call it, in many a hard fought and well contested tussle for the
championship of his little world; he is 'up to every dodge,' and knows
every feint and guard, every wile and tactic of the wrestling ground.
It is generally in some shady grove, secluded and cool; here of an
evening when the labours of the day are over, the most stalwart sons
of the hamlet meet, to test each others skill and endurance in a
friendly _shake_. The old man puts them through the preliminary
practice, shows them every trick at his command, and attends strictly
to their training and various trials. The ground is dug knee deep, and
forms a soft, good holding stand. I have often looked on at this
evening practice, and it would astonish a stranger, who cannot
understand strength, endurance, and activity being attributed to a
'mere nigger,' to see the severe training these young lads impose upon
themselves. They leap into the air, and suddenly assume a sitting
position, then leap up again and squat down with a force that would
seem to jerk every bone in their bodies out of its place; this gets up
the muscles of the thighs. Some lie down at full length, only touching
the ground with the extreme tips of their toes, their arms doubled up
under them, and sustaining the full weight of the body on the extended
palms of the hands. They then sway themselves backwards and forwards
to their full length, never shifting hand or toe, till they are bathed
in perspiration; they keep up a uniform steady backward and forward
movement, so as to develop the muscles of the arms, chest, and back.
They practice leaping, running, and lifting weights. Some standing at
their full height, brace up the muscles of the shoulder and upper arm,
and then leaping up, allow themselves to fall to earth on the tensely
strung muscles of the shoulder. This severe exercise gets the muscles
into perfect form, and few, very few indeed of our untrained youths,
could cope in a dead lock, or fierce struggle, with a good village
Hindoo or Mussulman in active training, and having any knowledge of