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118 recruited; and who, in fact, mainly composed the Bengal Army. Moreover, he had the sinews of war — as it is the sinews of most things— money.

Besides, further proof of the armed force at the king’s back can be adduced by mentioning the power and influence of Man Singh, one among many of the proud and powerful Hindu noblemen of Oudh, and a more dangerous man to the welfare of our interests in that province could not have been found in those days.

Now, notwithstanding the king being a Mahomedan — and Mahomedans and Hindūs are very seldom amicably disposed to one another — on a mandate from him, Mān Singh with tens of thousands of his armed Rajput tribe — born warriors, and although entirely abstaining from animal food, physically a splendid race of men, with handsome countenances, averaging about six feet high, amazingly strong, and withal remarkably athletic — would have risen as one man, and, with the aid of the king’s trained troops, swept the invaders through rivers of blood out of the kingdom.

Another formidable chieftain, named Bâne Madha (and I speak of both these men from personal experience), may be mentioned as possessing such influence over the Rājpūt population, as would have enabled him to double Mān Singh’s force, for the expulsion of the invaders.

But no. The king was, as most Mahomedans are, a bigoted fatalist; and as such it seemed as if he preferred losing a kingdom, with all the glory of his dynasty, and departing into exile and humiliation,