Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-02-12
Stone FIGHTS N coarA.
an one7tai Pasijms That Must n. Z.
tended With Great nan-

ofee9tat Pssiime That Must n A.
tended with Great Daurer.
hte nyIpg. which Is universal a. III.
country, ceases suddenly on the nth -
tne nrst Corean month, and the merit dav
STONE nights take It's place a. the ct,;.t
puonc amusement In the eastern mart
81 seoul, the capital. there are large
open spaces that have not been bp;lt
upon, and here occur the most ser;ors
aud interesting fights. One section ~
me city Is pitted against another. INIT
any one can take 4 hand On either sids
at pleasure. There are no rer.v,.;,aa
leaders, bat the mass Of fighters read;lv
ioiiows the lead Of any one who shows
himself TO be little more reckless Chan
the rest. - '1e'''
Two mobs, consisting of fifty, seventy
OF hundred men each, are drawn mn
against each other, with an interval II
perhaps fifty yards between them. There
Is an Incessant shower Of stones. ana
eacn mans business is to hit n MANY
men as ne can, and especially to avoid
all the stones directed at him. From
Ten 20 twenty men ON each side Are
armed with stout Clubs and wear thicL
wadded helmets. These form the skir.
mishing line. They sally out from their
respective sides and, meeting in mid
career, strike ont viciously at each
o.hers heads, each man holding up his
cloak with his left hand as \ shield n
ward of the blows of his adversary.
After the club fight has lasted ahort
thirty seconds one or the other begine
10 give way, which is the signal for :
rush Of the others. Almost invariably
the ether side breaks and runs. and
sometimes arc chased into their houses.
but generally some of the pursuiria
party press too closely on the fugitiyes.
Then the latter suddenly turn and deal
few staggering blows, which check
the pursuers, and in few seconds the
tables are turned, and those who mo-
ment ago are flushed with victory are
now in full flight with their enemies.
Thus the battle goes back and forth
across the fields, while the neighborinv
entertainments are crowded with specta-
tors. The effect of the laundering
cheers OF the spectators upon the COM
batants 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 villages
numbering from 100 to 500 houses each.
They are situated along the banks at in
tervals OF about half mile. These keep
up a continual series of fights among
themselves during the season. one vii
lage being arrayed against the other.
The defeated party fly across the marshy
field to their own village, followed BY
their enemies, who enter after them,
Selling 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
1 heads.
The first stone fight of the season was
rather more disastrous than usual. 1t is
reported that six men were killed; but
this is probably an exaggeration. A
company of soldiers were ordered out to
stop it, which they found some difficulty
in doing with fixed acknowledgement
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