St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-03-04

enough, but would not answer for as
much on the part of that beetle browed
rascal vasco yonder. These primitive
people, in spite of their ordinarily limo
cent, happy -go-lltcky ways, are extreme
| ly revengeful in their love affairs. But
let us hasten, or the round-house yon-
der will efull before we can get there"
| Twill pass over the cock-tights, the
bull-fghts, and the still more brutal
prize-fights-the latter consisting Of
half-naked, brawny negroes testing their
putting powers till one or the other con-
testant fell, senseless and bloody, in the
arena. "."5t l- @S
| Games of this sort had ever inspired
me with pure horror, and they had even
less interest for me on this occasion, in
view of the more romantic and pictur-
esque event that was in prospect.
The Intermediary performances, how
ever, concluded with an exciting game
of aycha, which was well worth the wit
Messing. 1t is simple, but bold and
hazardous, trial of strength and skill.
1t consists of two well-mounted men,
grasping with their right hands the OPP
posing sides of stout looped thong,
and then endeavoring with their might
and main to unseat each other, their
horses in the meantime being purposely
spurred and goaded into aperfect frenzy
.--defeat being signaled by an unhors-
ing, or even by 4 REIMBURSEMENT Of the
grasp upon the loop. 80, -. 81, "a. t.. .
EzT The reader can readily imagine the
fury and danger attending upon such a
pastime, which, while it affords. oppor-
tunity for equestrian posings and atti-
tudinizing in comparison with which
the most exciting contest at polo is tame
and spiritless, not infrequently results in
loss Of limb and even life. ....7 ~. !...,ssl
The six aycha trials that we witnessed,
however, were fortunately productive
very, serious one; and at their conclu-
sion we lost no time in joining the great
throng that was beginning to pour along
in the direction of the plateau, about a
mile away, where the preparations for
the great event of the day, the senorita-
chase, had been going on.
A wife-hunt is, perhaps, the most ap-
pirate name that can be given it. The
girl-rider is pursued by one or more of
admirers, in proportion to her good
looks and general popularity with the
opposite sex; and, though the race is
often an angry and exciting one,she is
mostly supposed to at last facilitate her
own capture on the part of the sutton
whom she really prefers, which renders
it mutual and bona-fde wooing, after
all; and in this it may be said to be a
more genuine affair of the heart and
feelings than many of the wife-hunts
that are in vogue in more pretentiously-
civilized countries. - "a 7'"~ -
We witnessed four of these races on
the day in question, all of them exciting
and amusing to both spectators and
participants; but | was mostly interest
ed in the last, which involved the pur-
suit of Benjamin., the mountain-belle,
by the three rivals, who had been point
ed out to me at the wayside pool. Y
Benjamin. was a sprightly and pretty
young woman, of apparently unmixed
Indian stock. Her figure was slender
and willoWy; her complexion was clear,
brilliant and amber-tinted. She had
wonderful grace of movement, bold,
black eyes, and long-fowing, coarse,
black hair, which floated far below her
lisson1 waist, as she lightly leaped into
the saddle, amid the laughing good
wishes of her female companions, who
seemed as careless and light hearted as
she. Indeed, in her picturesque, oread-
like costume, she looked such tempt
ing prize, as she curveted back and
forth upon her small and underlined, but
mettlesome steed, in anticipation for her
lovers to- start in pursuit, that even
wondered at there being but three com
petitors for her hand. Il ,.nI : ...,u i M
.. ssThere would be more after her, but
for the reputation Of these three" said
my companion. g They are all deemed
by their fellows as wild and desperate
men, and I suspect that they, can be
robbers on occasion, quite as conven-
iently as mule-drivers. But see! they
are of -
1t was true. Thee word had been
given, and away dashed the mountains
maid, having been given fifty Yards
start with the rival lovers in mad pur-
suit.sf5tlf8F IS Eebttft< st -tE@i
Never had T witnessed finer horse
manship, even in Mexico. The pursuers
were dressed much alike, with all the
bravery Of gold-corded sombreros,
tight fitting, lhussar-like Jackets, and
broadly fringed trousers Of .bleached
llama skin, hung here and there with
twinkling little bells, with the single ex-
ception of the broad sashes about their
waists. These were their marks of dis
tinction, Manuelo's sash being yellow,
Marto's blue and Vasco's red.
II For several reasons it was most ex-
citing race. In the first place, the mar
row plateau was interspersed with
rocks and clumps Of chapparal, which
allowed of any amount of dexterous
lodging making it a sort of hide-and-
seek on horseback, in fact; and in the
next place. though the twin, Marie s 70