The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1880-12-30
AN AMUSING DUEL.
How an English Officer Covered His
Adversary with Kidicule and Drove
Him from the Field.

Him from the Field.
An old East Indian officer, in giving
some "reminiscences in Chambers Jour-
nal, tells this story: Tainton's regiment
was stationed at the Straits singapore,
Malacca and Penang), but he was Off
ciating as brigade ma jor while the real
incumbent was absent on furlough at
the Cape. He was known to be an
extraordinary shot with gun, rifle and
pellet-bow. Nothing could ruffle him
outwardly, but pity the man who in
suited him, for Tainton, with a smile,
would think no more Of throwing him
out of the window than he would Of
kicking cur downstairs. He was q
lamb i'll appearance, but a very lion in
strength and courage, and neither
drank, gambled nor quarreled; but in
those dueling days even he could not
at times avoid the "wager to battle"
D., a foolishly jrate and somewhat
tipsy man, moreover only a late arriv-
al, took umbrage at some remarks of a
perfectly ino11ensive nature made by
Tainton, and the usual challenge fol-
lowed. There is limit to the greatest
forbearance, and my gallant friend was
tired of being made a target of, SO con-
sented to so out, provided his terms
were acceded to; and these were that
they were to be placed face to face at
fifteen yards or less. he to be armed
with his pellet-bow alone, and his ad-
versary to load his own weapon; and
that from the moment the word "Load."
was given, each party was to be at
II 10 Ia l,I, I,
chose. The seconds knew Tainton
well, and they anticipated some fun
from the novel duel; so, while consent
ing to the terms, they made them
known all over the station. The day
arrived. Tainton's adversary strongly
protested against such a strange duel;
but he was told he had no choice, as
the right of choosing weapons lay with
the challenged So D., more irate
than ever, went to the place of NJ eeting,
vowing he would drill a hole through
his man for making such fool of him.
The whole plain was crowded with
spectators. The two stood face to face,
Tainton with his pockets full of hard
ened pellets and his bow; D. with an
ordinary pistol. The word "Loadr be-
ing given, D. lifted his powder flask,
when rap, rap, came two pellets on his
knuckles, and he dropped his pistol
and flask as if they had been red hot!
The bystanders screamed with laugh
ter. D. got more savage, and
hastily picking up the pistol and flask,
tried to load; but a similar visitation
as before made him drop them again,
whilst another rap, rap, made him turn
his back on his foe. The seconds now
interfered, and declared the duel at an
end, because the conditions had been
violated by D., who was led off
the ground foaming with rage. But a
little reflection and a little inquiry into
the anticedents and character of the
antagonist he had to deal with con-
vinced him Of the folly Of quarreling
with such q man, and a party was got
up at mess, where the two met and
shook hands.
Tainton's skill with the Indian pellet
bow was something marvellous. He
had been known for a wager, with five
pellets to knock over three snipe: and
the Sepoys and native officers of his
regiment not only loved him, but be-
lieved him to be possessed Of super
natural powers, and were ever fond Of
relating the most improbable stories
about him; and nothing would con-
vince them to the contrary. One
story was that with hard pellet he
could drill hole in an earthernware
waterproof, and with soft one fill it up
again