JETTIES. 
161 
of inflicting summary chastisement upon aggressors, 
forces a kind of constrained outward respect from those 
around them, who inwardly despise both their caste 
and their occupation, which in every country is a 
degraded one. The native princes have at all times 
given great encouragement to these and similar stern 
trials of skill, and though the reward obtained by the 
vanquisher falls far short of the punishment received, 
still such is the stimulus imparted by the mere am- 
bition of obtaining the approbation of their prince, 
that these men will occasionally undergo an almost 
incredible degree of infliction merely to gain his smile, 
accompanied with the trifling, though more substan- 
tial, reward of a few rupees. 
The two Jetties who now entered -the arena were 
young men of fine forms, about the middle height, 
neither very robust nor very muscular, but with 
frames remarkable for compactness and admirable 
proportion. Their attitudes were imposing, and they 
exhibited a natural grace and apparent refinement 
altogether different from those persons who pursue 
occupations of a similar character in Europe. They 
approached each other, holding up and crossing 
their left arms, and putting themselves into posi- 
tion for the strife. They shortly separated, mak- 
ing various motions with the left hand, and fre- 
quently shifting their position with great activity, in 
order to withdraw attention from the meditated point 
of attack, — but their eyes were mutually fixed upon 
each other with a keen and intense expression which 
nothing could divert. Several blows, struck with the 
rapidity of lightning, were as successfully parried, 
p 3 
