New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-13
Ell PATIO, AN EXTINCT GAME.
SORT OF FOOTBALL PLAYED Bx
HORSEMEN.
From The Badminton Magazine.

From The Badmnton Magazine.
When and where and how the game 81 el
patio" first arose | have never heard; proDaDiy
it was not invented or introduced by any per,
son. but came into existence by chance. ana
being admirably suited to the disposition ana
habits Of the horseman on the pampas 'where
imagine the game must have had its orign) IL
quickly grew in favor and took deep root IN the
country. Unlike most outdoor games IL reta ned
it's original simple. rude character to the end
Patio means duck; and to play the game, a DUCK
or fowl. OF, was usually the case, some larger
domestic bird-turkey, gOsling, or muscOvy
duck-was killed and sewn up in piece OF stout
rawhide forming a somewhat shapeess bali.
twice as big as football and provided win
four loops handles OF strong twisted rawhde
made Of a size convenient to be grasped by a
mans hand. great point was to have the
ball and handles so strongly made that three or
four powerful men could take hold ana tug
until they dragged each other to the ground
without anything giving way.
Whenever it resolved in any place to
have a game and some one had offered to pro-
vide the bird. and the meeting place had been
settled, notice would be sent round among the
neighbOrs, and at the appointed time all the
men and youths living within circle Of several
leagues would appear on the spot mounted on
their best horses On the appearance OF the
the ground carrying the duck the others
would give chase and by and by he would be
overtaken. and the ball wrested from his hand;
the victor in his turn would be pursued, and
when overtaken there would perhaps be
scuile or scrimmage as in football, only the
dragging each other to the earth. Occasionally
when this happened couple OF hOt-headed
players angry at being hurt or worsted would
draw their weapons against each other in order
to find out who in the right to prove
which the better But, fight or no
fight some one would get the duck and carry
it away 10 hc chased again. Leagues OF ground
would he gone over by the players in this way.
and at last some one, luckicr or better mounted
than his fellows. would get the duck, success
fully run the gauntlet of the people scattered
about on the plain and make good his escape.
He was the victor, and it was his right to carry
the bid home and have it for his dinner. This
ried off the duck made for the nearest house.
followed by all the others, and there not only
the duck was cooked. but vast amount II meat
TO feed thu whole of the players While the
dinner was in preparation. messengers would
he dispatched to neighboring houses to invite
the women, and on their arrival dancing would
be started and kept up all night
The game Of Eel patio" abolished long time
before was born, was nothing but a memory
of old and middle aged men when | grew TO
boyhoOd and began to listen with interest to
the tales Of my elders. The most delightful
Old yarn spinner. or historian Of the vanished
days, | remember at that period was a Gaucho
nelghbor named Francisco de la Cueva famil-
iaIly known to us "panchO." dark, thin,
why old fellow Of over seventy. The reason
why one OF his innumerable stories Of the past
stuck in my mind was because it touched on an
historical event Of peculiar and melancholy in
terest to every Anglo Argentine mean the
disastrous attempt on Buenos Ayres by a Brit
lSh army. But there is also in the narrative a
glimpse OF the grand old game Of Eel patO";
ana II Is curious at this distance Of time to
see, az by fash Of lightning, the men If those
days absorbed in pastime which 50 much
to them and is now so completely forgotten.