The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-11-29
THE coREANs AT PLAY.
An Outdoor Sport in which Half n
Dozen Men Day Are Killed.

An Outdoor Sport in which Half n
Dozen Men n Day Are Killed.
oorean Letter.
Kite-hying, which is universal in this coun-
try, ceases suddenly on the 18th Of the first
Corean month, and the next day stone fights
take It's place as the chief public amusement.
In the eastern part OF Seoul, the capital,
there are large open spaces that have not
been built upon, and here occur the most
serious and interesting fights. One section of
the city is pitted against another, but any one
can take hand on either side at pleasure
There are no recognized leaders but the mass
OF fighters readily follows the lead of any
one who shows himself to be little more
reckless than the rest. Two mobs, con-
sisting of fifty, seventy, or one hundred
men each, are drawn up against each
other, with an interval OF perhaps fifty
yards between them. There 10 an in
cessant shower OF stones, and each mans
business ls to hit as many men as he can, and
especially to avoid all the stones directed at
him. From ten to twenty men on each side
are armed with stout clubs and wear thick
wadded helmets These form the skirmish-
Ing line. They sally out from their re.pec-
tive sides, aud, meeting in mid career, strike
out viciously at each others heads, each man
holding up his cloak with his left hand as a
shield to ward off the blows Of his adversary.
After the club fight has lasted about thirty
seconds, one side or the other begins to give
way, which is the signal for a rush of the
others. Almost invariably the other side
breaks and runs, and sometimes are chased
into their houses, but generally some OF the
pursuing party press too closely on the fugi-
tives. Then the latter suddenly turn and cal
a few staggering blows, which check the pur-
suers, and In few seconds the tables are
turned, and those who a moment ago were
flushed with victory are now in full flight
with their enemies. Thus the battle goes
back and forth across the fields, while the
neighborfng embankments are crowded with
spectators. The effect of the thuadering
cheers OF the spectators upon the eombatants
is marvellous.
They charge upon each other as II in actual
BATTLE and show what would be bravery IL e1-
erted In some useful cause. Near the river
are numerous villages numbering from 100 10
5OO houses each. They are situated along the
banks at intervals Of about half mile. These
Keep up q continual series of fights among
themselves during the season, one village be-
Ing arrayed against another. The defeated
party lily across the mArshy fields to their own
village, followed by their enemies, who enter
after them seizing anything on which they
can lay their hands-iren, files, doors-to
mark their victory. Then the whole village
rises against the invaders; and they fly, glad
II they can get back without broken heads.
The first stone fight Of the present season was
more disastrous than usual. 1t is reported
that six men We're killed; but this is probably
an e1aggeration. A company of soldiers were
ordered to stop it, which they found some
difficulty in doing, even with fixed bayonets.