Morning journal and courier., 1893-05-27
Reats OF swordsmnnship.


Fests of sword.mAnship, such as cut
ting through triangular bars of lead or
carcases of sheep, are performed with
special weapons; and on this subject, and
that of sword-blows generally, Mr.. Hen
derson, the well known professor of
swordsmsnship, and for many yesrs con-
nected with Angeles School Of Arms, has
some interesting facts to relate. Though
no longer quite 80 young as he was, he is
still active and hearty, and must have
been In his prime q very powerful man,
weighing one hundred and ninety pounds
de has in his time, at one stroke, cut
through two sheep, one carcsse inside the
other; and in a similar manner through
two and three quarter inches of solid lesd.
A specially made cnirass, much thought
of at the time by the Duke of Cambridge,
when tested by the redoubtable Henderson
was cut clean through. Steel pls.es-six
to the inch-snd ordinary poksrs have
been severed az one blow by the same
strong arm. These exploits were sll 60
complished with q sword made for him By
the old firm of Wilkinson. It is called
''Excslibur," and weighs but four pounds
1t is perfectly plain, slightly curved, has q
hilt something like a naval cutlass, and is
tempered to perfection. Mr.. Henderson
was present at the battle of Chillisn wallsh
In 1S49, and can testify to some remarks-
BILE instances of the power of a keen
sword. Towards the termination of the
fight, as tbs British troops were slowly re-
firing, a Sikh challenged by his gestures
and defsnt attitude an Irish soldier to
leave the ranks and engage In single com
hat
right through the Sikh, who, though NOR
tally wounded, instantsneou,ly with his
rezor-edged tuiwar cleft his opponents
head in two, as far down as the base of
the neck, both falling dead at the same in
stant. After this engagement q Sikh was
found sitting on the ground apparently
unhurt, yet holding his hands up TO his
head, and when the surgeon bsde him low
er his arms, he fell dead on the spot, with
half bis skull gone, the entire upper part
having been cut clean through.
Elephants are completely disabled BY
one blow from the Arabs two handed
sword, which almost sewers the huge hind
leg, biting deep into the bone. This feat
il varied by slashing off the trunk, lssy-
ing IL dangling only by piece of skin. A
Ghoorks has been seen by the late Lsu-
renee Oliphant to behead q buffalo with q
single blow Of his cookrie And Sir Sam
tel BAKER, man powerful enough to
WELD during his African exploration the
Baby" an elephant-Iifie weighing TWEEN
ty-two pounds, once Glove q wild boar with
bis big hunting knife almost in halves sc
IL Was making q final rush, catching il just
behind the shou der where the hide snd
bristles are at least 8 span thick. Sir
Walter Scott relates how the Earl of An
gus, with his huge sweeping brand, chsl-
lenged an opponent to hghs, and at blow
chopped a,uuder his thighbone, killing
him on the spot There 10 q story cur
rent iu Australia that q Lieutenant Ander-
son, In 1852, during an encounter pith
bushrangsrs, cut clean through the gun
barrel of his adversary with his sword.
And &. Ksssassin IL Is related that one Of
Arab Pashs's soldiers was severed in two
during the midnight charge. But In the
opinion of experts this is very improbs-
BILE, even had the new regulation sabre
been then In use.