DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62133#0141
HUMAN TIGERS.
125
each other. The race-course was a mile round; but it was
not very long before you caught sight, in the distance, of
the flying men and wheels coming on to the goal. On, on
they came, three or four near together, the rest scattered
at various intervals ; one far behind. On, on they came !
The first is here ! But what a countenance !—Pale — deadly
pale ! livid almost! Oh, it was a fearful sight ! And each
panting wretch, as he neared the goal, had the same ghastly
look. The first idea was that they would faint, or drop down
dead. The trumpets bray forth the victor’s triumph; they
pause, pant, lean upon their wheels, and the wrestling
commences.
I myself was quite uneasy about these poor wheelwrights,
and wanted to see cloaks thrown over them. But no ;
there they leant upon their wheels, and remained so leaning
till the end of the day, as if that had been a part of their
duty.
Spite of the horror with which the wrestling inspired
me, I was conscious of a strange fascination in it. There
was a savage grandeur about the whole thing. That band
of tawny men, girt with their black belts, glaring defiance
on each other, then rushing madly together, winding
together their arms, bearing each other together to the
earth in a wild frenzy, looked like human tigers. You
grew sick, breathless; yet look you must. And as each
champion triumphed, the trumpets announced his victory !
The assembled multitude, breathless, silent thousands,
added a wonderful impressiveness to the scene. And as
you turned your eyes away from the fierce combatants and
the eager multitude, there, along the horizon, lay that
glorious, calm Alpine chain, raising its jagged peaks into
the pure, tender, pale green sky, along which lay vast solemn
stretches of cloud. It was a striking contrast.
But again the human struggle claimed our attention. It
was now a trial of strength with huge stones. How fine
125
each other. The race-course was a mile round; but it was
not very long before you caught sight, in the distance, of
the flying men and wheels coming on to the goal. On, on
they came, three or four near together, the rest scattered
at various intervals ; one far behind. On, on they came !
The first is here ! But what a countenance !—Pale — deadly
pale ! livid almost! Oh, it was a fearful sight ! And each
panting wretch, as he neared the goal, had the same ghastly
look. The first idea was that they would faint, or drop down
dead. The trumpets bray forth the victor’s triumph; they
pause, pant, lean upon their wheels, and the wrestling
commences.
I myself was quite uneasy about these poor wheelwrights,
and wanted to see cloaks thrown over them. But no ;
there they leant upon their wheels, and remained so leaning
till the end of the day, as if that had been a part of their
duty.
Spite of the horror with which the wrestling inspired
me, I was conscious of a strange fascination in it. There
was a savage grandeur about the whole thing. That band
of tawny men, girt with their black belts, glaring defiance
on each other, then rushing madly together, winding
together their arms, bearing each other together to the
earth in a wild frenzy, looked like human tigers. You
grew sick, breathless; yet look you must. And as each
champion triumphed, the trumpets announced his victory !
The assembled multitude, breathless, silent thousands,
added a wonderful impressiveness to the scene. And as
you turned your eyes away from the fierce combatants and
the eager multitude, there, along the horizon, lay that
glorious, calm Alpine chain, raising its jagged peaks into
the pure, tender, pale green sky, along which lay vast solemn
stretches of cloud. It was a striking contrast.
But again the human struggle claimed our attention. It
was now a trial of strength with huge stones. How fine