DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15172#0123
88
THE DRAY HORSES.
1
CHAP. IV.
These Seiks are tall and bony men, with a very
martial carriage : the most peculiar part of their
dress is a small flat turban, which becomes them
well ; they wear long hair, and from the knee
downwards do not cover the leg. When the depu-
tation had withdrawn, an escort of regular troops
attended to receive orders, and sentries were
planted round our camp. It was novel to hear the
words of command given in the French language,
and to be attended by a party of cavalry, who
unfurled the tricolor flag at the end of their
lances.
No sooner had the day broke, than the Maha-
rajah's people evinced much anxiety to view the
dray horses, and we had them landed for exhibition.
Their surprise was extreme ; for they were little
elephants, said they, and not horses. Their manes
and tails seemed to please, from their resemblance
to the hair of the cow of Tibet; and their colour,
a dappled grey, was considered a gteat beauty.
It was not without difficulty that I replied to the
numerous questions regarding them ; for they be-
lieved that the presents of the King of England
must be extraordinary in every way ; and for the
first time, a dray horse was expected to gallop,
canter, and perform all the evolutions of the most
agile animal. Their astonishment reached its height
when the feet of the horses were examined; and
a particular request was made of me to permit
the despatch of one of the shoes to Lahore, as
it was found to weigh 100 rupees, or as much
as the four shoes of a horse in this country. The
THE DRAY HORSES.
1
CHAP. IV.
These Seiks are tall and bony men, with a very
martial carriage : the most peculiar part of their
dress is a small flat turban, which becomes them
well ; they wear long hair, and from the knee
downwards do not cover the leg. When the depu-
tation had withdrawn, an escort of regular troops
attended to receive orders, and sentries were
planted round our camp. It was novel to hear the
words of command given in the French language,
and to be attended by a party of cavalry, who
unfurled the tricolor flag at the end of their
lances.
No sooner had the day broke, than the Maha-
rajah's people evinced much anxiety to view the
dray horses, and we had them landed for exhibition.
Their surprise was extreme ; for they were little
elephants, said they, and not horses. Their manes
and tails seemed to please, from their resemblance
to the hair of the cow of Tibet; and their colour,
a dappled grey, was considered a gteat beauty.
It was not without difficulty that I replied to the
numerous questions regarding them ; for they be-
lieved that the presents of the King of England
must be extraordinary in every way ; and for the
first time, a dray horse was expected to gallop,
canter, and perform all the evolutions of the most
agile animal. Their astonishment reached its height
when the feet of the horses were examined; and
a particular request was made of me to permit
the despatch of one of the shoes to Lahore, as
it was found to weigh 100 rupees, or as much
as the four shoes of a horse in this country. The