Evening star., 1934-12-29

w YHEN lie chevslier Milfort
A crossed the Carolina noun
tains over the trail Of
Daniel Boone on his way
to the Greek nation and Louisiana
he encountered in what Is now East
Tennessee a race of one-eyed white
men known as "craQuers or gougers.
They warned him not to 60 on. The
Creeks who lived in the dense forests
beyond, they ted the polished French
officer. roasted white men alive over
slow fires ana then ate them. But
Milfort did not heed the warnings.
He thought tie stories must be ex-
aggerated and that no savagery on
earth could exceed that Of the CYCLIC
pean, painted craquers," from whom
he was anxious to escape to the
haven Of decent cannibals.
Actually the general de brigade au
service de Ia Republique Francaise,
as he described himself, found a cor
dial welcome among the Greeks. In
stead of roasting him, they made him
a "tastenegy''-a rank which, he ex-
planned. corresponded to that OF gen.
eral. When he returned to France he
wrote a curious account OF his aoven-
lures. dedicated TO Napoleon, which
contains what probably is the only
account extanl Of 'craquer' prze
fighting, the gentle sport with which
the pioneers whiled away Summer
evenings.
The inhabitants of North Caro-
lina," he wrot-, raise great guam
titv of potatoes of which they make
distilled drink called 'Owisky. Tie
.craquers' love this liquor and when
they drink it become very quarrel
some and evil. Then they agree to
fight on certain days. Their nights
are somewhat Ike the English boxing.
When two Of mem are agreed on the
day and hour ot a fight they assemble
as many spectators as possible. These
then form a ring, put the combatants
in the middle, and, at signal given
by the oldest ol the spectators, the
fight stats.
Try to Tear Out an Eye.
WHEaMl al the is ready eae man they S'. .,,see ss'e
each other with teeth, nm
gernails and spurs, at which they are
very skillful. When one falls the other
takes every advantage and tries TO
cut him numerically all over the face,
and especially to tear out an eye. Up
to this time the aSsemblage regards
the conflict with little concern. Only
at this moment is there any interfer-
ence and if it does not come promptly
sometimes both eyes are torn out.
Then the victor climbs on tree
trunk, of which there are great
manv cut two or three feet from the
ground, and, all covered with blood,
boasts of his victory. He insults the
assemblage and defies all the specta-
tors, one after the other declaring
that there Is not among them suchA
man as he.
His excitement so affects his imag-
ination that when no antagonist pre-
sents himself he defies the author
Of his breath himself to descend from
the heavens and fight with him.
When he has finished all his provo
cations he gets down off his stump
with everybody applauding and pro-
claiming him as the victor. As these
contests are held often. one meets few
who are not blinded in this fashion
and It is hardly possible to live among
them without engaging in some such
conflict.
These fellows lead verv evil lives
and are not willing to submit to any |
government. They usually live by the
chase, but they plant a little tobacco,
which they carry to the shore towns
in Winter and exchange for 'owisky,'
firearms and powder. 1t Is well to
observe that these men in childhood
have great care to grow their nails,
which they never cut. In order to
give them greater strength they
smear them often with tallOw after
which they hold them over the fire.
This tallow penetrates the pores of
the nails and renders them especially |
hard when they dry. l have seen
the claw of a lion. Not content with
this arm they carry also spurs which
they never lay aside, even when Sleep
ing, and of which the points are very
sharp When they present themselves
for combat with such arms 1t is easy
to judge how often they are injured"
Wisdom Beats ValOr.
1APOLEON'S general de brigade"
N escaped from East Tennessee
without being challenged to
gouging match, but he was worried
at times. The "craquers." in fact,
treated him quite Hospitality and the
leading man of the community in
vited him to dinner. The "craquer's"
wife had heard somewhere that some-
thing called tea" should be served
at fashionable meal, such as would
be prepared for a distinguished
Rreakfast C1uh