The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-04-01
Dueil,ng in Germany among the students.

Speaking Of Duets, let me mention that
they are the institution OF Jena. Duels, du-
els, every day dueis, and scarcely student
who does not bear on his face one or more
Tremendous scars, as trophies Of The conflicts
in which he has been engaged. Duelling,
as it is carried on here, is, in my opinion, a
vevy foolish way of passing the time. Asso.
Citations are formed merely for The purpose Of
fishing. and every member is bound to fight
al least one duel Intervals of inloxication al
beer drinking bouts are taken advantage of,
10 insult each other, and any harmless, idle
word is considered sufficient provocallon Tor
a duel. The fights are ia themselves harm
less, as general thing although frequently a
blow is received lha, ds6gures, il it Goes no,
MAIN for life. As have already been pres.
ent OF these cocflicts, perhaps you nigh,
consider brief description of one, interest
ing.
There were three dusls 10 be fought in one
morning, and the hour Of seven hal been ap.
pointed as The time when the police would
be least likely 10 interfere with the sport. A
friend who knew "hhe ropes" called to me
and We went together across the little river
Seal 10 the Gaslhaus, in which is The room
where all these delicate affairs come off,
The house is just at the end of the bridge,
and the room is so situated that The guard,
who is always stationed at the window, can
see everybody who comes out of The Jena.
DuelIing being very strictly forbidden by the
University regulations, these precautions are
Of course necessary. As we entered the room.
the comba,ants were just preparing for the
encounter. The apartment, was filed with
students smoking 'heir long slemmed pipes,
aud seated OH the benches ranged around the
walls. Taking a scot myself, had an o2-
portuni!y Of seeing the operation OF dressing
for The fight. The legs and body are covered
with large shield Of padded tuckskin.
The right arm is bound round with cloths
Of different colors 10 great thickness, the
throat is securely projected by a high padded
collar and the duelllns caps have very wide
brims coming over their eyes, so that The
face and chest are the only vulnerable paris
OF the body. 1t is indeed at the face and
head ,ha, The blows are aimed. The Prepar.
atoms being completed, the umpire chosen
by the combaianls called out, and they took
their respective places opposite 10 each other,
each attended by Two seconds, one 10 supper:
the sword-arm during the pauses aud inter-
vais OF res', which ate quite frequent, and
the other ALEC armed and protected with q
huge padded apron, 10 stay the fight the mo
menl his principals sword is bent, or foul
blow is struck. "Cross the swords n cried
one OF the seconds. "They are crossed"
answered the other. "On ihea!" ard al il
they went, hewiug aid hacking, aud cutting
and slashng at each others heads Just be.
cause, some evenings previous, one of them
had expressed distaste Of the beer, which
the other was praising.
Fifteen minutes IS the time allowed for
each of these battles, but long before thai
time was expired, one of The dueIisls had re-
ceived several culs, one on the ear, aud two
quite large wounds on the top OF The head,
his antagonists swoid having cut entirely
through The duelling cap. AT length he re-.
ceived another wonnd on the head, cutting
into the bone of one Of bis fingers The bat
lie then necessarily terminated. The wound.
ed person with his face and body dripping
with blood, turned around family 10 his Sec
onGs, who undressed him and handed him
over TO medical student, who shaved off
his hair, sexed up his wounds and sent him
off rejoicing. In three or four days lime,
however, he was well again. The other du.
ellsl had mol received scratch. Two more
duels were fought ther, but they terminated
more happily, the time allotted TO each hav.
ing expired before any injuries were received.
Such is an imperfect description of the duel.
ling, which, with walking, talking, smoking
and beer drinking is The chief occupation OF
the students ia Jena. OF course you will On.
derstand me 10 mean the wilder class Of su-
dents only, for have become acquainted
with many who depfecale the instilution Of
duelling, and who dislike ii, perhaps as much
as do myself-NeEtrath's Letters IRON Ger
many.