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ON THE ŚIKHS.
in the plains, and compelled to secrete themselves in the hills, collected into bands of plunderers and robbers, and by their depredations provoked the fate they suffered. Dissensions among themselves also exposed them to the cruelty of their Mohammedan governors, and their ninth Guru, Tegh BAHÁDUR, was publicly put to death in 1675, according to the Sikh authorities, at the instigation of a competitor for the Guruship; according to the Mohammedan writers, however, he was executed for his offences against the law by a life of predatory violence. At his death the Sikhs had almost disappeared except as a few inoffensive sectarians, or as scattered gangs of banditti.
The succession of the son of Tegh Bahadur-GURU GOVIND— constitutes the most important era in the political progress of the Sikhs. He, in fact, changed the whole character of the community, and converted the Sikhs of Nának, the disciples of a religion of spirituality and benevolence, and professors of a faith of peace and good will, into an armed confederacy, a military republic. The worship of "steel” was combined with that of the “book”, and instead of attempting to unite Mohammedans and Hindus into one family fraternity, he made his disciples vow implacable hatred to the followers of Mohammed. He finally abrogated the distinction of caste, and opened his ranks to every description of persons, even to the very lowest Hindus, assigning to all his military adherents the name of Sinh—or lion--a term peculiar o the Rájput Hindus. His followers were enjoined
