St. Mary's beacon., 1858-09-09
Sunday in Nav oEheans.

Yesterday was about as dull Sabbath as
we have ever vet seen in this city. Even
church-ging seemed to be at a heavy discount;
and i'll the afternoon the streets were quiet and
almost totally deserted everywhere TSihg crowd
esl with fs&egOcrs, the late retreats swarmei,
and tlfc. .shburbs, in spots which we visited
tffGfc being no items in town--wcre sufficiently
lively aud pleasant. So that the city was like
some pies We have eatcn-flat and tastelcss in
the middle, Sat good around the edges.
Iu the afternoon We visited the lannon's spot
in the classic and ancient Third, known as the
racket (Or raquettec) ground. 1t is large
common uat of Claiborne Circle, in sight of the
PonelEAz54rilin Rsilroad. AS there may be many
of oiAf feAders VINO don't know what racket Is,
we viii tell them. 1t is something like tennis
ball-a big field game, in which the bali is
picked up aud thrown with two sticks, having
spoOn-like ends. There are two parties to the
game, each party have their target, tall frame,
a scG and q half wisle, covered with canvas,
aud their c0lors flying at the top. The targets
are about two squares apart, ard whichever
party oftcnest hits the tlTkct-it doesn't count
unass the ball hits the canvas clear OF the
Jraule- Nills the game.
Yesterday we found the game was the grand
annual battle between the two negro parties
which have existed for the last thirty or forty
ycarS-.tlit EAsille party, compOset OF the city
negroes, the Bayou party, made up of the ne
groes living out back Of town. along the Bay
Gu st. John, cct. Ordinarily, the game is free
to auy number OH either side; but this time it
was a match of nisshty-Lhree picked men on
faon side, for a wager of $50 side and the
flag, ami go to the first man marking ball, or
hitting a taget The Eavillc darkeys Hoated
Blue colors, and all wore blue caps; the Boyou
boys colors and. cars were red. The scene
was sufficiently lively when we reached the
ground, fist before the game begun One whole
side of the field was fanked by the refreshment
booths of turbaned wenches, With flags flying
and all the general excitement characteristic OF
u race course; the prize flags of the opposing
parties Haunting from a stake midway between
the targets; the negroes, stripped, belted, and
ergcr for the fray, playing about with their
rIcketS, and spectators OF all colors ard de-
grees pouring upon the field in hundreds and
even thousands. for there could not have been
less than three thousand people on the field
before the game closed. We noticed consider
able sporting spirit and high party feeling
among the friends and hackers Of the contend
ing clubs.
AT o'clock the fun commenced. The red
aud blue caps a hundred or more, huddled up
in crewd, sticks in the air. The ball Is thrown
mp. There is clattcr Of the rackets-a mad
rough-and- in which the strongest mig
gers keep underneath where the ball iS-the
partisans yell and fling up their hats-the
fight and the clatter Of the sticks goes
on root hog or die! Up goes the ball-but
the clashing sticks stop it-another scrmbie on
the gFound--the ball flies dozen feet olf-a
IL. fall n 81
they struggle, q muscular little Bayou buck
steals off with the ball. But they chase him.
Lavilles and BaSous; and, heavens, how he
runs! After race Of fifty or hundred yards,
he gets jump or SO ahead draws for fling
and, but its no use! The Laville rackets stop
his, amid an opposing clatseE of the Bayou
ackets-and there Is another terrible roofing
with the sticks tR the ground. For ten Of
fifteen minutes this Rshting goes ON, before some
luck athlete gets the bill and gets Ear enough
from the crowd 70 give the ball good
fling for base.
At last the ball flies to the oEticg. side of the
field. Hear the yells. "Bayour' "Laviller"
"Bayoul" See the sweating darkies, shirtless
and shOeless, go laundering after the ball, and
lust see how the white people scatter before
them. The ball Is on the ground again, and
iiifS niggers fighting over it tiercer than ever.
They roll and pile about all over the field, af-
ter The ball, before it gets another fling. Up
It goes again. More yelling. After another
desperate battle il graZes the ta r2et. Just see
the hats go mp; and notice the geneEal .1sdDess
Of the field, when it was only . miss. Away
they go again. Now over yonder, noting
among the weels-now in among the beer
stands. it il none of their lockout If the
stands get npset, or white people get knocked
,loviffi Of run oyer. or cracked on the shins.-
Look at that BLACK Hstcules, with half a pair
vi pants and nothing else on. Ttkiug q short
cut to head the ball, he bolts head foFEf.fust
through q crowd Of white men, scattering them
in all directions. The white men don't like
it much. hut they know it's none of the mig
gers lookout:
And 20 for over two hours the battle RACES,
the thousands Of spectators surgins about eth
er following the ball or getting aray Hom 1t,
aud at al times impeling the tisserss A Ter
! O'cl0ck, when Il Becomes so dark that Che
ball eaal be lIOllpNel; The sticks are thrown