, 1876-02-19

N1unipuFib I'inY IT.
Calcutta Cosrespondenet London Telegraph.
To learn how polo should be played spcnd an
hour on tho Maidsn X Calcutta, largo opca
grasa-co1ored spaoo. vheroo1 are galloplng 1t
terrific pseo fourteen soui-saragc Munipuras.
do not for nlomout destrs to dispsrage tho
feats Of Mr. Murietta, or any Of tbs other geutle-
men whose poweEe with tho polo slick sro un.
doubted. But Of this am sure, that there Ia
not an admlrcr Of polo ut homo or here who
would g.udgo to award tho palm of superiority
10 these masters Of tue game. II was with no
small feeling Of pleasure that received N
Invitation to attend polo match. At which It
was expected tho priueo aud VoeroY would bo
present. To 500 tho nunipurin play would DO 10
SEQ tho stylo Of the tribes who first taught India,
aud, through India, England, this pleasant
athletic diversion. How veil their skill had boon
maint aimed had been hlreAdy shown q few days
back, when tho saysges beat tho skilled horso-
men Of Calcutta with rapIdlty and all caac
that greatly aurprisod tho Europeans, and auGufs
badly Tor tho Vlooroy's body-euard, whenever
tho match between that fiue but leAtJ corps and
tho Munipuri. takes place.
It Wan o'clock when By the aid Of q police
man, ireached tho hlaidan. Thero vss M over-
looking tho worku1antiko appearance of tho
s!unpurs both they and their ponies wore
ready for anything. Theso latter Tctn ecarrelJ
over GlGFeu HAnH6 ulEUt Quk r. 6ktuuE In slUtlb
and Is fleet - door. eomerhas shaggy but under
extraordinary coutrol. Tho saddles Wcrc broad.
aud had the front turned over in such \ way as
10 give the rider the strongest possible grip; tho
stirfup leathcra no abort that the knees Of tho
player wero actually higher than The top Of the
saddle. To guard tho asnka of The pony, on
either eido thick piocs Of hide, about IL inches
doep and 2 foet long. hung. strong1y secured by
thongs Of leather. and, 10 give additional protec.
tio 10 the kusen OF tho rider. this hido was also
turned round ut tho ends. For the rest the trap-
pings Of The ponies wero very ornate. Woolen
foeottee and balls Of varied c0!orB hung all round
them, giving pretty effect when ths animals
IT. surban tiehtly fastened on to tho m hcsd. close-
fitting Jackets, seven dark and soveu light orna-
meuted with golden sphnges. On thelr lcgs
vere thick leathor guards, extending little
above the knees. Fastened to their lefs NriAtB
completed thor drcss Tho sttcks they used
were about 4 feet G iuchos III leugsh. 1uado Of
tho lightcst bamboo, With abo cross pieco at the
end rhthcr more slsnted than thoso used
at Hnr!inghan, or indecd in csacutta. There
wsro throe ridioulously- y-dresstd men for keeping
| the ground, each clad in q long whito gown, aud
cap with thtce points OF tho exact pattern
worn By English clowns, and wanting only tho
bells to be tho perfection Of uEllneAH. Tho ball
usod was about tho sizo Of . cricket bali. md
was made from tho root Of tho bamboo, being
subjected to drying process lastsug over near-
| ~ d year beforo 1T TOR uso. Thote wero no goal
ppckb tllN AGSA WHICH HAt Ill Llt 4lIAu VI y
pasaliologram, WIS marked out by = deeply cut
liue 10 the grass, over which tbs players did not
hesitate to rush occasionally. to tho discontinue
| and terror OF onlookera.
At length the players range thonselyeB upon
| tw0 aldes. very closo TO each other, the dark
| 1ackots facing tho north. The bali is thrown iu
| and tho gnmo begins. It is caught up and sent
whirling, oyor tho heads Of tho dark Jackets.
Hettor-skelter thoJ SO in d terrible Eush, the
leather faux guards cTatteEiug against tle hides
Of the saddle With 3 noise like that Of ANAL
drums. the nhito ball constantly Ia tho air, but
| still getting. nearer and nearer tue goal Of
tho dark Jackets. They fight with tremendous
bravery, and at ono moment rally 30 strongly as
| II 10 only for M instant. The no1t saes White
! jacket standing Ia tho atirrupa with lls hcad
benl lower than that OF hfo horse, ay paBt,
aud then. turning round, swing his arm over tho
most dil1cnls atEoko known to polo -plAyes, land
tha bali in tue enemY's goal. lack they go at
once to tho ccntfe Of tho ground. aud ngA,n the
ball is thruwn. This time tho struggle Is eyon
thoroughly into tho spirit Of tho gan1o. aud re-
| Qulte no lashes from the whip thonga which arc
on tho lsft wriBts Of tho rldor. indeed, It would
50 Ill With tho plaroFa It they did; for, cusious!s
| fight, and is won by leit-hand asroke. given BY
white jackbt again. Tho frIondd Of tho darl
| Jackets arc somowhat d!ahcastenea this
time. md Calcutta polo.player who ID seated
/ w e&He4404A AtlIo lNA+ "a 000Ab bNotfu H61lHh
gives 1t ~ his opinion that ho could boat "any
Of those felows easiiy." Not 30 easily, though
for the next goal and tho uo1t arc Won by them,
and now comes tho couqucting game.
At lnAt the ball 's ultoWn. and before we can
| got out Of tho way Tho poniea arc nearly upon
us. for the white bamboo root comes bkimmipg
along over the boundary. aud Ia out. Luck It
| goes again. only to neot with like fate; aud q
thi1d tmo expectation ia At lts h,Shest This
!. = tho issue Ia decided. For nearly tlvo min
e.. tho struggle continues. 4 great dog rushes
aNay from lis maater Into the very thick Of the
fray, and speedily oomes back saddor and
wisor. Then the group breaks, and there is q
tush to the white goal which bids fair TO snc-
ccedi but nnhapp1ly at tho supreme tnomont
| two greon jackets cannon Against each other,
and roll orsr on tho grass. Though they rIso at
ouce. and join In the battle this bull speeds its
way toward their goal. Ono Desperate et1ort Ii
made. A white jacket is tearing along In chase
oi tho ltsle sphere, snd about to atsiko 1t final
blow, whom An opponent oAtoilss him aud en-
| tangiea hin slick 10 bis own. It ia ubeleas
Another whlse Jacket ID c'oee bohinl, aud with 4
tremendous cut to sends the ball ovor the heads
oI the rivals. and gains tho iifth victory.
| MTJkYF H0nNE.