hindoos mostly settle their differences among themselves by punchaets or arbitration, without a reference to ruling authorities.