sm'.
At the census of 1881 its numbers were returned as 1,853,426, or
nearly two millions, for all India. The corresponding figure for 1891
is 1,907,833. At the time of the first British census of 1855 the
outside influences were depressing: the great Khalsa army had fallen,
and Sikh fathers were slow to bring forward their sons for baptism
(_pahul_). The Mutiny, in the suppression of which the Sikhs took so
great a part, worked a change. The Sikhs recovered their spirits and
self-respect, and found honourable careers open in the British army
and constabulary. 'Thus the creed received a new impulse, and many
sons of Sikhs, whose baptism had been deferred, received the _pahul_,
while new candidates from among the Jats and lower caste Hindoos
joined the faith.' Some reaction then, perhaps, took place, but, on
the whole, the numbers of the sect have been maintained or increased.
(Sir Lepel Griffin, _Ranjit Singh_, pp. 25-34.) For various reasons,
which I have not space to explain, the statistics of Sikhism are
untrustworthy. The returns for 1911 show an increase of 37 per cent.
in the Panjab. We may, at least, be assured that the numbers are not
diminishing.

e. The Sikhs do not now detest us. They willingly furnish soldiers
and military police of the best class, equal to the Gorkhas, and fit
to fight in line with English soldiers. The Panjab chieftains have
been among the foremost in offers of loyal assistance to the
Government of India in times of danger, and in organizing the
Imperial Service troops. The Sikh states are now sufficiently well
governed.

CHAPTER 66

Collegiate Endowment of Muhammadan Tombs and Mosques.

On the 20th[1] we came to Badarpur, twelve miles over a plain, with
the range of hills on our left approaching nearer and nearer the
road, and separating us from the old city of Delhi. We passed through
Faridpur, once a large town, and called after its founder, Shaikh
Farid, whose mosque is still in good order, though there is no person
to read or hear prayers in it.[2] We passed also two fine bridges,
one of three, and one of four arches, both over what were once
streams, but are now dry beds of sand.[3] The whole road shows signs
of having been once thickly peopled, and highly adorned with useful
and ornamental works when Delhi was in its glory.

Every handsome mausoleum among Muhammadans was provided with its
mosque, and endowed by the founder with the means of maintaining men