Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1892-08-18
THROWING STONES IN coREA.
An Exciting Sport Among the Natives Of
the Hermit Kingdom.


The Corean correspondent of Japan
paper gives an account of a curious
popular practice in Corea. Kite fly
ing, which is universal in that coun-
try, ceases suddenly the 10Th of the
first Corean month, and the next day
stone fights take its 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 an
other, but any one can take a hand on
either side at pleasure. There are no
recognized leaders, but the mass of
fighters readily follow the lead of any
one who shows himself to be q little
more reckless than the rest. Two
mobs, consisting of fifty, seventy, or a
hundred men each, arr drawn up
against each other, with an interval of
perhaps fifty yards between them.
There is an incessant showerof stones,
and each mans business is 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 skirmishing line. They sally out
from their respective sides, and, meet
ing in m%idcareer, strike out ~yiciously
at each others heads. each man hold
ing up his cloak 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 inya-
riably the other side breaks and runs,
and sometimes are chased into their
houses, but generally some of the pur-
suing party press too closely upon the
fugitiyes. Then the latter suddenly
turn and deal a few staggering blows,
which check the pursuers, and in a
second 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
neighboring embankments are crowded
with spectators. The effect of the
laundering cheers of the spectators
upon the combatants is marvellous.
They charge upon each other as if in
actual battle, and show what would be
bravery if exerted in some useful
cause.
Near the river are numerous vii
lagos, numbering from 100 to 500
houses each. They are situated along
the banks at intervals of about half a
mile. These keep up q continual
series If fights among themselves dur
ing the season, n village being ar
rayed against another. The defeated
party fly 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-iron, files, dOOrs-to mark
their victory. Then the whole village
rises against the invaders, and they
fly, glad if they can get back without
broken heads. The first stone fight of
the present season was rather more
disastrous than usual. 1t is reported
that six men were killed, but this is
probably an eXaggeration. A COM
pany of soldiers was ordered out to
stop it, which they found some diff
Guilty in doing, even with fixed bay
onets.