WRESTLING.
155
days he must have been a person of uncommon phy-
sical capabilities. His excitement was manifestly
increasing every moment, and by a fortunate turn of
his leg he succeeded in throwing his man upon the
face. The prostrate wrestler immediately extended
his legs and arms like the spokes of a wheel, and
stiffening the muscles, defied all the efforts of his huge
antagonist to turn him upon his back. In this po-
sition he lay for several minutes, and when he found
that the large Hindoo relaxed his efforts, he sud-
denly sprang upon his feet, and closing with him,
renewed the contest with undiminished vigour. He
had recovered his breath during the time he lay on
the ground, whilst his adversary had exhausted his in
the fruitless exertions he made to throw him. The
little man now clearly felt his advantage, for he caused
his huge opponent to reel and stagger in a way that
made it clear to all how the contest must terminate.
Upon a sudden, to our astonishment, we saw the
big wrestler lifted from his legs and thrown complete-
ly over the head of the smaller with a force quite
astounding. The poor fellow pitched upon his crown,
falling upon his back senseless. The blood gushed
from his ears and nose, and I certainly thought he was
dead; but within a minute he rose, made a sullen
obeisance to the gallery, and waddled from the arena,
evidently much mortified at the issue of his exertions.
The victor received the smile of his Highness with an
inelegant salaam; for he happened to be an exception
to the general rule, the Hindoos being almost universally
elegant in all conventional acts of external courtesy.
He then retired, and the sports closed for the day.
155
days he must have been a person of uncommon phy-
sical capabilities. His excitement was manifestly
increasing every moment, and by a fortunate turn of
his leg he succeeded in throwing his man upon the
face. The prostrate wrestler immediately extended
his legs and arms like the spokes of a wheel, and
stiffening the muscles, defied all the efforts of his huge
antagonist to turn him upon his back. In this po-
sition he lay for several minutes, and when he found
that the large Hindoo relaxed his efforts, he sud-
denly sprang upon his feet, and closing with him,
renewed the contest with undiminished vigour. He
had recovered his breath during the time he lay on
the ground, whilst his adversary had exhausted his in
the fruitless exertions he made to throw him. The
little man now clearly felt his advantage, for he caused
his huge opponent to reel and stagger in a way that
made it clear to all how the contest must terminate.
Upon a sudden, to our astonishment, we saw the
big wrestler lifted from his legs and thrown complete-
ly over the head of the smaller with a force quite
astounding. The poor fellow pitched upon his crown,
falling upon his back senseless. The blood gushed
from his ears and nose, and I certainly thought he was
dead; but within a minute he rose, made a sullen
obeisance to the gallery, and waddled from the arena,
evidently much mortified at the issue of his exertions.
The victor received the smile of his Highness with an
inelegant salaam; for he happened to be an exception
to the general rule, the Hindoos being almost universally
elegant in all conventional acts of external courtesy.
He then retired, and the sports closed for the day.