The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-07-18

-
the salt wen through It, and set It
away in q cool place for "a hours.
then take it up and work it over;
much of the salt will be dissolved and
work out.
India. Military sports.
The sports of the native Indian
cavalry, commonly called Nesi Basi,
are much encouraged by the author
tiles, as to excel in them requires
steady nerve and good riding. !
belisse it ie tbe esstomis most Fegi-
ments to- d votsf one norniaga
week to fhese essentially militasy
games. They are most popular with
the men, il is easy to see, for besides
the hundred or 50 who generally turn
out to compete, the greater part OF
the regiment is present on foot as
spectators. The proceedings gener-
ally commence with teut-peggings
pure and simple. IA short peg is
driven into the ground, while some
200 yards distant the competitors
are drawnupi in line, each on his
own horse, for the native sosoor }, like
the vassal of our own past times,
comes mounted and armed to his
regiment. While of duty the native
soldier can dress az he pleases, SO on
occasions like the present individual
taste breaks forth in snowy waist
coat or gorgeous-colored turban.
Each man carries a bamboo spear in
bis hand. At a signal given by the
urori major or native Adjutant, the
first man, his spear held acros bis
body, starts at a canter; bis wiry lit
tie country-b bred knows as well as he
does what is in hand, and as the
speed quickens to q gallop, the pace
is regular and measured, enabling
bis rider to sit as steady as a rock
When about so yards from the OBJ
iect the oaca turns bis spear-point
downward, bends well over the sad
die till his hand is below the gi.th,
and then, when you almost think he
has gone past, an imperceptible turn
of the wrist aud-swish-the spear
is brandished round bis head, with
the peg transixed on its point.
Another is quickly driven into the
ground, aud the next man comes up;
be, too, hits the peg. but perhaps
fails to carry it away to The required
distance, for it drops from his spear
poiHt as he is iI the act Of whirling it
round his head. This docs not count,
and he retires discounted. The
third misses sntirely, the fourth
strikes, but does not remove the
peg from the ground; while after
them in quick succession come two
or tree who carry it of triumph.
autiy. With varying fortune the
whole squad goes By; and it is in
teresting to note the style of each
horseman as he passes, some sit
ting rigid till within q few yards of
the mark; others bending over aud
taking aim while still at a distance;
some silent, others shouting and
gesticulating; while q no sooner
has bis steed in motion than be gives
vent to a certain tremolo sound, kept
up like the rattle Of q steam engine,
till close upon the Peg, which having
skillfully trausfxed, he at the same
time throws his voice up an octave or
two, in triumph, / suppose, as he
pallops round and joins his comrads.
Two or three men now bring up their
horses with neither q saddle nor
bride. and consumate skill, guiding
them by Ieg-pressure alone, carry of
the peg triumphantly. and wel-de-
served cries off Shabash ]" from the
spectators. The next part of the
programe Is slime-cutting," Three
lemons are put up on sticks about 90
wards apart; and the Sonar gallops
past, tulwari in land, he has success
fully to cut them in two without
touching the sticks-a by no means
easy feat. Then three handkerchiefs
are placed on the ground; and a
horseman, riding barebacked 8 good
looking bayt flies past In a very cloud
of dust, and on his way stops, picks
up, and throws over his shoulder
each handkerchief as be comes to it.
And now we come to the most diff
cult feat of all. A piece of wood a
little larger than a tentpeg is driven
into the ground, and a notch having
been made in the top, c rupee Is
thersIn placed SO as to be half hidden
from view. The feat is to ride at this,
lance in hand, and to knock out the
rupee without touching the wood-a
performance requiring rare skill and
dexterity yet it is generally accom-
plisbed successfully, once or twice,
By the best hands OF the regiment
Perhaps the proceedings may close
with something Of o comic na'ure,
one mar coming past hanging by his
heels from the saddle, shouting and
gestieulating others facing their
horses tails. firing pistols at o sup
posed enemy, with more antics of a
like n ature, often ending in an igno-
minious lcropper, thouh the nimtl,
fareem generally succeeds in land
inc an HE foot -Tbnuhey's .ToIr.