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Rh with the spoil of Muhammadans or the capture of an imperial convoy, they were more robbers than patriots and plundered with frank impartiality. One thing in their favour must be said, which raises them far above the Pindáris of Central India or the dacoits of Bengal: they fought and plundered like men and not like demons. There are few stories in Sikh history of outrage to women and torture to men such as stain the pages of South Indian history with cruelty and blood.

Many a pretty Játni girl was, it is true, carried off in a foray, but she was generally a willing captive. She had been taught to consider courage and strength the only qualities to desire in a husband, and was quite ready to yield herself a prize to the man who had won her in fair fight, and who would make her his lawful wife, though he had killed her brothers and burned their village. Yet, while the Sikhs were undoubted robbers, and though cattle-lifting was the one honourable profession amongst them, as on the Scottish border a few hundred years ago, their enthusiasm for their faith, their hatred to the Muhammadans who had so long trampled them under foot, who had killed their prophets and thrown down their altars, gave them a certain dignity, and to their objects and expeditions an almost national interest.

The Sikh army was known as the Dal Khálsa, the army of God, sometimes the Budha Dal or veteran army. It consisted for the most part of cavalry called Kattiawand, who found their own horses and received