198 AMUSEMENTS. 



other limb, and performed some puzzling but not 

 otherwise difficult contortions. 



In all such exercises we always took a part, but 

 were careful to avoid the slightest approach to anger 

 or annoyance ; wrestling was the only pastime at all 

 hazardous in this respect, as oiu" laws were different 

 to theirs, and the custom of one side might not be 

 considered fair on the other, it was therefore rarely 

 practised. Ever willing to promote amusement, I 

 introduced many of our own games; some were compre- 

 hended an^ fairly imitated. Two rather undignified 

 feats I was very fond of performing, as a challenge 

 to my friends, whose invariably unsuccessful attempts 

 to do likewise never failed to create stifling merri- 

 ment among the spectators ; the first was, standing 

 on my head, which they did not all understand 

 how to manage, the other was throwing somersets 

 backwards from a recumbent posture ; this manoeuvre 

 all were unable to accomplish, from the ill-arranged 

 balance of theu' figures, only one person ever 

 following me, and he was much more expert than I 

 for a very good reason ; the poor fellow had no legs, 

 or at least only short stumps remaining, so had no 

 leverage to overcome ; the history of his misfortune, 

 told to me in his presence, showed that even men 

 so hardy must sometimes succimib to the rigour of 



