2 8o BIG GAME SHOOTIXG IX ALASKA chap. 



with thick carpets on the ground, and seats arranged for the 

 audience. Mr. Hill had hoped to secure some American 

 wrestlers to meet his men, but it appeared that a few nights 

 before the only good men in Seattle had received such a 

 shaking up at the hands of the Japs, that they were not 

 " looking for any more trouble." Therefore, to open the 

 proceedings, the two wrestlers gave an exhibition of their 

 art, and very clever it was. They had devices of every 

 kind to repel attacks from various assailants, and by means 

 of an interpreter they explained how they could render each 

 fall of their opponent fatal by breaking an arm or a leg. 



Failing to find a customer for his men, Mr. Hill urged 

 me to go into the ring. My knowledge of wrestling is small, 

 and knowing that I could make no show against the Japs 

 at this game, I refused to try. But on the urgent appeals 

 from the spectators to give them some kind of a show, I 

 consented to enter the ring if I might be allowed to wear a 

 pair of boxing gloves and try to keep the wrestler off by 

 using them. This led to a tremendous amount of preliminary 

 talking, carried on between the wrestlers and myself through 

 the interpreter. Never having seen gloves used, they seemed 

 to think they might be some kind of infernal machine, and 

 were not content till I put them on and experimented lightly 

 with them on their faces and bodies. I, on the other hand, 

 feared lest they might lose their tempers if hit, and then 

 closing with me should throw me in such a manner as to 

 break a limb, as they had demonstrated that they could do 

 with ease. However, the preliminaries were arranged to 

 our mutual satisfaction, and we started at it, but not before 

 I had stripped nude to the waist, as I observed that if once 

 these men got a hold on a man's shirt or any other garment, 

 they threw him in a moment. I must confess that I have 



