264 POLO 



course, a prominent feature of the contest. To steal away and 

 throw back the balls belonging to the other side ; to dislodge them 

 from an opponent's kiu-tsui by striking the latter ; to put them out 

 of play by striking them over the boundary ; to hustle and hinder 

 a dangerous foe ; and especially to thwart him at the moment of 

 attempting a cast into the net by shouting, brandishing your 

 kiu-tsui before his eyes, or, better still, by arresting his weapon with 

 your own all this is lawful, and is not less important than suc- 

 cessful casting on your own side. One or two skilled players of each 

 colour generally hover about the goal for these purposes, as well as 

 to shield their friends from being baulked by adversaries. A ball 

 once out of play cannot be touched ; a fresh one must be taken 

 from the starting-point ; but there is no limit to the number that 

 may thus be taken on either side until its required number has 

 been thrown into the net. At each successful cast the scorers deal 

 two blows on the drum or gong for red or white (as the case may 

 be), at the same time withdrawing out of sight one ball from the 

 corresponding scoring wire. At the seventh ball there is a merry 

 peal of blows. Then the greater struggle begins. For after suc- 

 ceeding with its plain balls, either side has yet to cast one striped 

 ball into the net ; and, as victory rests with those who first accom-. 

 plish this, the skill of every player is exerted to the utmost. There 

 are generally, of course, some ineffectual tries. Sooner or later, 

 however, success is achieved, whereupon a joyous crash from gong 

 or drum proclaims the triumph of red or white. Two wins out 

 of three generally constitute a set, unless the ponies tire earlier a 

 point on which the umpire decides. 



The rules of the game are some twenty-two in number and 

 would take up too much space to quote here, but it may not be 

 devoid of interest to note that ' off-side ' is unknown in the 

 Japanese game, that the lacrosse-like implements used are 

 limited to a length of 3 ft. 4 in., the inside measurement 

 of the net ' spoon ' being 3 inches in width by 3 J- inches in 

 length, and the ponies are limited to a height of 14 hands. 

 These are decidedly rough -looking, with coarse heads, strong, 

 short necks, defective shoulders, and weak forelegs ; they unite 

 the vice of a camel with marvellous endurance, not to say in- 

 telligence, and some of them know the game almost as well as 

 their riders. Take him all in all, the Japanese pony cannot lay 



