On Football

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 8, 18 July 1891, Page 2

On Football

A CHINESE LETTER, Translation by Old Gktjmble., Eureka! A letter has come into my possession, Mrs Grumble, which I find, by oemparing its characters with those upon a tea chest, to be Chinese. I have therefore translatod it, as I think it essential that New Realand should know how its customs and pastimes strike those of other countries. The translation is rather free, through my having read the letter from left to right, whereas the Chinese haye an unnatural method of writing from the top to the bottom, as I have since discovered. The Letteb. - v To our friends and countrymen in the Celestial Empire.— We, Sing-Song and Tel-Li, send greeting, and as it is our intention to make you acquainted from time; to time with whatever we nee worthy of. note in this strange land of our sojourning, will begin by describing a great religious festival of the worshippers of the Ball, which it waß our good fortune to witness while at Feilding, on our way to visit our relatives the Don-Kees. Grotiped: in an enclosure there were about thirty devotees besides an Archpriest called the Referee, and two minor ones bearing the title of Umpires; these three formed the officiating priesthood. The devoteeg,; some of whom had the white feces^bf the Europeans, while other* were of a more; pleasing because darker complexion, nearly as attractive as our own, <were garbed in tight-fitting clothes, striped to represent the Zebra of Africa and the Tiger of India, which animals, they: much resemble both in swiftness and n\immense bounds. They were evidently composed of two parties, each opposed to the other, for upon the Sacred Orbe being thrown in amongst them, they commenced grappling with each other, throwing and being thrown, while the leather sphere was kicked about with demoniacal religious fury. As the ceremony proceeded, so did their frenzy increase, and more and more strenuous grew their efforts to wrest the Sacred Ball from each other ; and many marvellous feats of agility and strength did they perform in their endeavors to secure the coveted treasure. Occasionally one got hold of it, and made oft with the fieetness of the wind towards a soot where two posts supported a cross-rail, though never to reach it ; but to be arrested in his flight, hurled to the ground, and have his prize snatched away. But, what was more astonishing than all waß the immense powe^ the priests have of quelling the mad excitement, for in an instant, upon their nierely waving a flag or blowing a whistle, the combatants desist, and forming a circle with arms around each others necks, they bo w in humble reverence to their command. This part of the ceremony, which is called a "Scrum," impressed us very much — it was so solemn. We were at a loss to understand much that was said by the devotees, as but few of the words they used are to be found in. any dictionary of the -language. , But, doubtless, their utterances were all either prayers or ejaculations in response to the onlookers' continual invocations to their favorite gods*' Offiude," ''♦ Baraka " and "Hurrah," which latter we take to-be a corruption of " Allah." We must confeas to some trepidation whilst viewing the scene, lest we be drawn into the vortex, especially as we felt several tugs at our pig- tails. But as we, upon turning round, titvvV only some youths and some dogs, we attributed the pulls at our appendages to the dogs, which were probably attracted to them by the pomade. We feel sure it was not the boys, for is not this that great country of the free, where the stranger may reside without fear of molestation? The fes.ival over, many of the coloured females showed a desire to salute us in their peculiar manner of rubbing their noses against ours. This we objected to on the grounds of health, knowing influenza and catarrh to be prevalent. The European method of saluting is not so objectionable though equally curious, it is performed by attaching the thumb of the left hand to the no3e, and then extending the fingers with variations, we never omitted to return the salute, and also tendered it to all whom we deemed dignitaries of the city. Our courtesy was always acknowledged, and we were frequently invited to take a carrot, which is an esculent they all seem passionately fond of. But as we never saw them with any, politeness bade us decline the offer, as our acceptance would haye put them to some trouble in procuring the vegetable — but they were hospitable. • In our next letter we hope to say something about the political economy of the country.— We are, &c, SING-SoNO AND TEL-Ll.