Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1882-12-02
A STRANGE DUEL.

uldu COHleSl. NHiGH II btSCIIptu III q
letter to the New York Sun. This
was the fight between the four young
daughters of Pole eat, and young
buck who had assaulted one of their
number. The scene is thus described
by the correspondents THE lines are
broken and the tribe forms huge
ring. into which the savage who pro-
voked the luminosity of the PolC-cat
fan i'y is summar J thrust. He o ks
sullen and logged. He has hard
fight before him. and he knows 1t,
but he is q man of his hands, and he
means to wear those girls out if it
lies in muscle and prompt and effect
i've work. He may strike them any
where above the breast, and kill them
if blow in the neck will do it, but
bullets and arrows are ready for him
if he strikes foul. The girls, on the
other hand, must take of his apron.
If they accomplish that, he is dis.
gracad to the uttermost moment OF
his life, driven from his tribe, left to
starve on the prairie, and all Indians
cautioned against harboring, feeding,
or associating with him. The injured
woman is allowed to have such
souaws as she may select to assist
her. But if she chooses too many to
effect her purpose it is disgrace to
her, and so she is careful to select
only enough to make the battle nearly
equal. The Pole-cat girls are the
bellies of the Yanktonais tribe. III a
squaw can be pretty, these girls are
beautiful, and by virtue of their at
fractions and their fathers posses
sions in horses and other satisfactory
property, they are the aristocrats of
the camp. Perhaps for that reason
they ask no help in their present
undertaking; and for that reason
also, perhaps. their savage sisters
giggle and exchange whispers as the
four girls step into the ring and APP
proach the waiting buck. All five
are in full war paint. Down the
hunters cheeks and along his neck
are alternate sepia and green and
yellow stripes on a background OF
brilliant red, while his chest, sides
and back are tricked out with rude
pictures of guns, bows and horses.
The girls have smeared their faces
with coating of red, over which lies
another of green striped with yellow.
Their hair is unfastened at the back,
and the front locks are braided with
otter fur. Each wears shirt and
leggings, but their blankets are laid
aside and their muscular brown arms
are displayed. There are no. prelim-
inaries The girls dash at their
enemy and attempt to grasp him. If
all hands manage to get hold OF him,
half the battle is accomplished. But
he meets them squarely and fairly,
planting a cruel blow between the
eyes of the girl he had injured, know
ing that if she is finishad he can com
pei her to call off the rest. She is
the general of the attacking forces
and the prime object of his attack.
Over she goes like pin wheel. but
she is up again, her face streaming
with blood and her eyes swelling
The elder girl has contrived to secure
waist hold, and locked her hands
behind his back. His fists fall upon
her upturned face with frightful
force, but she keeps her hold The
other two girls are pressing him
hard from behind, but his elbows
work like battering rams, and one
steps back with her hand pressed
tightly to her breast, and a look OF
agony in her eyes. Now he whirls
suddenly, planting ponderous blows
upon the face and head of the girl
who, on her knees. still clings to- his
waist with a death grip. He fairly
raises her from the ground as he spins,
but her hold never relaxes His ear
lier victim again dashes at him, and
is rewarded by crashing stroke on
the mouth She reels. but RECEIVERS,
and darts again, to receive his fist on
her neck with force that whirls her
half a dozen PAGES off and drops her
like a log. Not n word is spoken.
The thud OF his fists and the heavy
breathing of the contestants are the
only sounds. The last rally Of the
PROSTATE girl has enabled the rear
party to catch the buck, and one has
twined her arms around his neck,
while the other hangs to his right
wrist. His left hand is still free, and
it fairly wrinkles in the air as he bat
tiers the maiden at his waist Her
grasp is like iron, but her head reels
and sways as his heavy hand falls on
it with noise that reaches the far
thest side of the irregular ring. Her
eyes are closed, and her breath comes
convulsively. Were the fourth girl
there to grasp that arm, the fight
would soon end. The girl behind is
choking him, and he employs new
tactics. Grasping the kneeling girl
by the throat, he pounds the face of
the one behind him with the back of
his head. No vanity prompts her to
let go. She tightens her grip, and
buries her face in the back OF his
neck. The fourth girl is up, stagger-
ing and dazed Brushing the blood
from her eyes, with an angry motion,
she approaches him, crouching as
she moves. If the blow he has. in
store fer her reaches the mark he
will have another chance, for the girl
at his waist is growing faint. and he
can easily dispose of the other two.
She comes at him like a cougar. The
blow is delivered full upon her breast,
but she grasps his wrist, and writhes
up his arm. Now he is beset with
danger The two on his arms and
the one at his waist pull him forward
| tlo ,..,,l l,ol;nl 81, e,4,o,o1;p.r Il, ~,