150 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
instant,, that every attempt to hit him was completely 
foiled. His body, all but naked, was covered with 
foam with the violence of his exertions. At first he 
acted solely on the defensive, when seeing his assail- 
ants somewhat off their guard, with the rapidity of 
lightning he struck one of them upon the head with 
a forward stroke from the padded end of the staff, and 
as rapidly darting it backward, met another directly 
upon the temple with such force that both instantly 
fell. The third man immediately leaped within his 
guard, and gave him a blow upon the ribs that rang 
through the arena. Starting aside, he swung round his 
weapon with tremendous velocity ; but his antagonist, 
by actively stooping, escaped for a moment the in- 
tended visitation. No sooner, however, had he raised 
himself, than he received the ball plump upon his 
forehead, which sent him upon his back as if he had 
been shot. The little Hindoo, who had so skilfully 
foiled three adversaries, was now proclaimed victor, 
received a nod of approbation, and retired with the 
fallen champions, who did not seem at all satisfied 
with the issue. This was, altogether, the most in- 
teresting exhibition of skill I had ever beheld. The 
amazing activity of the man who played with the 
quarter-staff, — so to speak, for it was very similar, — 
altogether defies description. It was, moreover, a 
bloodless conflict, which rendered it by no means 
painful to see, though it must be confessed that the 
blows inflicted were sufficiently severe. 
A pair of wrestlers now appeared before us to con- 
tend for the honour of the Rajah’s smile, — a reward 
as highly prized by them as a mural crown by the 
