The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-03-20
Sword Fighting is a PastimG in
Gay Havana.
RAPIER, SABER AND PISTOL
PretextS for FIghtIng-The Two Fa-
vorite StyieS-The Recognized
Code-Incidents.

HAVANA, Cuba.-The art CT fenc-
ing as l have already stated, plays
an important part in the educ alton
OF the Cuban gentleman. AS soon as
as a Cuban boy is Old enough to appre-
ciate the necessity of his being able
10 skilfully handle a foil he is sent
every day to the sale d'armes. Fenc-
ing is the only violent exercise that
the Cuban indulgeS in. Illness alone
will prevent him from taking his daily
lesson. At the Union Club the sale
d'armes is always crowded. There the
old-timer, the blase duelliSt, crosses
his foil with the young STRIPPING who
is anxiously awaiting his first chal-
Ienge. To take high rank as fenGsr
in Havana a man must be master OF
the art. PM, the champion fencer
of the world, said that he had never
met in one city so many able fencers.
The French school of fencing has
the most followers, although the Ital-
ian is liked by many. Nearly all duels
are fought with the rapier, as the
wound it infiicts is not very danger
Gus. Upon serious occasions, however,
| the duelling sabre and pistol are used.
| The sabre is a cruel weapon. 1t diff
fers from any used in Europe. Ii is
about three feet long, slightly curved,
and very heavy. One-third OF the
blade is pointed, while both sides Of it
are sharpensd to razor edge. Rabbi,
a Frenchman on La Calzada Galiano.
is the recognized sharpener. The sa-
bre, welded by a skilful hand, infiicts
terrible and dangerous wounds. Pts
tolls are used by the older men and
generally when the affair is TO the
death.
An offense that will warrant a chal-
lenge in Havana is purely matter OF
personal opinion. With the man who
is looking for trouble" or the unini-
tiated who is anxious to be talked
about, a mere trife will suffice. A
look, a sheer, a laugh in the wrong
place, push or a compliment about
the other fellows girl, is quite suffi-
| cient for the exchange OF cards. Blows
are rarely struck by gentlemen. \
motion TO do so is recognized rs
enough. The Cuban considers his face
sacred, and the life blood of the strik-
er would not be considered sufficient
to wipe out the stigma of blow As
an instance, the experience Of a poor
but we'll intentioned boxing master
may be cited. One day the unfortunate
lprofessor attempted TO land" on on'
of his pupils. A regular fracaS fol
lowed which, although the Cuban cam,
out second best, terminated the bust
ness career of the professor in Ha
vana All the men in Havana carr.
do not hesitate to use them. In jus
tice, however. l will say that the vic
tim is generally an impertinent cocher
or an insulting caretonero. The re
volver or the application of a site
about the head of the offending ME
, NAL has Always the desired .effeC
Americans are generally surprised a
. the respectful manner in which the
I etc. This is the solution OF the mys
0 terry
The rules governing the sending IN
z accepting OF a challenge are as striC
0 as those governing the duel itself. &c
d instance, man while dancing c
o speaking to a girl has been sneere
at by his rival or contradictad. Petit,
I ness and the rules of etiquette foroi
c his making any noticeable acknOw
edgment OF the insult \ look or
: nod is all that is needed to MAKE n
c opponent aware that the insult ans III
, passed unpereeived. Both men make
point TO meet within a very &c
minutes, and if the offender does n,
apologize the seconds are name
; When the dance is over the two me
u go in search of their seconds and pla'
themselves entirely in their hanC
e The seconds, or padrinos, as they a
called. then meet and the weapons al
agreed upon. Sometimes it so hal
pens that one of the men is not
:, good fencer. In that case il is consi,
B cred the right thing to gran; thr,
q. or four days grace for him to pra
II tice. On the day named for the e.
counter each man writes a letter.
which he states that he has commit,
suicide. This is done in order 10 pr
tect his opponent in case of a fat
termination to the duel.
J. Besides the padrinos and medicos
juez de campo figures in the duel. !
q is chosen by the seconds OF the a
versaries. His duty is to insure IA