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History of the Sikhs

CUNNINGHAM

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CHAP.
I
THE COUNTRY AND PEOPLE
15
The limits of creeds and races which have been Partial mimust not be regarded as permanent, g^^tions of
described
Throughout India there are constant petty migrations p"os^eV-"
of the agricultural population taking place. Political tism in
oppression, or droughts, or floods cause the inhabitants religion,
of a village, or of a district, to seek more favoured tracts, causes of
and there are always chiefs and rulers who are ready migrations,
to welcome industrious emigrants and to assign them
lands on easy terms. This causes some fluctuation in
the distribution of races, and as in India the tendencyis to a distinction or separation of families, the number Recent miof clans or tribes has become almost infinite. Within gration of
the Sikh dominions the migrations of the Baluchis up ^^-^ ^3'"the Indus are not of remote occurrence, while the ^^'^^^^^
occupation by the Sindhian Daudputras of the Lower ^^^ ^^ ^^^'^
Sutlej took place within the last hundred years. The Daudmigration of the Dogras from Delhi to Ferozepore, and putras up
sutiej.
of the Johiyas from IVIarwar to Pakpattan, also on the ^^^
Migrations
Sutiej, are historical rather than traditional, while the
hard-working Hindu Mehtums are still moving, family '^^^^^
by family and village by village, eastward, away from johiyas.
the Ravi and Chenab, and are insinuating themselves and Mehturns.
among less industrious but more warlike tribes.
Although religious wars scarcely take place among
the Buddhists, Brahmanists, and Muhammadans of the
present day, and although religious fervour has almost
disappeared from among the professors at least of the
two former faiths, proselytism is not unknown to any
of the three creeds, and Muhammadanism, as possessing
still a strong vitality within it, will long continue to
find converts among the ignorant and the barbarous.
Islamism is extending up the Indus from Iskardo to- isiamism
wards Leh, and is thus encroaching upon the more extending
worn-out Buddhism; while the limits of the idolatrous in Tibet:
'Kafirs', almost bordering on Peshawar, are daily becoming narrower. To the south and eastward of
Kashmir, Muhammadanism has also had recent
triumphs, and in every large city and in every Musal- and geneman^ principality in India there is reason to believe that raiiy perthe religion of the Arabian prophet is gradually gaining ^^p^ m
^""^
ground. In the Himalayas to the eastward of Kishtwar, f.^^^
the Rajput conquerors have not carried Brahmanism
beyond the lower valleys; and into the wilder glens, ^^^^^^^^
occupied by the ignorant worshippers of local divinities, progressive
the Buddhists have recently begun to advance, and in some
Lamas of the red or yellow sects are now found where parts of
"""^
none had set foot a generation ago. Among the forest J^^
^^^^'
continues
Brahmans
the
influence
of
tribes of India the
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