Omaha daily bee., 1897-11-28

ball are as complicated and rapid as those OF
a hgh-priced base ball pitcher.
To stand behind him as the two thongs de-
scribe fierce patterns IN the air is not re-
assuring, for you cannot avoid some appre-
henson. lest the stone come out backward
to stand before him as his arm streightons
and he comes forward hard on his left leg
with eyes flashing and every muscle tense
that Is rather like facing a lancer In battle.
Not quite such a serious case, but serious
enough! They told me, for instance, that
men have been brought in with legs broken
and faces crushed out of recognition after
taking part In fights with the sling.
FIERCE FIGHTS.
These sling fights, which are regarded as
play, for all their serious consequences, take
a prominent place among Turkish out-of-door
amusements and formerly chat Is until two
or three years ago. took place on large
scale every Friday afternoon, the weekly
holiday.
They would begin in a small way among
the boys, who would assemble on the plain
just outside OF Caesarea or some other
place and start the fun by forming sides,
with Turks against Armenians, or Greeks
against Turks, or however 1t might happen,
and fifteen or twenty boys on side each
armed with a sling. Then the two lines
would advance slowly against each other;
whirling and letting drive as they went, and
picking up stones from the thickly strewn
plain.
If there is any one thing that is not lack
ing in Asia Minor 1t Is stones. After some
preliminary skirmishng both sides would
come together in a vigorous onset ana there
would be enough damage done to get the
boys blood up and excite the young men
who would meantime have begun to gatner
they also carrying slings proportioned TO
their strength. man may be here without
food or clothing, but he can always hnd O
III. \ ll,, lr., hONu tn II
AS fast as the men arrive they take sides,
one against one, men of a race keeping on
the same side against men of another race,
Christians against Moslems usually, which
adds to the zest of battle. Within an hour
fifty young men may have ranged themselves
in one line or the other, and presently with
keen excitement they begin the advance,
shouting ard whirling their slings, bent on
doing all the damage in their power. Ana
soon the singing of the stones as they whlzz
by, and the blood flowing here and there,
tempt the older men into the fray, and
even ver cradle greybeards, who have jour
neyed to Mecca, as their green turbans show,
come hurrying up, slings in hand, ready
to risk a broken head for the chance of
breaking some other mans head.
In this way little by little, the fever
spreads. the fight gets hotter. until as has
often happened, 100 200 men-perhaps
whole village-are out on the plain, yelling
like madmen, hurting stones with all ther
strength, guarding themselves as best they
may and finally, when the lines come TO-
gether rushing upon each other with hsts
or knives. until it is a wonder that half OF
them are not killed. Since the massacres
the authorities have prohibited the regular
Friday sling battles, for with race hatred
rurning as at present they would surely
end in great slaughter but the Turks still
fight amcng themselves from time to time,
out of pure love of the thing.
Have you ever fought in these battles?"
asked Arif.
MANY times" he answered, and beamed
at the remembrance for all his 90 years.
Were you ever badly hurt?'
Lock here" he said, and, pulling up his
Jaggy trousers showed a white scar as long
IS a quarter OF dollar just over the shln
Sone That laid me up for month, ana
ere quilting off his fez) is enc that cut my
head open 1t came over my aba
THE FIGHTING DRESS.
He nut his finger en- a long scar, plainly
visible through his c.Ose-cropped hair. And
hen he explained what he meant by a stone
9oming ever the aba. The aba is a gayly
,olored outer garment made of the heaviest
canvas almost as hard as board, so hard that
l knife thrust will scarcely penetrate 1t.
Young Turks. especially. wear these gar
ments as a safeguard in their Quarrels and
it serves excellently in the sling battles. AS
they move forward whrling their slings
with the right hand, they protect their
bodies with the abas hung over the left arm
and reaching nearly to the ground Let a
stone come ever so swiftly against the aba
it will do little harm, but often in rain
of missiles one will fly over the guard, or
under it, and the man goes promptly on the
disabled list.
Arif told me story that shows what ser
vice the sling may render in time of need,
even as it did in David's time. friend OF
his who w2s also an lin throwing was
journeyng across the country when he met
j party Of travellers, halted near bridge,
md talking together in great excitement.
On inquring what had happened he
learned that on the other side Of the bridge
was band of rough men who had threat
ened to beat them and plunder them If they